The future of Czech railways, the development of high-speed lines (HSL), their financing, and the role of the Czech industry were the main topics of the Discussion Forum of ACRI – the Association of Czech Railway Industry Companies, held on Monday, 13 April 2026, in Prague, Czech Republic. The event brought together representatives of the government, public institutions, and key companies from the railway sector.
Minister of Transport Ivan Bednárik confirmed that the priority is the construction of a high-speed network in the shape of a “Y”, connecting the German border (from Dresden) with Prague, Brno, and Ostrava (and further towards Poland), as well as linking Brno with the borders of Austria and Slovakia in the area of Břeclav.
In terms of speed and technical parameters, the system will combine different approaches reflecting the geography and economic conditions of the Czech Republic.
He was followed by Tomáš Tóth, CEO of the Správa železnic (Railway Administration), who spoke about the hybrid nature of the planned lines: “We are talking about a combination of speeds ranging roughly from 200 to 300 km/h depending on the individual sections.” According to him, the project will cover approximately 700 kilometres of track and represents a major opportunity to eliminate bottlenecks and modernise the entire railway infrastructure.
Financing was a key topic of the discussion. The Minister stressed the need to consider not only investment costs but also long-term impacts on public budgets. Representatives of the Railway Administration highlighted that European co-financing will be crucial for launching further projects, with the Czech Republic expected to compete with other countries for limited resources.
The economics of high-speed operations were outlined by Michal Krapinec, CEO of České dráhy (state owned train operator): “With increasing speed, not only acquisition costs of rolling stock rise significantly, but also energy consumption and maintenance costs. For trains operating at around 230 km/h, purchase prices already reach hundreds of millions of Czech crowns per unit.” At higher speeds, costs cannot yet be precisely estimated. He also noted that it remains unclear whether future high-speed services will be operated under public service contracts or on a commercial basis. The overall economics will depend on ticket prices and demand. České dráhy already have practical experience with rolling stock operating at around 230 km/h through their cross-border services.
On behalf of manufacturers, Tomáš Ignačák from Škoda Group (leading European producer of trains based in the Czech Republic) confirmed the technological implications of higher speeds for vehicle development and production: “Higher speed increases not only the price of the train, but also its energy consumption and maintenance costs.” He further explained that increasing speeds significantly raise technical requirements for vehicle design, particularly in aerodynamics, safety, and stability. These factors impact not only acquisition costs but also the entire lifecycle of the vehicle. He emphasised that energy consumption grows non-linearly with speed, directly affecting operational economics: “Each additional increase in speed leads to a step change in costs, not only in procurement but also in operation and maintenance.” According to him, it is therefore essential to strike a balance between required speed, economic sustainability, and real transport needs.
Zdeněk Chrdle, CEO of AŽD Praha (Czech railway technologies producer), highlighted that the European Train Control System (ETCS) is a necessary standard for modern railways, including high-speed lines, but its implementation is technically and operationally very demanding: “Deployment often takes place under full operation, typically at night, which places high demands on coordination, testing, and safety. Each intervention in the system also affects operations and carries risks.” He also pointed out that repeated interventions in infrastructure, for example due to modernisation, place a significant burden on the system and generate additional costs. He therefore called for limiting such interventions and improving implementation planning to avoid repeated disruptions to already operational infrastructure.
Jiří Kolář, Director of the Czech Railway Authority, focused on practical aspects of approval processes and interoperability within the European railway system. According to him, thanks to European Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs), approving rolling stock across different countries is no longer a major issue, significantly simplifying market entry and supporting a unified European railway area. “The current system is the result of long-term development and harmonisation at the European level,” he said.
He also addressed the implementation of ETCS, describing it as a process made possible through cooperation among all stakeholders, while noting that it also brings operational challenges that must be managed in practice. His contribution thus offered a pragmatic regulatory perspective, acknowledging both the benefits of European standardisation and new technologies, as well as their real-life impact on daily railway operations.
The importance of the state in supporting the railway industry and its export activities was underlined by David Müller from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic: “More than half of the production of the Czech railway industry is exported, and Czech companies are capable of succeeding in the most demanding markets.” He stressed the importance of further export support through international trade fairs, business missions, and financial instruments. This year, the Ministry, together with ACRI, is preparing several initiatives, including the Czech national participation at InnoTrans in Berlin, business missions to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, an incoming visit of an Indian delegation to the Czech Republic, an economic diplomacy project in Portugal, participation in RailwayTech Indonesia, and others.
Marie Vopálenská, CEO of ACRI Association of the Czech Railway Industry, added: “The Czech railway industry is ready to contribute to further railway development with top-quality products made in the Czech Republic and backed by references from the most demanding markets worldwide. We are prepared to succeed, provided there are fair and non-discriminatory conditions that allow the Czech industry to fully leverage its potential and know-how in the continued development of the Czech railway network.”
In conclusion, participants agreed that the development of modern and high-speed railway infrastructure represents a major strategic opportunity for the Czech Republic, with the potential to modernise infrastructure, increase capacity, and strengthen the competitiveness of the Czech industry. At the same time, it is an exceptionally demanding project in terms of financing, technology, and organisation, requiring long-term coordination and a responsible approach from all stakeholders involved.
