Bahn: „Völlige Schande“ – Streit um fehlendes Klopapier in Zügen spaltet Tschechien

A dispute has sparked in the Czech Republic over the lack of toilet paper in train toilets, particularly on long-distance routes. Parliament Speaker Tomio Okamura has made the issue his top priority following numerous citizen complaints. In an interview on publicly-owned Czech Television, Okamura, 54, accused the Czech State Railways of a "complete disgrace" for not providing toilet paper in train toilets.

Okamura has petitioned Transport Minister Ivan Bednarik for a resolution. He threatened consequences for the current state of affairs, pointing to current Chief Executive Michal Krapinec.

Okamura, founder of the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy party, expressed concern for passenger welfare. However, some criticized his focus on this issue, suggesting there are more pressing matters to address. The opposition Civic Democratic Party (ODS) remarked, "Without this information, we wouldn't have made it."

The Czech State Railways (CD) reported using about three million toilet paper rolls annually. A CD spokesperson denied claims of an increase in passenger complaints on this matter. They emphasized that there was no systematic problem, but admitted that hygiene products could occasionally run out after regular inspections. They apologized to passengers for the inconvenience caused.

Czechia boasts one of the densest railway networks in Europe, with a total length of around 9,344 kilometers and more than 2,500 stations and stops, operated by infrastructure company Sprava Zeleznic (SZ). Alongside the state-owned Czech State Railways, private operators like Arriva, Regiojet, and Leo Express are increasingly operating within the EU member state.