Experience the Thrill of a Handcar Ride – Pedal or Pump Your Way to Adventure
This journey may remind you of some of your favorite movies, like The Boys or Closely Watched Trains, Honeymoon in Jiljí, or Rebels, where handcars feature briefly. But what is a handcar? It’s a small, light train-like vehicle primarily used for maintenance work, transporting both people and materials, or sometimes just one of these. Back at the end of the 19th century and into the early 20th century, draisines (another name for handcars) were powered by foot pedals or manually with a lever. They were mainly used for inspections and to patrol railway tracks for maintenance. The replicas of these historical draisines will take you along old, previously unused tracks that weave through beautiful countryside scenery…
Pedal draisines in Hevlín
In Hevlín, located in the Znojmo region, pedal-powered draisines are available for rides from May to the end of September. Visitors can enjoy a ride along a now-disused local railway line stretching about 2.5 km from Hrušovany nad Jevišovkou. Each handcar accommodates two people on a bench facing forward and two facing backwards; the remaining two riders sit on smaller bicycle-like seats on the side of the handcar and do the pedaling. Currently, three green handcars called Anička, Dagmar, and Lenka are in service, all capable of reaching a maximum speed of 7 km/h. It’s essential to reserve your handcar by calling 704 796 453, ideally around a week ahead. Bookings can be made through the Cross-Border Information Centre located in the heart of Hevlín, but passengers board at the station on the village’s outskirts.
Handcar Summer on the route from Střezimíř to Mezna
Nestled between Central Bohemia and South Bohemia, not far from Tábor, is the small village of Střezimíř. Here, along the abandoned Střezimíř–Mezno railway line, a railway heritage site is being developed. The Železnice Česká Sibiř association organizes special experiential hand-cranked draisine rides several times during the summer! You’ll travel using the manually powered tourist draisines named Vlašťovka and Dvojka along a scenic track that runs through lush, overgrown gorges and beneath a historic stone bridge with arches. The journey is 4 km long in total (2 km one way and 2 km back), and while it isn’t very physically demanding, those not used to exercising may break a sweat. An experienced conductor from Střezimíř will guide the handcar and share fascinating insights about this unique mode of transport, as well as interesting facts about the historic railway line. To join in on the Handcar Summer experiences, you’ll need to book through a specific form. Rides will be available on certain dates, specifically July 12 and 26, and August 9 and 23 in 2026.
The Ratíškovice Railway on the Baťa Railway
You can enjoy a ride on a section of the historic Baťa railway line using a handcar near Ratíškovice. This line was historically used to transport coal from the Tomáš and I. Máje 1 mines to a location in Sudoměřice, where the coal would then flow down the Baťa Canal to Otrokovice. Nowadays, tourist handcars operate along this route, covering a distance of 3 km that links two wine trails, Podluží and Moravská vinná. Three pedal-powered handcars are available for use. Each can hold up to six people, with two individuals required to pedal while the rest enjoy the ride. Remember, you’ll need to book your handcar in advance by calling 724 247 671. The cost for the rental of a handcar is 300 CZK for an hour, accommodating a maximum of six people.
Railway Museum and historic draisines in Zubrnice and Rokytnice
Zubrnice, located in the Ústí nad Labem Region, is famous for its delightful open-air museum and its railway museum. An important technical site is the station that was built in 1890 for the railroad line Velké Březno – Úštěk – Verneřice. At the railway museum located at the station, you can explore exhibitions that showcase the history of the line, see a small ticket office filled with period furnishings, and also take part in occasional rides on hand-powered or motorized draisines. Part of this railway line, measuring 11 km, is recognized as a Czech heritage site. Within the museum, you can learn about the evolution of draisines from their hand-powered origins to the modern motorized versions we see today. The exhibition includes a passenger Tatra Dm6 draisine featured in the film Closely Watched Trains, as well as a Hungarian handcar from the film Rebels.
Rokytnice, found in the Orlické Mountains Local Railway Museum, is housed in the original steam locomotive depot constructed in 1906. This station building is even recognized as a cultural monument of the Czech Republic. The museum highlights the history of the local Doudleby – Vamberk – Rokytnice railway and the broader railway history in the Orlické Mountains area. A unique attraction here is the chance to ride a hand-powered draisine, along with related displays about railway track maintenance.
