Railway transport in the Czech Republic Prague, May 2010
01. 06. 2010Transport development is crucial and necessary for the economical growth of any society or country.
It is clear when looking the congested and damaged roads, and the ever-increasing prices of petrol on the world markets, that any further development of road transport is nowadays significantly restricted and above all extremely expensive.
Also the air transport has its limitations. Any further marked development is possible only through a combination of the individual types of transport, with the use of railway transport in particular. It is indisputable – from the European as well as the world point of view, that the railway transport and the public rail transport are nowadays experiencing their renaissance and prospectivity.
Even in the Czech Republic, the way railway is perceived has changed during the recent years; it is now being considered a transport system with good prospects, where partial changes are gradually taking place. The transport policy of the Czech Republic for the period 2005-20013 correctly assumed, that the railway transport will start focusing especially on fast and quality public transport, long-distance and regional, which is based on lines running at regular intervals and on quality suburban and city public transport lines on the most overloaded transport routes, which would be included into integrated transport systems. The transport policy further directs all its steps towards establishing the rail transport as the backbone of these systems. The majority of Czech regions have established integrated transport systems. The remaining regions are in final stages of creating these. The ACRI supports - to the highest possible extent - the development of suburban transport that is connected to the transport integration of other types of transports. Investments into the suburban transport development and to the transport integration bring a number of positive changes to the transport services’ quality. Railway has become an essential part of these transport systems. In many regions and cities, it is included into the integrated transport, which makes the railway more attractive for passengers; it is used by them more often and thus contributes to the relief of the road transport.
Growth is noticeable not only in public transport, but also in the freight transport. In the Czech Republic, the freight transport market is divided mainly between the road (75,5%) and the railway transport (20,8 %). The remaining 3,7 % fall under other types of transport. Strengthening the inter-modularity in freight transport, and the creation of concepts of the public logistical centres on our territory, both form another important target of the transport policy. For this, it is necessary to provide closer links between railway-, water- and combined transport and their logistical processes, and also new flexible, efficient, and cheaper technologies for the transfer of consignments from one type of transport to another, including the delivery of consignments to the logistical and distribution services.
The majority of railway vehicles in the Czech Republic are nearing their planned life expectancy - public as well as freight transport vehicles. In recent years, one of the priorities of the Czech railway industry sector (area of rail vehicle production and modernization), is to satisfy the demand for renewing the vehicle fleet. And although many modernization programs are being carried out, the number of rail vehicles and their condition does not fulfil the transporters’ needs. The aim of the projects is to offer modern and reliable vehicles for providing public and freight transport services. Finances for the vehicles fleet’s renewal come mainly from the Ministry of Transport grants designated for acquisition and renovation of rail vehicles for the regional transport, from Regional Operational programs of the EU, from the ‘Doprava’ Operational program, from the Eurofima Company funds and from the transporters’ resources.
Primarily Czech companies participate significantly in the rail vehicle fleet renewal – by modernisations, reconstructions, and also by new vehicle manufacture.
One of the biggest Czech manufacturers is the Škoda Transportation (Plzeň). It is traditional Czech manufacturer of electric locomotives, and is currently developing a modern, three-system electric locomotive 109E with Porsche design. The railway production of the Škoda Transportation also includes the suburban units of the 471 (City Elefant) series, which is manufactured by their subsidiary - Škoda Vagónka a.s. in Ostrava. However, the Škoda Transportation’s main production forms the low deck trams. The flagship product in this sector should be the revolutionary 15T with individual wheel propulsion using alternating engines. The Company also deals in modernisation and manufacture of tube railway vehicles. The Škoda Transportation’s subsidiary is the Škoda Vagónka (Ostrava), where are assembled the above stated suburban electrical units of the 471 (City Elefant) series. The CZ LOKO a.s. (former ČMKS – Česká Třebová) modernises and produces diesel locomotives. In addition to supplying the domestic market, they also produced new shunter locomotives for Serbia. Siemens Kolejová Vozidla (Prague) has its position on the Czech market. And it was the Siemens Company, who part-purchased the world famous locomotive, carriage, and tram manufacturer – the ČKD – after they were declared bankrupt. The Company currently employs over 1200 employees and it focuses on the production of the double deck units Dasiro RABe 514, high speed Velaro, and Metro vehicles (tube railway). Another of the domestic companies is Pars nova a.s. (Šumperk). Pars nova specialises in modernising and reconstructions of motor vehicles and electric pantograph units. On Czech railways can be seen the Regionova motor units and pilot vehicles from their production. ‘Krnovské opravny a strojírny’ (the Krnov Repair and Machine-works) modernize personnel railway vehicles and participate in tram modernisations. The so called DPOV workshops have been established by the ‘České dráhy’ plc. to provide maintenance and minor repairs of rail vehicles.
46 ACRI member companies employ over 22 thousand employees and together create annual turnover of 70 billion CZK, of which 40% is from export. The member companies significantly contribute to the economical growth of the company and partake in the gross domestic product. The ACRI is not a typical employer union; and as a specialised field association represents an important employer in the Czech Republic.
Back
