The acceleration of the railway connection between the Czech Republic and Germany is a step closer

25/8/2017Press releases

Germany confirmed that the railway connection projects Prague – Dresden – Berlin and Nuremberg – Schwandorf / Munich – Regensburg – Schwandorf – Furth im Wald – Pilsen – Prague will be reclassified as projects of urgent need. This step will allow faster construction. The minister of transport Dan Ťok was informed about this by his German counterpart Alexander Dobrindt.

The acceleration of the railway connection between the Czech Republic and Germany is a step closer

"I am happy that we were given the promise of the reclassification of these projects and perceive it as a confirmation of the necessary development of European mobility within TEN-T. We want to ensure high-quality transport links and connections to Western Europe," said the minister of transport Dan Ťok.

At today's meeting, the ministers confirmed the promise of the reclassification into the urgent needs group by by signing the Joint Declaration on further plans for the development of the railway connection between the Czech Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany. The document states for the first time that the both routes will be included in the urgent needs category under the Federal Railways Demands Plan, which shall be part of the Federal Transportation Routes Development Plan until 2030.

The connection of the D6 motorway from Cheb to the German motorway network will improve significantly in the coming years.

Today's meeting also showed that the connection of the D6 motorway from Cheb to the German motorway network should improve significantly in the coming years. It will be still this year then the construction of the four-lane bypass of the German municipality of Schirnding, which lies about two kilometres from the state border, will begin.

"Minister Dobrindt also confirmed that the Schirnding connection should have at least three lanes in the first phase," said the minister of transport Ťok. The German road B303 continues from Schirnding to Marktredwitz where it connects to the A93 motorway.

Both ministers also discussed current trends in the automotive industry, including hydrogen technology and its use in transportation. Evidence of the fact that it is desirable to address this technology already in the current period is also found in the approach of some carmakers that have already started the serial production of hydrogen-powered vehicles. The Czech Republic and Germany will therefore support a pilot project of a hydrogen-fuelled long-distance bus linking Prague with Munich, Nuremberg or Dresden.

JOINT DECLARATION ON FURTHER PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAY CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY SIGNED BETWEEN THE FEDERAL MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY AND THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic, hereinafter referred to as "the Participants", are convinced that the further development of railway connections is of great significance for the economic and cultural development of the two countries and therefore seek to deepen and intensify cooperation in this field.

The Participants express a common intention on the following:

I.    New route Prague – Dresden

1.    They intend to significantly contribute through this mutual initiative to the development of the backbone corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network in the in the East/East-Mediterranean corridor.

2.    With respect to the objective set out in the previous paragraph, they express their readiness to pursue the objectives set out between the Federal Ministry of Transport of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic and the Federal Ministry of Public Economy and Transport of the Republic of Austria within the framework of cooperation in further development of railway transport on the Berlin – Prague – Vienna route, taking into account the current development.

3.    They appreciate that the Berlin – Dresden – Prague railway connection shall be categorised as urgent needs in the Federal Railways Demands Plan and consider it necessary to increase the capacity of the most important railway connection between Dresden and Prague and significantly reduce the time spent in both passenger and freight transport.

4.    Based on the preliminary study "Construction of new railway route Dresden – Prague" co-funded by the European Union and presented on April 29, 2016 in Ústí nad Labem, the Participants could convince themselves that the new construction of a shorter connection between Dresden and Ústí nad Labem is a project that benefits the economies of both countries and the above-mentioned objective can be achieved through it.

5.    The Participants understand that the necessary planning should be carried out as soon as possible by the national competent authorities and/or the relevant railway infrastructure administrators.

6.    The Participants intend to provide the infrastructure administrators with the necessary funds to finance the preparation of the construction after meeting the budget conditions.

7.    The participants intend to enter into appropriate talks without delay and intend to set up a joint working group with the following tasks:
(a)    to jointly harmonise, within the framework of regular talks attended by the railway infrastructure administrators of the two countries, the continuation and progress of the essential steps connected with design preparation,
(b)    to involve the EU coordinator for the Trans-European Transport Network East/East-Mediterranean backbone corridor and regional entities in the Czech Republicand also in the Federal Republic of Germany,
(c)    maintain a credible exchange of information between the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation "New Railway Connection Dresden – Prague EGTC" and other actors,
(d)    organise consultations at least once a year, on the German and Czech sides on the alternating basis,
(e)    elaborate, together with the Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Austria, proposals for updating the "Agreement between the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic and the Federal Ministry of Transport of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal Ministry of Public Economy and Transport of the Republic of Austria on cooperation in further development of the Berlin – Prague – Vienna" railway connection, signed on June 7, 1995, and report to the joint working group on a regular basis in accordance with Article 5 par. 1 of this Agreement.

8.    The participants underline their intention to overcome, by mutual agreement, the obstacles that may arise from different national legal regulations and prevent unnecessary loss of time.

9.    As soon as the results of the relevant technical solution and its economic assessment are available, the participants will seek to start negotiations on an international treaty between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Czech Republic, which is necessary for the construction of a cross-border tunnel.

II.    Development of track Nuremberg – Schwandorf / Munich – Regensburg – Schwandorf – Furth im Wald – Pilsen – Prague

1.    They intend to significantly contribute through this mutual initiative to the development of the backbone corridor of the Trans-European Transport Network in the Rhine/Danube corridor.

2.    The Participants welcome the fact that the railway connection Nuremberg – Schwandorf / Munich – Regensburg – Schwandorf – Furth im Wald – Pilsen – Prague will be classified as a project of urgent need in the Federal Railways Demands Plan and consider it necessary to significantly reduce the travel times in both passenger and freight transport on this route.

3.    Both participants convinced themselves based on their own analyses that electrification and, where desired, new construction or modernisation on both the Czech and German sides is a project that benefits the economies of both countries and one through which the above-mentioned objective can be achieved.

4.    The Participants understand that the necessary planning should be carried out as soon as possible by the national competent authorities and/or the relevant railway infrastructure administrators.

5.    The Participants intend to provide the infrastructure administrators with the necessary funds to finance the preparation of the construction after meeting the budget conditions.

6.    The participants intend to enter into appropriate talks without delay and intend to set up a joint working group with the following tasks:
(a)    to jointly harmonise, within the framework of regular talks attended by the railway infrastructure administrators of the two countries, the continuation and progress of the essential steps connected with design preparation,
(b)    to involve the EU coordinator for the Trans-European Transport Network East/East-Mediterranean backbone corridor and regional entities in the Czech Republic and also in the Federal Republic of Germany,
(c)    to organise consultations at least once a year, on the German and Czech sides on the alternating basis

7.    The participants underline their intention to overcome, by mutual agreement, the obstacles that may arise from different national legal regulations and prevent unnecessary loss of time.

Closing clauses

1.    The Participants acknowledge that they will pay the costs of their participation in the activities carried out under this Memorandum.

2.    Additional consultations between the two parties are possible at any time and on any question connected with the interpretation or implementation of this Memorandum.

3.    The Participants acknowledge that cooperation starts on the date of signature of this Memorandum.

This document does not set any obligations under international law or other legal regulations, including private law obligations.

In Karlovy Vary, dated August 25, 2017