Key takeaways
- Seven units, seven cars: Class 680 is a very small, tightly defined fleet.
- Tilting technology allows higher speeds through curves without rebuilding the line.
- Three electrification systems make the train usable across borders – in Czechia that's no luxury, it's a basic requirement.
- Fastest way to identify it: continuous multiple unit, rounded front, seven cars.
- Where it runs changes depending on the timetable, approvals and vehicle availability.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Electric tilting multiple unit for fast long-distance services |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Alstom (Pendolino family) |
| Number built | 7 units |
| Formation | Seven-car units |
| Electrification systems | 3 kV DC, 25 kV / 50 Hz and 15 kV / 16.7 Hz AC |
| Maximum speed | 230 km/h (design speed of the vehicle) |
| Special feature | Active tilting technology for faster running through curves |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- A single continuous multiple unit, no separate locomotive
- Slim, strongly rounded front typical of the Pendolino family
- Vehicle number or class designation begins with 680
- Seven-car unit – noticeably longer than Czechia's three-car regional multiple units
- Carbodies visibly lean into the curve on bends
- UIC country code 54 for Czechia within the full vehicle number
Updated: August 2026 – A slim, seven-car multiple unit with a strongly rounded front that visibly leans into curves: that’s Class 680, Czechia’s Pendolino. With only seven units the fleet is small, but technically it’s the country’s most sophisticated – tilting technology, three electrification systems and a design speed of 230 km/h. This page explains what’s behind it and how to go about finding the train.
Seven units – a complete collection within reach
With such a small fleet, every number counts. Log the unit, place and date directly in Traintrack.
What is Class 680?
Class 680 is an electric tilting multiple unit from Alstom’s Pendolino family. Seven seven-car units were procured for the state railway České dráhy. In Italy, a private operator called Italo runs vehicles from the same manufacturer line in high-speed service. They handle three electrification systems – 3 kV DC, 25 kV / 50 Hz and 15 kV / 16.7 Hz AC – and are designed for 230 km/h.
Unlike locomotive-hauled trains, the 680 is a continuous multiple unit: traction and passenger space form one fixed unit, with no separate locomotive. That has remained the exception in Czech long-distance traffic, which is dominated by locomotive-hauled trains and shorter multiple units. The private operators also favour more compact units – Leo Express, for example, runs noticeably shorter multiple units on the Prague–Ostrava axis.
Tilting technology: what it can and can’t do
Tilting technology is one of the most elegant answers to an old problem. Existing lines follow river valleys and terrain, and are correspondingly winding. On a curve, lateral acceleration limits speed – not engine power.
A train with active tilting technology leans its carbodies into the curve. For passengers, the perceived lateral force stays within a tolerable range even though the train is running faster. The gain is running time on existing lines, without new construction.
But there’s an important downside:
- Tilting technology doesn’t replace a high-speed line. It squeezes reserves out of the existing network, nothing more.
- It’s technically complex. More moving technology means more maintenance.
- The route remains the limit. Line speed and signalling decide, not the design of the vehicle.
You’ll find the same principle in Germany with the Class 411 (ICE T) – a good point of comparison, since the same basic idea was implemented there under different conditions.
Watch the tilt on a curve for yourself
If you see a tilting train on a curve from the front or rear, the tilt of the carbodies is visible with the naked eye. It's the only feature of its kind on the Czech network – and a striking photo subject.
Three electrification systems and the Czech network
Czechia has a mixed electrification system: DC in the north, AC in the south. For a vehicle meant to run continuous long-distance services, dual-system capability is therefore not an option but a requirement. Add cross-border traffic, and a third system is needed too.
| Electrification system | Where it’s used | Significance for Class 680 |
|---|---|---|
| 3 kV DC | Northern Czechia | Basic requirement for the northern part of the network |
| 25 kV / 50 Hz | Southern Czechia | Without this system the journey ends at the system boundary |
| 15 kV / 16.7 Hz | Germany, Austria | Prerequisite for cross-border services |
| System boundaries | Inland | Passed without stopping and without a locomotive change |
Where it runs keeps changing
Which routes Class 680 works depends on the timetable year, approvals and vehicle availability. Treat older information as a rough guide and check the current situation via real-time information and community sightings.
See where the Pendolino is running right now
With only seven units, current information decides whether the trip is worth it.
How to recognise Class 680
Multiple unit or locomotive with coaches?
A continuous train with no separate locomotive immediately rules out every locomotive-hauled service.
Estimate the length
Seven cars is noticeably more than Czech regional and long-distance multiple units, which typically have three to five cars.
Check the front shape
The strongly rounded, slim Pendolino front is clearly different from the angular fronts of the Škoda multiple units.
Confirm class and number
The class designation 680 and the unit number are the only reliable identification – without them, the sighting stays imprecise.
The basic approach to identifying an unfamiliar vehicle – from vehicle type through body shape to number – is covered in the guide to identifying train classes. If you plan your trip around current reports, the basics are covered in the article on live sightings and real-time data.
Photo tips for long multiple units
A seven-car train rarely fits fully into the frame, and that’s exactly where many shots go wrong.
- Either take it all, or crop it deliberately. A half-cropped train looks like a mistake, a clearly cropped front looks like a decision.
- Look for a curve. In a curve the train staggers and gains depth – with a tilting train, the lean adds a further point of interest.
- Short shutter speed for passing trains. 1/1000 s is a usable starting point, which you adjust for speed and distance.
- Capture the data panel. For documentation, the unit number matters, not the visual effect.
It’s also worth thinking about the odds when planning. With seven units and a network the size of Czechia’s, a chance encounter is unlikely; if you want to see the class, you have to go looking for it deliberately. In practice that means: first work out which route it’s scheduled to run on, then pick a station with enough dwell time, then decide on light and position. A hub station with a longer stop is almost always the better choice than a lineside spot – you get more time, you can change position, and a delay doesn’t immediately sink the whole plan.
The basic technique – panning, focal plane, exposure – is covered in detail in the guide taking good photos of trains. And regardless of the subject: platforms, public paths and bridges are permitted locations, track areas and operational railway land are not.
Common mix-ups
It points to Class 680 if …
- a continuous, seven-car multiple unit runs with no separate locomotive
- the front shape is slim and strongly rounded
- the carbodies visibly lean into curves
- the class designation reads 680
Take a closer look if …
- you only see part of the train and can't judge its length
- special livery changes the usual appearance
- you see a similar train from the Pendolino family abroad
It's not a 680 if …
- a separate locomotive is hauling the train
- the multiple unit is three or five cars and drawn with sharp edges
- the class designation reads 660, 661, 440 or 471
The most common mix-up happens with the more modern Škoda multiple units. The InterPanter, Class 660 is also a long-distance multiple unit, but shorter, more angular and without tilting technology. Where a separate locomotive hangs on the front, Class 380 is the more likely candidate.
Verdict
Class 680 is the technical showpiece of Czech long-distance traffic: tilting technology, three electrification systems, seven units. For spotters it’s less an everyday subject than a targeted collecting goal – and a very rewarding one, because once you know the front shape, there’s no other vehicle in the country you could confuse it with.
Quick verdict
Seven-car tilting train with a rounded Pendolino front and three electrification systems: that's Class 680. Seven units make a complete collection realistic – if you consistently photograph the number too.
Spotted the Pendolino? Note the unit.
With Traintrack you log which of the seven units you saw, when and where – and which one you're still missing.
Summary
- Class 680 is Czechia's tilting train for fast long-distance services and, with seven units, a very small fleet.
- Tilting technology is an answer to winding existing lines, not an alternative to building new high-speed routes.
- The three-system capability comes from Czechia's mixed electrification network and the different systems used by its neighbours.
- Exactly where the train runs changes from one timetable year to the next – check the current situation before a targeted trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is Class 680?
Class 680 is an electric tilting multiple unit from Alstom's Pendolino family. Seven seven-car units were procured. They handle three electrification systems and are designed for 230 km/h. That makes it the fastest vehicle concept in Czech long-distance traffic.
What does tilting technology actually achieve?
It allows curves to be taken faster without passengers feeling the lateral acceleration as unpleasant. The carbodies actively lean towards the inside of the curve. The big advantage: you gain running time on winding existing lines without having to build a new route. The price is a technically more complex, more maintenance-intensive vehicle.
Does the train really run at 230 km/h?
That's the vehicle's design speed. How fast it actually runs is decided by the route – line speed limits, signalling and the timetable set the real limit. A vehicle is never faster than the infrastructure it runs on. That applies to the Pendolino just as much as to any high-speed train.
Why does the train need three electrification systems?
Because Czechia already has two systems domestically: 3 kV DC in the north, 25 kV / 50 Hz AC in the south. For cross-border journeys, a third system used by its neighbours at 15 kV / 16.7 Hz is added. Without this equipment the train would be blocked at system boundaries.
How do I tell the 680 apart from other Czech multiple units?
By length and front shape. The 680 is a seven-car unit with the slim, strongly rounded Pendolino front. Czech regional and long-distance multiple units are shorter and drawn with noticeably sharper edges. In a curve, the tilt of the carbodies is also visible – a feature no other Czech vehicle offers.
Can I see the train in Germany?
Technically it's equipped for that thanks to the 15 kV system. Whether it actually runs on German territory depends on approvals and the specific services operated – and both change. Stations close to the border are the most plausible place for a sighting, but there's no guarantee.
Is it worth chasing all seven units?
With a fleet this size, a complete collection is realistic – provided you consistently record the unit number and not just the vehicle type. A photo where the data panel is legible is the easiest way to do that.
Log your sighting of the ČD Class 680 (Pendolino)
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
CD InterPanter (Skoda 660)
The InterPanter is Škoda's long-distance multiple unit for the mixed Czech electrification network. Here's how to tell the Class 660 and 661 apart from the related RegioPanter.
Electric locoČD Class 380 (Škoda 109E)
Class 380 is the Czech Republic's modern multi-system locomotive: 20 machines, 200 km/h and three electrification systems. How to identify the Škoda 109E confidently in the field.
High-speedDB Class 411 (ICE T)
The Class 411 is the seven-car ICE T with active tilting technology: a narrower body tapered at the bottom, 230 km/h, and the train built for winding lines.
Who is behind it
Groups, brands, manufacturers and operators – who owns whom and how to recognise them out in the field.
České dráhy (ČD)
Czechia runs on two electrification systems and a third class of vehicle that masters both. České dráhy classes its rolling stock with a scheme that captures exactly that – the first digit tells you traction type and overhead-line voltage in one go.
BrandItalo
Italo is the brand name of a private high-speed operator that has run in direct competition with the Italian state railway since 2012. The company behind it is called NTV and appears almost nowhere on the train. Anyone looking for the difference from Trenitalia will spot it faster in the colour than in the timetable.
BrandLeo Express
Leo Express is one of the private long-distance brands on the Czech main axis between Prague and Ostrava. The dark-liveried units stand out immediately – the company behind the name is a different one from the lettering, and the offer now reaches well beyond rail.
Where to see the ČD Class 680 (Pendolino)
Specific viewpoints with lighting times, coordinates and an honest verdict on whether the trip is worth it.
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