Trains and operations

Správa železnic has been working closely with the French state rail group SNCF on designing and preparing new lines since 2019. The technical solution in the Czech Republic thus taps into over 40 years of French experience operating trains on the High-Speed LGV system and TGV trains. This successful cooperation was extended in 2022 with the signing of an eight-year contract between Správa železnic and SNCF Réseau covering the technical areas of design, operation, diagnostics and maintenance as well as management of the preparation of major infrastructure projects, their financing and promotion.

Types of Trains

Most of the High-Speed Lines in the Czech Republic will be operated exclusively with High-Speed passenger trains. An exception is the section between Litoměřice, Ústí nad Labem and the Czech border with Germany, where freight trains will also use VRT Středohorský tunel (HSL Central Uplands Tunnel) and VRT Krušnohorský tunel (HSL Ore Mountains Tunnel) . Of course, all high-speed lines will be open to Cargo Sprinter freight trains carrying lightweight cargo
on Euro pallets, mail or parcels.

Speed

Lightweight High-Speed units with axle loads of less than 17 t will benefit from a maximum operating speed on high-speed lines of up to 320 km/h. It is conceivable that this could be increased to 350 km/h without major modifications to the lines.
Plans foresee four categories of train operating on the High-Speed Lines: regional express trains with a minimum speed of 200 km/h, fast trains running at 230 km/h or 250 km/h and express trains at the maximum permitted speed. Sprinter category trains connecting major European metro areas should also hit the maximum speed.

Operation

The European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 will ensure safe operation of trains. It is made up of mobile and track-side elements. The mobile element is located on the train itself, the track-side part is installed on the track or nearby. The basis of the connection between the two parts is the FRMCS mobile signal based on modern 5G technology. Remote traffic control, as well as control of power supply and monitoring of infrastructure elements, will be provided by two new central dispatcher centres (CDP VRT) in Prague and Přerov, which will back each other up for maximum operational reliability. At the same time, the operation of the public transport backbone in Central Europe will be managed with the greatest possible degree of automation to ensure that it is safe, reliable and without significant constraints. Any train delays on the HSL have an impact on connecting trains and train turnarounds and causes significant delays for connecting trains beyond the High-Speed Railway network, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours.