Primator (train)

The Primator was an international express train. Introduced in 1986, it ran between Prague, then the capital of Czechoslovakia, and East Berlin, then the capital of the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

Primator

Overview
Service type	Interexpress (IEx) (1986–ca. 1990) Schnellzug (D) (ca. 1990–1993)
Status	Replaced by EuroCity
Locale	Czechoslovakia / Czech Republic GDR / Germany
Predecessor	Progress
First service	1986 (1986)
Last service	1993 (1993)
Successor	EC Porta Bohemica
Route
Termini	Praha hl.n. Berlin-Lichtenberg
Service frequency	Daily
Train number(s)	IEx 76/77 (1986–1991) D478/479 (1991–1993)
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	15 kV AC, 16.7 Hz (Germany)

Following the major political changes that took place in Central Europe in the second half of 1989, Prague became the capital of the Czech Republic, East Berlin was absorbed by Berlin and the GDR by Germany.

In 1993, under the influence of all of these changes, the Primator was replaced by a new EuroCity train, the Porta Bohemica.

History

The Primator first ran in 1986. Initially, it was categorised as one of the new top-of-the-line Interexpress services, numbered IEx 76/77.

The train ran between Praha hl.n. in Prague and Berlin-Lichtenberg in East Berlin, on the route and in the time slots previously used by another train, Progress, which was rescheduled to different time slots.

In 1991, the Interexpress category was discontinued, and the Primator was recategorised as an Express (Ex) (Czechoslovakia) / Schnellzug (D) (Germany).

In 1993, as part of a reorganisation of international train services through the Elbe valley, the Primator was replaced by the new EC Porta Bohemia.

See also

• History of rail transport in the Czech Republic
• History of rail transport in Germany
• List of named passenger trains of Europe

References

• Bogula, Rico (2007). Internationale Schnellzüge in der DDR [International Express Trains in the GDR]. Freiburg i.B.: EK-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88255-720-6. (in German)

External links

• Private web page – about the history of the DR's international trains 1977 to 1993 (in German)
• Private web page – about the history of the IEx trains (in German)