A record budget will enable major rail construction to start in 202329/11/2022|Press releasesThe upcoming construction season presents a number of significant challenges and milestones for Správa železnic. The construction of several sections of the line to Prague Airport, including the modernisation of Masaryk Railway Station, should be in full swing. The long-awaited start of the modernisation of the Praha-Smíchov and Praha-Bubny stations and the acceleration of the project preparation of high-speed rail lines are expected. In the middle of 2023 we will see a major relief for passengers on the first corridor where long-distance trains will return. The financing of the construction should be based on the record budget in the history of Správa železnic in the expected amount of CZK 61.9 billion, with the possibility of increasing it up to CZK 70.4 billion thanks to the expected EIB loan. "I consider it extremely important that we maintain the pace of rail modernisation and in some cases accelerate it. There is a big task ahead of us – high-speed rail lines, connection of Václav Havel Airport to the railway and deployment of the ETCS system. All this is possible thanks to the current financial framework," says transport minister Martin Kupka. "Next year, for the first time, the railways should draw the highest volume of funding of all transport sectors ever. The projected budget is strongly a pro-investment budget and allows to cover not only all ongoing projects but to start new major construction. Up to CZK 48.5 billion could be gradually directed to investment activities alone next year," said Jiří Svoboda, Director General of Správa železnic. Construction in 2023 Next year will be a major step forward for the upcoming Prague – Václav Havel Airport – Kladno line. The main works between the stations Kladno and Kladno-Ostrovec will start and we expect that construction works in the sections Praha-Bubny – Praha-Výstaviště will start. Tenders will be launched for the construction of the Praha-Ruzyně – Kladno line and modernisation of the station Praha Masarykovo nádraží, which will be significantly expanded and, thanks to the recently built platform, will offer a better connection not only for the public. The thing is that the transfer links to metro B will now be shortened and enable a direct connection of Hybernská and Na Florenci streets. The capital city will next year also see the start of extensive modernisation of the Prague-Smíchov station and the double-tracking of the Branický bridge. Major reconstruction will also begin in Brno where we will launch a tender for the modernisation of Brno-Královo Pole station, which includes the construction of a new station building. The actual implementation should then start in 2024. The builders should also start focusing on the modernisation of another part of the third corridor within the optimisation of the Karlštejn – Beroun section. The installation of the European Train Control System (ETCS) on the network of Správa železnic will continue. In 2023 the construction works that started at the end of 2022 will get in full swing. Optimisation of the line between Čelákovice and Mstětice is the last section on this very busy suburban line from Prague to Lysá nad Labem that has not been overhauled yet. The expected electrification and double-tracking of the line Střelice – Zastávka u Brna will follow the already completed first phase between Brno and Střelice. Preparation of high-speed lines In the coming year intensive preparation of new high-speed lines (HSR) will continue. Design work is under way on almost 200 km of these lines and more sections will follow in 2023. The planning permit design for several lines will be completed in 2023. Part of the design are also inputs for EIA processes. Preparations for Design & Build tenders will be initiated and processes for property settlements will be set up. Preparation of conventional line construction and level crossings The budget for 2023 will also allow for smooth project preparation of construction on conventional lines, including the purchase of land affected by construction work. Projects that will improve safety at level crossings, including the construction of grade-separated crossings, will also continue at an accelerated pace. Station buildings There are currently 68 station buildings undergoing a reconstruction and the work is in various stages of progress. These are mainly renovations of large listed buildings in České Budějovice, Prague Central Station, Pilsen and Pardubice. For the upcoming period Správa železnic is preparing reconstruction or repairs of more than 130 other structures and buildings. These include buildings in Karviná, Cheb, Klatovy, České Velenice, Svitavy, Letohrad, Čáslav, Hlinsko in Bohemia and Lovosice. Summary of the current construction season The pro-investment budget will allow for smooth continuation of the current construction season in 2023. It primarily includes the modernisation of the first corridor between Prague and Brno and completion of new line sections on the fourth corridor, i.e. between the capital and České Budějovice. A part of the third corridor between Prague and Pilsen in the section between Prague Smíchov and Radotín was also modernised. Regarding safety, the installation of the highest level of safety equipment has been completed: ETCS between Olomouc and Uničov where the first ever line in the Czech Republic will start live operation from 1 January. This busy regional line has undergone extensive modernisation and complete electrification. On the first corridor the modernisation of the line between Brno – Adamov and Blansko will end on 11 December and regional transport and the R19 fast train line will return to the line after one year of intensive construction work. The section has been completely reconstructed. Adamov station and the stops Bílovice nad Svitavou, Babice nad Svitavou, Adamov and Blansko město were modernised as well. Starting in January, there will be unrestricted operation between Prague and Kolín where the modernisation of the line between Velim and Poříčany will be completed. The main benefit is the line capacity increase thanks to new branch-offs in Cerhenice and Tatce, which, thanks to the insertion of new switches, now enable trains to change from one track to another. This increases the capacity of the corridor in this section and helps control traffic more efficiently during emergencies. The reconstruction of the line between Ústí and Brandýs nad Orlicí will be completed in the middle of 2023, bringing a major change for passengers on the line between Prague and Brno. All long-distance trains will, again, use the first corridor instead of diverting via Vysočina. The modernisation of the Pardubice railway node will continue until mid-2024, but it will not have a major impact on traffic.