A joint venture between consulting engineers Mott MacDonald and Czech firm Sudop Praha is to carry out studies for a cross-border railway line between Dresden and two towns in the Czech Republic, Usti nad Labem and Litomerice.
The contract was awarded by Czech national railway manager Sprava Zeleznicni Dopravni Cesty.Â
The electrified link will be a part of the EU’s Orient/East Mediterranean Trans-European Network and will also mark the beginning of the Czech Republic’s plan to build its own national high-speed rail network. Â
It will pass through the Ore mountains (pictured), enabling it to avoid congestion in the Elbe valley – a popular region for tourists. Â
The joint venture will carry out geotechnical investigations and perform environmental impact assessments for the route options. Preparatory design work for bridges and tunnels will also be undertaken. Â
Tomas Parak, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: "This project is a major step into the new age for the Czech Republic’s railway infrastructure.
"As well as providing a direct link between Dresden and Prague, the new line will provide capacity enhancement for traffic from the north of Europe and Baltic Sea ports to southern European."Â Â
Image: Reservoir near Myslivny in the Ore Mountains, Czech Republic (Wikimedia Commons)
