CZECH REPUBLIC: The Ministry of Transport has selected RegioJet for one of the country’s largest PSO operating contracts to date, covering long-distance regional passenger services on five routes northeast of Praha.
Four of these are currently operated by Arriva, and the other is a new service.
RegioJet beat bids from ČD, Arriva and Leo Express for the KC15bn PSO contract, which will run for 15 years from December 2029.
This covers the operation of routes:
- R14A Pardubice – Liberec;
- R14B Liberec – Ústí nad Labem;
- R21 Praha – Turnov – Tanvald;
- R22 Kolín – Mladá Boleslav – Česká Lípa – Rumburk;
- R24 Praha – Mladá Boleslav – Česká Lípa – Rumburk.
The last of these will be a new service, overlapping with the other routes. Operations are expected to total 4·5 million train-km/year, for which RegioJet is to receive support equivalent to KC170 per train-km. This is an increase of 10% to 20% compared with the amount now being paid to Arriva.
The contract announced in August includes an option to introduce another service, designated R29 Kolín – Liberec. This would be subject to upgrading of the Mladá Boleslav – Liberec line. Other potential enhancements include a reduction in journey times on services R21 and R24 between Lysá nad Labem and Mladá Boleslav, with the construction of new alignments at Všejany and Bezděčín as part of the long-mooted Praha – Liberec route modernisation project.
The contract requires the deployment of new rolling stock, which will include both dual-voltage electro-diesel multiple-units and battery-electric units. These are to be ordered from Škoda Group, and will be capable of 160 km/h operation in electric mode or 120 km/h in diesel or battery mode. To ensure a cost-effective procurement, the operating contract guarantees that the rolling stock will be transferred to the next operator after the initial term expires.
