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Ivan Bednárik has become the new Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic

Ivan Bednárik has become the new Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic

15/12/2025Press releases

The new government's priorities include completing the backbone motorway network, developing railway infrastructure, modernizing Prague Airport, including rail connections from the city center, and securing stable financing for transport infrastructure construction using European funds and a public-private partnership model.

Ivan Bednárik has become the new Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic
"I accept the position of Minister of Transport with respect. Respect for the people who work in transport and for those who rely on it every day. The transport sector is a living organism that keeps our entire economy and daily lives running. My goal is for investments in infrastructure to be reflected in people's everyday lives – in safer roads, faster trains, and more accessible services," said Minister of Transport Ivan Bednárik.
 
The new Minister of Transport considers ensuring sustainable and realistic financing for the construction of transport infrastructure to be one of his main priorities. "We need to clarify our strategy on what it makes sense to invest in, based on analyses and accurate figures," added Bednárik. He also wants to focus on the personnel and functional stabilization of investor organizations and on strengthening management and control mechanisms in the preparation and implementation of transport construction projects. In this context, he considers it crucial for the Railway Administration to act as a genuine and predictable partner to its clients, which are primarily rail carriers and transporters.
 
It also intends to pay special attention to the freight rail transport sector, which faces long-term pressure from rising costs. At the European level, according to the minister, the Czech Republic wants to actively open a debate on the current European energy and regulatory framework, which has devastating effects on rail freight transport, and promote solutions that will strengthen the competitiveness of railways vis-à-vis road transport.
 
According to its program statement, the new government emphasizes fast, safe, and accessible transport infrastructure as a basic prerequisite for economic development, service accessibility, and the balanced development of all regions. According to the government appointed today, the transport system should be modern, economically sustainable, and fair to all users. The key objectives are to interconnect all modes of transport, ensure stable and long-term investment, make effective use of European funds, and remove unnecessary obstacles to the preparation and implementation of strategic construction projects.
 
Ivan Bednárik (*January 16, 1975) is a manager with 30 years of experience in transport. In the past, he has led major transport companies. He was chairman of the board and CEO of ČD Cargo, then CEO of České dráhy, and since May 2025, CEO of Železnice Slovenskej republiky.
 
Bednárik's career is linked to corporate restructuring, expansion into foreign markets, and crisis management, not only during the pandemic. He graduated from high school in Zlaté Moravce and earned an MBA from the Central European Management Institute in Prague. He is regarded as an expert with in-depth knowledge of the operations and economics of transport companies, whose work is characterized by apoliticality, diligence, and the ability to deal with professional audiences and foreign partners. His hobbies include hunting, so he spends most of his free time in nature with his hunting dog.



 


 
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