The Czech railway industry is demonstrating its competitiveness both on the domestic market and abroad. Successful contracts create work not only for the manufacturers themselves, but also for hundreds of Czech suppliers, support technical education and strengthen regional economies. Overall, the sector accounts for approximately 2% of Czech GDP. Around half of the Czech railway industry’s output is exported; in 2025, exports amounted to approximately CZK 66 billion.
In the first half of 2026, Czech railway companies secured several major international contracts. AŽD succeeded, for example, in a tender for signalling equipment for Rail Baltica in Lithuania, Škoda Group concluded a strategic agreement to supply ten electric trains to Uzbekistan, and CZ LOKO will supply 18 EffiShunter 1000 locomotives to Polish operator PKP Intercity. Brake systems from DAKO-CZ will be installed in new rail vehicles for customers of Stadler, Nymwag and Škoda Group, while DTVS has delivered turnout-system contracts for customers including Bremen, Cologne and German infrastructure manager DB InfraGO.
“Czech companies win international tenders thanks to their quality, technological capabilities and ability to deliver solutions precisely tailored to customers’ needs. This makes it all the more important to ensure genuinely level conditions in international tenders and to protect the European market more consistently against unfair competition,” says Marie Vopálenská, CEO of ACRI.
Success in international markets cannot be taken for granted. Some countries make participation in tenders conditional on local production or the involvement of a local partner. At the same time, European companies face competitors whose bids may be significantly influenced by state support.
Every contract supports the entire supply chain
ACRI member companies employ more than 23,000 people and generate annual revenues of over CZK 130 billion. Manufacturers of rolling stock, signalling systems and railway infrastructure work with hundreds of domestic subcontractors – from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and metallurgical companies to IT firms, logistics providers, testing facilities and certification bodies.
A contract secured by a company such as Škoda Group, CZ LOKO or AŽD therefore also generates work for dozens of smaller companies in the surrounding regions. According to ACRI estimates, every direct job in the railway industry creates a further two to three jobs among subcontractors and service providers. A specific example is the Škoda 52T tram for Prague: approximately 230 suppliers are involved in its production, more than three quarters of them based in the Czech Republic.
“Railway companies are a genuine anchor in many industrial regions. They sustain skilled jobs, invest in innovation, support schools and place orders with hundreds of other businesses. When a Czech company succeeds at home or abroad, the benefits extend beyond the company itself to the entire region and a broad supply chain,” adds Marie Vopálenská.
Manufacturing, development and education remain in the regions
Major manufacturing and development facilities of ACRI members are located, for example, in Plzeň, Ostrava, Třinec, Bohumín, Česká Třebová, Třemošnice, Přerov, Krnov, Pardubice and the Olomouc region. In addition to manufacturing, these locations are home to design offices, development centres, engineering facilities and testing laboratories. Companies invest in research and development, digitalisation, production automation, safety systems and environmentally friendly propulsion technologies.
The sector also maintains long-term cooperation with secondary technical schools, vocational schools and technical universities, including the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU), Brno University of Technology, the University of Pardubice and VSB – Technical University of Ostrava. Companies participate in students’ professional training and help educate a new generation of technicians. Třinecké železárny, for example, operates its own secondary vocational school.
The sector also makes a significant contribution to public budgets. High employment and strong export performance generate personal income tax, corporate income tax, and social security and health insurance contributions. Through the system of shared tax revenues, tax receipts also contribute to the revenues of municipalities and regions, while social and health insurance contributions strengthen the overall stability of public finances. Higher household purchasing power also supports local businesses and services, further strengthening regional economies. Part of these effects therefore returns to the regions in the form of investment in infrastructure, education and public services.
The success of Czech companies in domestic and international tenders is therefore not only confirmation of their technological capabilities, but also an investment in jobs, exports, technical education and the long-term prosperity of Czech regions.
