Czech Republic Commits €3B to Rail: Prague Airport Link Prioritized

Czech Republic invests a record EUR 3 billion in rail, including a EUR 1.65 billion Prague airport link, boosting infrastructure and international connectivity.

January 30, 2026 7:39 am

🛑 Key Takeaways:

The Czech Republic is allocating a record EUR 3 billion for rail infrastructure modernization this year.
A EUR 1.65 billion PPP project to connect Prague’s airport is the flagship initiative, targeting a 25-minute journey time.
The investment enhances key international corridors, particularly to Germany, and aligns with a global trend of major capital spending on rail networks.

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC – The Czech State Fund for Transport Infrastructure (SFDI) has committed a record EUR 3 billion (CZK 72.2 billion) for national rail modernization this year. The spending plan prioritizes a new EUR 1.65 billion rail link to Prague’s airport and upgrades to strategic cross-border freight and passenger lines. The scale of the investment reflects a broader global pattern of significant capital deployment in rail, such as BNSF’s $3.6 billion plan in the U.S. and the $16 billion NY-NJ Gateway Program.

Category	Specification / Detail
Total 2024 National Budget	EUR 3 billion (CZK 72.2 billion)
Flagship Project	Prague–Airport–Kladno Rail Link
Project Value (Airport Link)	EUR 1.65 billion
Project Funding Model	Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
Key Stakeholders	SFDI (Funder), Správa železnic (SŽ) (Manager)
Target Speed (Airport Line)	Up to 145 km/h
Target Completion (Airport Line)	2028 – 2030

Operational & Technical Details

The EUR 3 billion budget is segmented for specific outcomes. Approximately EUR 2.2 billion is designated for major modernization, electrification, and station renovations. Track maintenance will receive EUR 823 million (CZK 20 billion). A further EUR 31 million is allocated to improve safety at level crossings.

The Prague–Airport–Kladno project is the plan’s centerpiece. It involves building a 15 km section on a new alignment between Prague-Ruzyně and Kladno. The full 40 km project includes doubling existing track and a new extension to Václav Havel Airport. The project manager is the national infrastructure operator, Správa železnic (SŽ).

Other critical works include modernizing the Plzeň–Chotěšov line to improve links with Bavaria. The reconstruction of the Ostrava rail hub will also proceed. Work will begin on the Kolín–Kutná Hora section to remove a key bottleneck on the main Prague–Moravia corridor. Electrification of the Nýřany–Heřmanova Huť line and new signalling for the Rudoltice–Lanškroun section are also scheduled.

Market Impact Analysis

This record investment signals a strategic push to position the Czech Republic as a central European logistics hub. By using a PPP model for the airport link, the government is leveraging private capital for a project with clear commercial potential, possibly creating a template for future infrastructure financing. The focus on the Plzeň-Bavaria corridor directly strengthens rail freight and passenger capacity with Germany, the country’s largest trading partner.

Upgrades to junctions like Hlízov and key hubs like Ostrava are not just maintenance; they are capacity-unlocking projects. These will increase network resilience and throughput for both national services and international transit traffic. The comprehensive nature of the plan—covering high-speed links, regional electrification, and core network signalling—indicates a long-term strategy to enhance competitiveness against road transport.