Czech Republic to advance high-speed train travel with EIB advisory support

This article is published in association with European Investment Bank.

• EIB to advise Czech railway infrastructure manager Správa železnic on three major projects including the rail link to Prague airport and high-speed connections in the Moravia region.
• Aligned with Czech and EU transport strategies → the new lines will bolster European rail corridors connecting the Czech Republic with Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia
• EIB advisory services will offer guidance free of charge under the InvestEU Advisory Hub.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) will advise the Czech Republic’s national railway infrastructure manager, Správa železnic, on preparation and procurement of three major railway infrastructure projects as public-private partnerships (PPPs). These projects represent priority domestic rail investments that are part of wider international corridors linking Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Slovakia.

The agreement supports the Czech Government’s broader strategy to develop a high-speed rail (HSR) network aligned with EU Regulation 2024/1679 on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and the national “Rapid Rail Services Development Programme” approved in 2018. The initiative is also supported by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) through funding for feasibility studies and project preparation.

“The EIB has vast experience in a wide range of public-private partnerships, and we will put it in practice to support the authorities in the Czech Republic to deliver complex PPPs and accelerate the shift to greener, more efficient transport,”saidEIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris. “This strategic partnership reflects our strong commitment to helping Member States deliver sustainable, future-proof infrastructure.”

The supported investments are expected to significantly enhance the appeal of rail travel in the Czech Republic, free up capacity on conventional lines for strategic freight transport and integrate the network more closely with European corridors.

Supporting strategic rail corridors

The EIB’s advisory support will focus on three strategic rail corridors to be procured through a first set of Czech rail PPPs:

·        A €2.2 billion upgrade investment from the centre of Prague to the nearby city of Kladno with a new branch to Vaclav Havel Airport, about 20 kilometres to the northwest of the city centre, with the PPP covering a €1.1 billion section from Prague Veleslavín station to the airport including rounding to the Praha – Kladno track.

·        Investments in the new €7 billion 150 km TEN-T High Speed Moravian corridor between Brno and Ostrava with the PPP covering:

Ø  The 50 km Brno–Nezamyslice stage of the 200 km/hr upgrade section between Brno and Přerov

Ø  The 74 km new HSL of 320 km/hr Eastern Moravia section between Přerov–Ostrava with 17 km of additional connector lines

The airport link is essential to sustainably and comfortably connect air passengers to the centre of Prague and long-distance rail while the Moravian corridor is part of the priority Dresden–Prague–Brno–Vienna/Ostrava–Katowice TEN-T high-speed rail corridors, with total investment expected to exceed €20 billion. The Moravian sections are the most advanced of the high-speed investments, with completion currently anticipated after 2030.

“Public-private partnerships represent a valuable tool for delivering strategic infrastructure projects that might otherwise face funding or implementation barriers. EIB’s advisory support is an opportunity to accelerate the modernization of our railway network, especially in strategic areas like high-speed rail,”commented Jiří Svoboda,Director General of Správa železnic.“Strengthening our capacity to manage complex PPPs is essential for building a more sustainable, resilient transport system for future generations.”

Building capacity for complex PPPs

The advisory assignment will run for 27 months and provide technical assistance covering:

• Risk allocation
• Output-based performance specifications
• Tender documentation and contract structuring
• Monitoring of PPP concession contracts

Fully funded through the InvestEU Advisory Hub, the support will help the Czech Republic advance its long-term transport and climate objectives.

The EIB advisory team will provide hands-on support to Správa železnic’s PPP team, working in co-ordination with its transaction advisers throughout the procurement process, with emphasis placed on building-up lasting PPP know-how within Správa železnic.

About the EIB

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the EU and the Capital Markets Union. The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2024. These commitments are expected to mobilise around €350 billion in investments, supporting 400,000 companies and 5.8 million jobs. In the Czech Republic, the EIB Group signed operations worth a total of €2.47 billion last year.

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Accord and exclude funding of investments in fossil fuels. The EIB Group is on track to deliver on a commitment to support €1 trillion in climate and environmental sustainability investments in the decade to 2030 as pledged in the organisation’s Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation and a healthier environment.

Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the EU is directed towards cohesion regions, where per-capita income is lower. This underscores the EIB’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth and the convergence of living standards.

For more information, please visit the EIB website.

About InvestEU

The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investments for the European Union’s policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU programme brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

About Správa železnic

Správa železnic is the national railway infrastructure manager of the Czech Republic, responsible for the development, modernization, and maintenance of the country’s railway network. As a key player in European transport connectivity, Správa železnic drives sustainable mobility, safety, and innovation in rail infrastructure. The organization oversees strategic investments aimed at improving passenger and freight transport, enhancing cross-border links, and integrating Czech railways into the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). In recent years, Správa železnic has launched major projects including high-speed rail development, station revitalization, and digitalization of railway operations. All initiatives are aligned with EU climate and transport policies, contributing to the decarbonization of transport and regional development.

For more information, please visit the Správa železnic website.