Czech SFDI Approves EUR 3 Billion For Rail Projects

The Czech Republic’s State Fund for Transport Infrastructure (SFDI) has allocated CZK 72.2 billion, equivalent to EUR 3 billion, for railway infrastructure projects in the current year. The national infrastructure operator, Správa železnic (SŽ), is responsible for managing the implementation of the works funded by this budget.

A significant portion of the capital, EUR 1.65 billion, is designated for the Prague–Airport–Kladno rail connection. This project will be executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. The scope includes the construction of a 15-kilometer section on a new alignment between Prague-Ruzyně and Kladno, part of a 40-kilometer modernization and extension that includes a new line to Václav Havel Airport. The operational launch is scheduled for the 2028–2030 period.

The total SFDI budget is segmented into specific categories. Approximately EUR 2.2 billion is directed towards major modernization programs, electrification, and station renovations. A separate allocation of EUR 823 million (CZK 20 billion) is reserved for track maintenance, while EUR 31 million is assigned for safety enhancements at level crossings.

Work is scheduled to proceed on the modernization of the Plzeň–Chotěšov line, a route that enhances rail connectivity with Bavaria, Germany. Concurrently, reconstruction activities will continue at the Ostrava rail hub. Construction is also set to commence on the Kolín–Kutná Hora section to address a capacity constraint on the primary corridor between Prague and Moravia.

Further network enhancements include the electrification of the Nýřany–Heřmanova Huť line. New signalling systems are planned for installation on the Rudoltice–Lanškroun section as part of the 2024 works program.