For the last 25 years, every night in Brno has seen a public transport phenomenon with no parallel in the Czech Republic, as 22 buses of the Brno Transport Company (DPMB) depart from the main train station at the same time, ferrying passengers to all corners of the city. This system, known as ‘noční rozjezdy’ (‘night departures’), is celebrating its 25th anniversary today. During that time, the buses have transported up to 150 million passengers.
“If there is one thing that can be described as a phenomenon of the City of Brno, it is the night departures,” said Miloš Havránek, General Director of DPMB. “They are a symbol of reliability, safety and the availability of transport even at night. I am proud that we have been operating this system for 25 years and people are satisfied with it. On weekdays, we transport around 10,000 passengers on night lines, and on Fridays and Saturdays it is double that. In total, we have been able to transport almost 150 million people in 25 years, which is incredible.”
DPMB celebrated this anniversary by organizing a surprise for passengers on the night of Saturday 30 August, when the midnight departure was brightened up with a short performance by samba dancers accompanied by drummers. “The reactions of the passengers were very nice, some were smiling, others were filming or swaying to the rhythm. About ten minutes after midnight, the departures set off on their routes,” added Havránek.
The history of Brno’s ‘noční rozjezdy’
The roots of Brno’s night transport go back to the middle of the 20th century. Even then, trams were running after midnight and restarting again early in the morning. The comprehensive night transport system as we know it today began to take shape in the 1970s. At that time, all three types of transport were involved in night transport: trams, trolleybuses and buses, which connected to each other at interchanges. Since 2000, night transport has been provided by bus lines N89–N99.
How it works
Night transport in various forms also operates in other cities, but the Brno model is unique in its centralization – all lines meet at the same time at a single point: the main train station, meaning everyone can easily find their way home from anywhere in the city, at any time.
“The coordination of departures is overseen by the dispatching office on Novobranská,” said Havránek. “The arrival of vehicles and the transfer of passengers are monitored in real time. Once all lines are ready, the dispatcher issues a central command to depart. Previously, the instruction was given manually – by turning off the signal light or by radio.”
The night-time brings specific situations – from humorous incidents full of love to challenging incidents caused by the inappropriate behavior of intoxicated passengers. However, DPMB has control of the system and can react when necessary, including by reinforcing transport during large events such as Ignis Brunensis or Majáles.
Night transport in Brno in 2025 – in numbers
- Number of night bus lines lines: 11 (N89–N99)
- Number of vehicles: 22 buses departing every night from Hlavní nádraží.
- Departure intervals:
- Weekdays : from 11pm to 1am every 30 minutes, then every hour until 4am, then every half hour again until 5am.
- Weekends and holidays : from 11pm to 1am every 30 minutes, then every hour until 5am, then every half hour again until 7am.
- Busiest days: Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday during the academic year
- Number of passengers carried: up to 20,000 per night at weekends, otherwise around 10,000
