Crunchy Crickets and 230,000 Coffees on Czech Trains

On Czech Railways’ blue trains, the clink of cups and the rustle of snack wrappers have become part of the soundtrack of long-distance travel, as mobile minibars dish up everything from budget coffee to crunchy crickets to growing numbers of passengers.

Record Passenger Demand for Onboard Minibars

Mobile catering trolleys branded as ČD Minibar have turned into a quiet success story for Czech Railways, with company data showing that the service now reaches well over a million passengers a year. Publicly available figures for 2023 indicate that attendants served almost 1.2 million customers, confirming a steady rise in demand for food and drink purchased on board.

Internal statistics for 2024, highlighted in recent corporate reporting and press materials, point to continued growth. In 2024 the minibars were available on roughly 170 domestic connections, and by mid-2024 they had already served more than half a million passengers. Analysts following the carrier’s annual reports describe onboard catering, including minibars and restaurant cars, as one of the ancillary services helping the operator differentiate itself in a competitive Central European rail market.

For travelers, the appeal lies in convenience. Instead of seeking out station kiosks or planning ahead, passengers can wait for the cart to roll through the carriage several times per journey. The model has proven particularly attractive on long cross-country and regional express routes where full restaurant cars are not viable but demand for coffee and light meals remains strong.

Coffee Leads the Menu, From Budget Cups to Lattes

Minibar statistics underline just how central coffee has become to the onboard offer. According to published coverage of the 2023 figures, passengers ordered nearly 400,000 cups of coffee-based drinks in that year alone, including instant coffee, branded espresso-style coffee and instant cappuccino. Within that total, instant coffee led the pack with close to 290,000 servings, followed by more than 110,000 cups of premium Manuel-brand coffee.

Czech-language statements from the operator show that this pattern continued into 2024. A press release summarizing the year reported more than 74,000 litres of coffee sold via minibars and singled out instant coffee portions at around 232,000 servings. When lattes and tea are included, hot drinks together reach into the hundreds of thousands of cups, underscoring how central a low-priced caffeine fix is to the rail experience in the country.

Pricing has been part of the strategy. Public information about the menu notes that basic tea and coffee are still offered at a symbolic price of around 15 Czech crowns, a level that keeps the service accessible even on commuter routes. For longer journeys, passengers can trade up to more elaborate coffee drinks or pair a hot beverage with a croissant or baguette, replicating a simple café experience at their seat.

Crunchy Crickets and Other Niche Bestsellers

Beyond coffee and beer, the minibars have cultivated an unexpected niche: edible insects. Corporate materials and annual reporting describe “crunchy insect and worm specialities” as a deliberate addition to the range of healthier and higher-protein snacks. A recent press summary of 2024 minibar sales noted that almost 5,000 packs of crunchy mealworms and crickets were sold during the year.

The insect snacks sit alongside more conventional packaged items such as dried meat, which has consistently logged sales of around 30,000 packs annually, and mainstream confectionery, croissants and baked goods. While the volumes of edible insects are modest compared with coffee or bottled water, their presence illustrates how Czech Railways is testing novelty products aimed at adventurous or health-conscious travelers.

Industry observers say this mix of classic and unconventional options mirrors broader trends in European onboard catering, where operators increasingly experiment with vegetarian, high-protein and locally branded products. For Czech passengers, the ability to try crunchy crickets while crossing the Bohemian countryside is becoming a quirky talking point that sets the national carrier apart from low-cost bus competitors.

From Tankers of Coffee to Charitable Beer Specials

The scale of consumption visible in minibar statistics is striking. Compiled figures for 2023 translated total coffee drinks and beer sales into the equivalent of roughly three railway tankers of liquid. Popular non-alcoholic options such as still and gently sparkling water also sold in the tens of thousands of bottles, along with soft drinks like Kofola.

Beer remains a central part of the Czech onboard experience. Pilsner Urquell and Budweiser Budvar each clocked well over 70,000 bottles sold in 2023, reinforcing the idea that a cold beer on the train is still part of local travel culture. At the same time, Czech Railways has used limited-edition beers as a way to support heritage projects. Special brews marketed under names such as Kryšpín and Šlechtična have channeled proceeds toward the renovation of historic steam locomotives, including class 365 and the Šlechtična 475.179.

This link between everyday consumption and preservation of railway history has been highlighted in the company’s public communications. Thousands of passengers have contributed to restoration funds simply by choosing a particular beer from the minibar cart, turning a casual purchase into a small act of cultural patronage.

Expanding Reach Across the Czech Network

The minibar service is now woven into many of the country’s flagship routes. Timetable information and operator announcements list trays and carts on long-distance lines such as Západní expres, Krušnohor, Ostravan, Slovácký expres and a range of regional expresses branded with names like Vysočina, Rožmberk, Svitava and Moravan. On others, vending machines under the ČD Snack label supplement or replace mobile service.

The offer has also extended beyond standard intercity trains. According to the group’s annual reports, minibars have appeared on special seasonal and tourist-oriented services, including nostalgic runs on the historic Tábor–Bechyně line and family-focused excursion trains such as the Cyklohráček. These deployments aim to add value to leisure travel and encourage passengers to spend more time on rail-based day trips.

Rail travelers’ expectations are shifting alongside this expansion. Surveys and comments cited in domestic media suggest that many passengers now factor in the availability of coffee, snacks and card payment when choosing between competing operators on key corridors. As new rolling stock with modern restaurant or bistro sections arrives, the trolley-based minibar is becoming one channel in a broader onboard hospitality strategy that ranges from tap beer systems to full hot meals.

For Czech Railways, the results are tangible. With hundreds of thousands of coffees poured, thousands of bags of crunchy crickets opened and heritage locomotives inching closer to full restoration, the humble minibar cart has evolved into both a revenue stream and a symbol of the national carrier’s push to keep train travel comfortable, contemporary and distinctively Czech.