České dráhy Creates Heritage Foundation, Transfers 430+ Rail Vehicles

The Czech national railway operator, České dráhy, has formalized a new structure for managing its historical assets by establishing the “World of Railways” Foundation. The new institution will assume full responsibility for the management, conservation, and operation of historic railway vehicles beginning in March. This move structurally separates the operator’s commercial activities from its technical heritage preservation duties.

The foundation’s establishment received final approval from the competent bodies of the national operator, finalizing its governance structure and legal framework. The new model is based on similar heritage management structures in other European countries. According to Michal Krapinec, CEO of České dráhy, the objective is to implement long-term, professional management within a clear financing framework to ensure the sustainable protection of the assets.

The transfer involves a significant collection of over 430 exhibits, including locomotives, carriages, and other vehicles. These assets were previously managed by České dráhy’s Center for Historic Vehicles (CHV) and are stored in 16 separate locations throughout the Czech Republic. Key storage facilities include the Czech Railway Museum in Lužná u Rakovníka and depots in Olomouc. The CHV, which operated as an internal unit, is scheduled for dissolution at the end of February.

A new governance structure has been implemented, comprising a Board of Directors as the statutory body and a Supervisory Board for control functions. Jiří Ješeta, a member of the České dráhy Board of Directors, stated that this model is designed to prevent the risk of uncontrolled sale or liquidation of the national technical heritage. The foundation’s mandate extends beyond static preservation to include vehicle restoration, operational deployment for special events, exhibition development, and educational programs.

The foundation will actively seek external funding from both public and private sources to reduce the financial dependency on České dráhy. Matěj Horn has been appointed as the executive director following a public competition. His responsibilities include consolidating the foundation’s operations and developing partnerships with domestic and international museums and institutions.

The strategic shift aims to provide a transparent and professional framework for managing these historical assets. The foundation will now pursue collaborations and funding opportunities independently of the national operator’s core passenger and freight transport business.