CZECH REPUBLIC: The Ministry of Transport has selected national operator ČD as the winner of public service obligation contracts to operate long-distance passenger services on three routes in the east of the country.
ČD will continue to operate services R12 Brno – Olomouc – Jeseník/Šumperk and R13 Brno – Břeclav – Olomouc, and will take over R8 Brno – Přerov – Ostrava – Bohumín. This route has been operated by private operator RegioJet since December 2019.
The contracts annnounced in January are to run for six years from December 12 2027, except for the Zábřeh na Moravě – Jeseník section which will come into force in December 2029.
RegioJet and Leo Express had also bid.
The services total 4·85 million passenger-km/year. R8 will see hourly services throughout the day, while R12 and R13 will be served by trains every 2 h, with additional services on certain sections during peak hours. ČD will continue to operate Class 660/661 InterPanter EMUs on Line R13, while 140-160 km/h EMUs and loco-hauled trains will be deployed on R8 and R12.
