Optimization of Timetables on the Prague – Bratislava / Vienna and Rail Transport Route in the Post-Pandemic Period

Abstract Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for public passenger transport has decreased significantly in many European countries since March 2020. Due to several measures and restrictions adopted, this decrease was particularly pronounced in international long-distance transport due to several restrictions and measures adopted. A significant decrease in demand could also be observed on the international rail transport route Bratislava / Vienna – Prague in the form of the decline in the number of transported passengers on this railway line. Therefore, it is very important and necessary to propose various measures to increase the demand and achieve a significant long-term increase in the number of passengers in long-distance rail transport not only on the mentioned transport route. This paper analyses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on passenger transport usage frequency and proposes solutions to improve the quality of the timetables. It deals with the long-term and systematic concept of international long-distance passenger rail transport on the Prague – Bratislava / Vienna and back in the post-pandemic period. For this purpose, specific scientific methods are selected, which can be applied in order to rationalize and optimize train timetables.