One of the projects is a €714m upgrade of the republic’s busiest station and junction at Česká Třebová, through which 500 trains pass daily (Render courtesy of Strabag)
The rail subsidiary of Austrian contractor Strabag has won two contracts in the Czech Republic together worth around €360m to the company.
Delivered by consortia, the contracts are part of Czechia’s national overhaul of its rail network to upgrade to high-speed, helped by EU funding.
The bigger contract is a €714m upgrade of the republic’s busiest station and junction at Česká Třebová, through which 500 trains pass daily.
“We are now starting one of the largest railway construction projects in the era of the independent Czech Republic,” said Czech prime minister Petr Fiala.
“The modernisation of the Česká Třebová hub is significant in the context of the whole of Europe, because it is an important junction for international trains as well.”
Biggest tender ever
The project is the biggest tender ever issued by the Czech Railway Administration.
Strabag Rail’s share is just over 35%, equivalent to €250m. Consortium partners include Eurovia CZ, Chládek a Tintěra, and Elektrizace železnic Praha.
The Czech transport ministry describes the overhaul as “massive”, and the first major renovation of the hub since the 1950s.
The consortium will rebuild around 72km of passenger and freight track, tens of kilometres of overhead catenary, and 30 bridge structures.
It will modernise all platforms and canopies, and build a new, steel pedestrian bridge to connect the two parts of town separated by the railway, replacing an old underpass.
And it will install noise barriers to give relief to residents as trains accelerate from 60km/h to 80km/h while passing the station.
Preparatory works start this year. The main station works are planned for 2028, and the project is scheduled for completion in early 2032.
Preparing for high speed
The second project is upgrading a 10km-long section of the Brno-Přerov line between Nezamyslice and Kojetín to equip it for high-speed trains.
It’s valued at €268m. Consortium leader Strabag owns just over 40%, equivalent to around €110m.
The goal is to double track the section to double its speed.
Work started at the end of May and is scheduled to last three and a half years to the end of January 2029.
The most prominent structure along the route is a 744m-long railway tunnel to be built near Němčice using open-cut construction.
The consortium will also build a new junction at Hruška that will allow the route to be split in order to increase the line’s capacity.
Two stops will be upgraded to modern, barrier-free standards. One will be moved and expanded to include a new bus terminal with car and bicycle parking.
Along the route, 2,300 metres of noise barriers will be installed and a number of new reinforced concrete frame and composite bridges constructed.
Once completed, train movements along the line will be monitored using the European safety systems ETCS and GSM-R.
‘Modern Czech railway’
Speaking about the contracts, Strabag management board director Alfred Watzl said: “Both play a strategic role in creating a modern, sustainable Czech railway infrastructure and in linking it to the trans-European transport network.
“Travellers can already look forward to greater comfort and shorter journey times.”
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