Český Těšín

Český Těšín is a town in North Moravia and Silesia in the Czech Republic, with a population of 23,300 as of 2024. Its main industries are metal-working and book production.

Cieszyn east across the river is its twin town in the Silesian Voivodeship of southern Poland, described in a separate article.

Understand

Teschen, now known as Cieszyn, was mostly on the east bank of river Olza. Its small west-bank ("Sachsenberg") suburb grew from 1870 when the area industrialised and the Košice–Bohumín Railway came through. This region was under Hapsburg / Austrian rule until the end of the First World War, when Poland regained independence and the river became, after lengthy negotiations, the border with Czechoslovakia. The two sides were forcibly re-united under Nazi occupation, but after the Second World War the border was restored. The Schengen Agreement has made this an open border, facilitating trade and transport with Poland, as well as connecting the two cities' cultural life.

Get in

Trains run every 30 min from Ostrava either via Bohumín or Havířov to Český Těšín, 35 min. The fastest trains start from Prague, and continue to Žilina and Kosice in Slovakia.

Trains run hourly from Frýdek-Místek via Dobratice pod Prašivou, Horní Tošanovice, Hnojník and Ropice, 40 min. At Český Těšín they either terminate, or sit for 5-10 minutes before crossing the border to Cieszyn in Poland.

1 Český Těšín railway station is on Nádražní in the centre of the town.

From Katowice trains run every couple of hours via Tychy to Goleszów, heading for Wisła in the mountains. Change at Goleszów for the short branch line to Cieszyn, with a total journey of 1 hr 45 min.

Five trains a day are direct from Czechowice-Dziedzice on the line between Katowice and Bielsko-Biała, taking just over an hour.

Bus station is located conveniently across the tracks from the train station. It serves local buses only.

2 Cieszyn railway station is north side of that town, with the bus station adjacent.

Get around

The town's centre is small enough to be comfortably crossed on foot, with buses providing connection to outskirts. You can walk around the town sights and those across the river in Cieszyn. Czech bank of Olza is also bicycle-friendly.

Buses trundle through the twin towns.

See

• 1 Muzeum Těšínska, Hlavní tř 115, ☏ +420 558 711 866. Tu-Su 09:00-17:00. Child-friendly museum of town life. (updated Jul 2024)
• 2 Sacred Heart Church (Kostel Nejsvětějšího Srdce Ježíšova), Masarykovy Sady 83/10. This is neo-Gothic, built in 1893/94. (updated Jul 2024)
• Masarykovy Sady the green strip and boulevard outside the church is named for Tomáš Masaryk (1850-1937), first president of Czechoslovakia. The monument depicts him on horseback, a fine tribute to a great moderniser.
• 3 Evangelical Church (Evangelický kostel apoštolů Petra a Pavla Na Nivách) is Lutheran, built in 1929.
• There are numerous small military bunkers from the 1930's, now abandoned, some of them in between houses that were built later.

Do

Gargoyle on Sacred Heart Church

• Cinema: Kino Central is at Štefánikova 17 by Hotel Central.
• Těšín Theatre presents plays in Czech and in Polish. It's at Ostravská 1326/67, 500 m west of the railway station.
• No Border Festival is held between the twin towns over a week in early October.
• Rockování nad Olzou - rock festival in August.

Buy

• Tazo Shopping Centre is facing the railway station. Albert supermarket within it is open daily 07:00-20:00.

Eat

• Střelniční the street east from the station to 3 Maja border bridge has Kebab Centrum, Gateway Indicka (within Hotel Piast), Banyan, Těšínská and Holy Cow.
• Hlavní the street northeast to Przyjaźni border bridge has Kebab House, Nový Dvůr, U Vávry, Da Capo, Asia Food, Bistro Lokálka and Radegastovna Těšínská.

Drink

• Town centre pubs include Bledý Úsvit, Rebel Bar and River Cafe.
• Saxenberg Brewery has a beer garden and shop. It's at Ostravská 585, 200 m north of the railway station.

Sleep

Town Hall

• Hotel Piast, Nádražní 208 (facing railway station), ☏ +420 558 711 560. Creaky old hotel left over from communist days. B&B double 1600 Kč. (updated Jul 2024)
• Hotel Central, Nádražní 16 (100 m north of railway station), ☏ +420 558 713 113. Venerable but clean comfy place within Cascada shopping centre. B&B double 1200 Kč. (updated Jul 2024)
• 1 Hotel Pod Zelenou, Frýdecká 63, ☏ +420 777 695 732. Basic motel at E75 junction, some traffic noise. B&B double 1500 Kč. (updated Jul 2024)

Connect

As of July 2024, Český Těšín and its approach highways have 5G from all Czech carriers, and 4G from Polish carriers.

Go next

• Cieszyn over the bridge has museums and several old churches. It's the gateway to destinations in Polish Silesia: south are mountain resorts such as Wisła, north is the industrial sprawl around Katowice.
• Ostrava is the chief city of Czech Silesia, mostly industrial but with a well-restored historic centre.