In 2025, the Czech railway industry further strengthened its export performance and stable position on international markets. According to data from ACRI – the Association of Czech Railway Industry Companies, 52% of the production of companies operating in this segment was exported last year. The volume of exports reached more than CZK 68 billion (EUR 2.8 billion).
“The results for 2025 confirm that the Czech railway industry has an extraordinary ability to succeed in a demanding international competitive environment and to strengthen its presence on foreign markets in the long term. Over the past five years, our companies’ exports have grown by 28%. Czech companies supply modern technological solutions for sustainable mobility – from zero-emission vehicles to digital and security systems to infrastructure and services. Thanks to a strong emphasis on research, innovation and digitalisation, they are respected partners in Europe and other regions of the world. Systematic support for economic diplomacy and cooperation with state institutions also plays a key role in opening new markets and establishing strategic partnerships,” said ACRI Director General Marie Vopálenská.
The Czech railway industry, which accounts for almost 2% of Czech GDP, employs more than 23,700 people and has an annual turnover of around EUR 5.4 billion. Its strong export orientation continues to confirm its importance as one of the most technologically advanced and internationally successful sectors of the Czech economy.
In 2025, Czech railway companies were successful in European and non-European markets with deliveries of complete railway vehicles, key components, technological solutions and infrastructure systems for major manufacturers, transport operators and infrastructure managers. Exports thus remain a key factor in the stability and further development of the entire sector.
The largest exporters include the Moravia Steel and Třinecké železárny steel groups, which, with a total share of exports in production of 90% and a 66% share of exports in products for railway infrastructure, supply rails and metallurgical products for European and non-European infrastructure projects. Similarly strongly oriented towards foreign markets are BONATRANS Group (92% share of exports in production), a global manufacturer of railway wheels and axles, and NYMWAG (91% share of exports in production), a producer of freight railway wagons for European transport companies and leasing companies.
The Škoda Group (65% share of exports in production ) also has a strong export footprint, exporting electric trains, trams, metros, trolleybuses and BEMU battery trains, as does AŽD, which implements foreign projects in the field of safety technology, ETCS and traffic control. DAKO-CZ (54% share of exports in production) is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of braking systems and components for rail vehicles, and export orders are key to its stable performance.
Other industry- and technology-specialised companies also report a significant share of foreign sales: BORCAD (more than 70% share of exports in turnover) manufactures seats for the world’s largest train manufacturers and leading transport companies, CZ LOKO (50% share of exports in production) supplies locomotives and their modernisation to a number of European countries, and DT – Výhybkárna a strojírna (30-40% share of exports in production) exports switches and rail structures, mainly to European markets and the Middle East.
The data confirm that companies with a significant export share of production were among the main drivers of the Czech railway industry’s performance in 2025, and their results were directly linked to their success on foreign markets.
Export activities of key companies in the Czech railway industry
Companies across the entire value chain – from the manufacture of rail vehicles and infrastructure to components and technological solutions – contributed to the strong export performance of the Czech railway industry in 2025.
The Škoda Group continued to supply RegioPanter electric trains to foreign customers – units adapted to broad gauge also began operating in Estonia, and work began on an order for 25 trains for Bulgaria. The Group also won contracts for battery trains for Slovakia, where it will supply up to 36 units, and for Latvia, where up to 16 battery units are planned. In addition to supplying vehicles for rail transport, the Škoda Group has significant export activities in the field of public transport vehicles – trams, trolleybuses and metro cars, with a number of orders in Germany, Finland, Italy and Bulgaria. It is thus further strengthening its position as a leading European player in the production of zero-emission mobility solutions.
Třinecké železárny is the only manufacturer of rails and railway accessories in the Czech Republic. Of the total sales volume of 219 kilotonnes in 2025, 144 kilotonnes of rails and railway accessories went to European Union countries and another 53 kilotonnes of rails went to the USA, Canada and other export destinations. The total share of exports was 90%. At the end of last year, Třinecké železárny put into full operation a new, innovative and highly environmentally friendly line for the heat treatment of broad gauge rails, which makes it possible to expand the range of R350HT quality rails in accordance with European standard EN 13674 for the domestic and foreign markets.
In 2025, AŽD implemented a number of significant export projects in the field of safety technology and railway traffic control, particularly in Central and South-Eastern Europe. Key contracts included projects on the Cvetojevac–Sobovica line in Serbia, Ferencváros–Kelenföld and Szeged–Röszke in Hungary, the Voluyak–Dragoman section on the Bulgarian-Serbian border, and several projects in Poland, including Somonino–Gdańsk, Bydgoszcz Fordon, Kępno–Oleśnica, and Będzin–Katowice. The year 2025 was also marked by the further development of foreign activities and the preparation of new business opportunities in Australia, Austria and Albania. In 2026, the company plans to systematically strengthen its position, primarily in Poland, Serbia, Hungary and Lithuania, and is preparing new contracts that will build on its existing successful projects in these countries.
BONATRANS, Europe’s largest manufacturer of wheelsets, delivered 185,000 wheels and 49,000 axles to 41 countries around the world last year. Key projects included deliveries for the Coradia, Velaro and Vectron platforms, which provide passenger and freight transport in many countries in Europe and beyond. Among the many projects, we can mention Aventra Crossrail for the United Kingdom, BEMU 15Ev3 for Czech Railways and high-speed trains in Uzbekistan. In the USA and Canada, BONATRANS remains the majority supplier for suburban trains and metros. The company invested CZK 461 million. Half of the products supplied are of its own design or the result of its own research and development.
NYMWAG, a manufacturer of freight wagons, also had a successful year in terms of export activities in 2025, confirming its strong position on the European market. The total volume of exports reached approximately EUR 125 million, with products going to a number of European countries. Key projects included the supply of freight wagons to major European partners, namely VTG, Ermewa and RTW. The company also considers the expansion of its customer portfolio to be an important milestone. In 2025, it established cooperation with VTG and Rail Cargo Austria, further strengthening its position on the European market. In 2026, the company expects a year-on-year increase in exports of approximately 10% and plans to sell approximately 1,100 freight wagons to foreign customers.
DAKO-CZ, a manufacturer of braking systems and components, has implemented significant export projects in the passenger, urban and freight transport segments. Key milestones include the supply of braking systems for trams with electromechanical braking systems in Prague and Olomouc, the supply of components for hydrogen units for the Italian carrier Ferrovie della Calabria, and a contract for braking systems for 59 six-axle three-section Laados freight wagons for the Polish customer CLIP. The company also supplies vehicle manufacturers such as Škoda Group and Stadler, and in January 2026 it won two further contracts for units and maintenance vehicles for the French market.
As a leading European manufacturer of seats for rail vehicles, BORCAD exports approximately three-quarters of its production and cooperates with the world’s largest train manufacturers. In 2025, it won a tender to supply seats for new S-Bahn units in Munich, which represents one of the most significant milestones in the company’s history on the German market. Last year, it also won an extremely prestigious contract from Alstom to supply seats for new high-speed trains. The company’s products have long been used in projects in Germany, Austria, Poland and other European countries, and the company focuses on developing cooperation with manufacturers of modern long-distance, suburban and regional units for European and other markets.
Exports account for up to 40% of DT – Výhybkárna a strojírna (DTVS) turnover. In 2025, it continued to rely primarily on deliveries to the German market, but also supplied switch structures and their components to Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Italy, Canada and the United Kingdom, among others. It wants to further strengthen its position abroad and at the same time gradually return to more distant markets where DTVS has successfully supplied in the past, such as the South American market. DTVS’s competitive advantage lies in its own research and development and its ability to respond flexibly to the very demanding technical and deadline requirements of its customers. It is able to export products ranging from individual switch components to complex tram structures weighing several dozen tonnes and measuring tens of metres in length to foreign markets.
Other export-active companies include HŽP, a company of the Moravia Steel group, and Třinecké železárny, which in 2025 supplied components for rail vehicle projects in Europe, Asia and North America. Key orders included supplies for Škoda Group trams destined for Kassel, Germany, components for Hyundai Rotem electric units for high-speed trains in Uzbekistan with speeds of up to 320 km/h (42 cars), for MBTA commuter trains manufactured by Hyundai Rotem (72 cars) and for the Romansys locomotive project in Korea (64 locomotives). The company also gained a new market in the United States, where it is involved in deliveries for MBTA commuter trains through Globe Connect LLC in Pennsylvania (48 cars). As a result of the postponement of some orders until 2027, HŽP expects a slightly lower volume of export activities in 2026 compared to 2025. Redat Recording exported recording and diagnostic equipment, mainly to the Spanish infrastructure manager ADIF and, newly, also for projects in Montenegro, where it expects deliveries to continue in 2026. RETEX achieved its highest ever turnover of almost EUR 32 million in 2025. In terms of exports, it supplied geotextiles for major infrastructure projects in Poland worth approximately EUR 3.5 million, while also strengthening its position on the domestic market. In the rail vehicle materials segment, the company focused primarily on acquisition activities and securing orders with a view to 2030, while at the Trako, Eurasia Rail and Expo Ferroviaria trade fairs, it gained new customers for certified non-flammable products for seats and insulation in trains. The main target of the company’s export activities remains manufacturers and partners within the European Union.
Passengera, a supplier of on-board connectivity, also carried out significant export activities, with its projects in 2025 mainly targeting the Middle East and European Union markets. The company continued to implement on-board communication and data systems, for example as part of the Riyadh metro project, and carried out contracts on European markets, particularly in Poland. During the year, it also expanded its operations to Italy and Georgia. In 2026, it expects further development of export activities, primarily in the markets of Germany, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Croatia, Hungary, Romania and Azerbaijan.
OLTIS Group, a supplier of IT systems for railways, made significant inroads into the field of digital railway traffic control in 2025. A key export project was the connection of carrier control systems to the PKP-PLK information system, which enabled the control of international transport between the Czech Republic and Poland from a single system. Another significant project was the SIMON system for the Turkish carrier Mars Logistics, which included the delivery and integration of 180 GPS units for tracking wagons. As a member of an international consortium, the company also participated in a tender for a system for infrastructure managers in the Balkans. In 2026, it expects further expansion, particularly in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe, and, if the ongoing tenders are successful, a strengthening of its position in the field of systems for infrastructure managers.
The testing and research institute and certification authority VZÚ Plzeň carried out export projects in 2025 in the field of testing railway vehicle components, for example for the Turkish company FZK and the Polish company Greenbrier. During the year, new contracts were negotiated for the Romanian company Astra Vagoane Călători, the Turkish manufacturer Bozankaya and the Italian company Tenza, and negotiations were initiated with partners in India. In 2026, the implementation of projects for Bozankaya, FZK, Astra Vagoane Călători and Pesa continued, and negotiations were initiated with the Australian company UGL regarding the testing of Wabtec locomotive components.
2026: further strengthening of exports and new opportunities
ACRI, in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representative offices, is preparing business missions, participation in international trade fairs and incoming visits by foreign delegations.
“Foreign activities in 2026 are part of a long-term strategy to support exports. Czech companies have strong references in Europe and beyond and are able to deliver solutions in line with the latest trends – from infrastructure modernisation and zero-emission mobility to digitalisation and operational security. Active economic diplomacy helps to create specific business opportunities even in demanding markets. According to estimates by member companies, this year could see turnover growth of up to 5% compared to last year,” said Marie Vopálenská.
Planned activities include business missions to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, an incoming visit by an Indian delegation to the Czech Republic, an economic diplomacy project in Portugal, participation in the RailwayTech Indonesia trade fair, and a joint national exhibition of the Czech railway industry at the InnoTrans 2026 trade fair in Berlin. These steps are intended to further strengthen the export position of Czech companies and support their involvement in international projects and partnerships.
