The train trip from Prague to Tábor will not take only one hour5/6/2018|Press releasesThe Railway Administration Authority (RIA) officially kickstarted the modernisation of the railway route from Sudoměřice by Tábor to Votice today. The aim of one of the most important current railway infrastructure investments is to raise the speed, capacity, convenience and safety on this 20km long section of the 4th transit corridor. The modernisation of the Sudoměřice – Votice route is among the last pieces of the set of structures on the 4th transit corridor connecting Germany and Austria via Děčín, Prague and České Budějovice. A second track, two tunnels and a new railway stop Červený Újezd will be added to the existing single track. The construction works shall be completed in 2021. The train speed will to up to 160 km/h, which will cut the travel time for express trains between Prague and Tábor to one hour. "The modernisation of the railway connection between the Central and South Bohemian Regions is exceptional due to its scope and technical challenges. At a time when almost no underground civil structures are under construction in the Czech Republic, the twin tunnels with a length of 1.5km are an important piece of civil work. And it will be the tunnels that will significantly reduce the travel time from Prague to South Bohemia, said the RIA CEO Jiří Svoboda. OHL ŽS is the building contractor. "This construction project means for us that we can continue our long tradition of railway construction, apply our great experience in the construction of corridor projects and use our staff and machines in such essential domains as the railway superstructure and substructure, bridges, tunnels and roads.“ said the OHL ŽS CEO Roman Kocúrek. A significant portion of the Sudoměřice – Votice route will leave the existing footprint, which shortens the distance by two km. The construction workers will build two tunnels – Mezno with a length of 840 m and Deboreč with 660 m. The existing stations Střezimíř, Ješetice and Heřmaničky will be consolidated into a single station Červený Újezd. Stops Mezno, Střezimíř, Červený Újezd, Ješetice and Heřmaničky will be added. Three long bridge estacades will be built in the deep valley between stops Ješetice and Heřmaničky. The longest of them will have 244 m. The construction work started on May 1. Since then, plants have been cut, site equipment installed and access roads set up in the future route. Cut-and-covered and driven parts will be built during the next months on both new tunnels. Consolidation embankments will be made around the supports of the future estacades and small bridges will be built. There will be only short (one-day) route closures during 2018. Specifically, this will happen in September and November when support buses will start operating in section Chotoviny – Olbramovice. A four-day closure is scheduled for March and April of 2019. In the spring of 2021 the section will be closed for one more week. The total investment costs of project "Modernisation of the Sudoměřice – Votice Route" amount to CZK 7 159 049 000 excl. VAT. The application for co-funding of this project from the EU Cohesion Fund Operational Programme Transportation 2014–2020 was submitted by the end of 2017 to the EU. If approved, the EU can contribute up to CZK 5 151 794 403. National funding is provided by the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure. Name of project Modernisation of the Sudoměřice – Votice route Investor Railway Administration Authority, state organisation Contractor OHL ŽS Length 19.9 km New switches 13 units Railway bridges, culverts and underpasses 48 units Length of noise protection walls 2 205 m Commencement 03/2018 Completion 08/2021 Total investment costs CZK 7 159 049 000 excl. VAT Expected EU contribution CZK 5,151,794,403