The Czech State Fund for Transport Infrastructure (SFDI) has signed off a record €3 billion (≈ CZK 72.2 billion) rail-investment package for 2026, with a €1.65 billion public–private-partnership to connect Prague city centre with Václav Havel Airport as its flagship. The 40-kilometre Airport–Kladno corridor will include a new 15-kilometre segment between Prague-Ruzyně and Kladno built for 145 km/h operation, cutting the terminal-to-city journey to 25 minutes once the line opens between 2028 and 2030.
Around €2.2 billion is earmarked for modernisation, electrification and station renovations on core domestic and cross-border routes, notably the Plzeň–Bavaria axis and the Ostrava rail hub – both critical for freight moving between Czechia and Germany. A further €823 million will maintain existing track, while €31 million is devoted to upgrading level-crossing safety systems. The budget mirrors global trends: major rail spend in the U.S. and Southeast Asia illustrates how governments are shifting cargo and passengers from road and air to lower-carbon rail.
International investors, project engineers and business travellers heading to Czechia to oversee or benefit from these upgrades will often need the correct entry documentation. VisaHQ streamlines the entire visa process for the Czech Republic with an easy-to-use online platform that details requirements, fees and turnaround times, allowing companies and individuals to secure permits quickly and confidently (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/).
![Czech Government Approves €3 Billion Rail Budget, Fast-Tracks Prague Airport Link]()
For multinational companies that rely on Czech manufacturing sites, the programme promises faster, more reliable connections to German ports and markets. Airport-link travel times rival door-to-door car trips, potentially shifting executive and commuter traffic to rail and easing pressure on Prague’s ring-road. Freight forwarders expect the Kolín–Kutná Hora bottleneck removal alone to shave up to 45 minutes off east-west container runs.
Funding will be drawn from the national budget, EU cohesion funds and private-sector equity through the PPP structure. Infrastructure manager Správa železnic will tender construction packages in Q2 2026; design-and-build consortia must include a Czech lead contractor under localisation rules. Environmental groups have cautiously welcomed the plan, noting that each electrified passenger-km emits roughly one-third of the CO₂ of an equivalent car journey.
The announcement sets the stage for further liberalisation of passenger services. With infrastructure upgrades under way, the Transport Ministry is expected to license additional open-access operators in 2027, increasing competition – and likely slashing fares – on the lucrative Prague–Brno and Prague–Berlin lines.
Around €2.2 billion is earmarked for modernisation, electrification and station renovations on core domestic and cross-border routes, notably the Plzeň–Bavaria axis and the Ostrava rail hub – both critical for freight moving between Czechia and Germany. A further €823 million will maintain existing track, while €31 million is devoted to upgrading level-crossing safety systems. The budget mirrors global trends: major rail spend in the U.S. and Southeast Asia illustrates how governments are shifting cargo and passengers from road and air to lower-carbon rail.
International investors, project engineers and business travellers heading to Czechia to oversee or benefit from these upgrades will often need the correct entry documentation. VisaHQ streamlines the entire visa process for the Czech Republic with an easy-to-use online platform that details requirements, fees and turnaround times, allowing companies and individuals to secure permits quickly and confidently (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/).
For multinational companies that rely on Czech manufacturing sites, the programme promises faster, more reliable connections to German ports and markets. Airport-link travel times rival door-to-door car trips, potentially shifting executive and commuter traffic to rail and easing pressure on Prague’s ring-road. Freight forwarders expect the Kolín–Kutná Hora bottleneck removal alone to shave up to 45 minutes off east-west container runs.
Funding will be drawn from the national budget, EU cohesion funds and private-sector equity through the PPP structure. Infrastructure manager Správa železnic will tender construction packages in Q2 2026; design-and-build consortia must include a Czech lead contractor under localisation rules. Environmental groups have cautiously welcomed the plan, noting that each electrified passenger-km emits roughly one-third of the CO₂ of an equivalent car journey.
The announcement sets the stage for further liberalisation of passenger services. With infrastructure upgrades under way, the Transport Ministry is expected to license additional open-access operators in 2027, increasing competition – and likely slashing fares – on the lucrative Prague–Brno and Prague–Berlin lines.
