CZECH infrastructure manager SŽ says three consortia have expressed interest in bidding for a public-private partnership (PPP) concession to build, operate and maintain the new Prague - Václav Havel Airport railway.
Consortia led by Vinci Railways, Gülermak Invest and Strabag Motorway have applied for the tender, SŽ confirmed, adding that Czech companies are included in the consortia. The infrastructure manager says it will assess the relevant qualifications of the applicants in the coming weeks ahead of the start of the competitive bidding process. It expects to award the contract in 2026.
The concessionaire will be responsible for financing and constructing the approximately 40km electrified and double-track line. The project involves upgrades to the Prague-Veleslavín - Prague-Ruzyne section, construction of a new line from Ruzyne to Václav Havel Airport, and a link from the airport to the Prague - Kladno main line, which is also being upgraded under a separate project to offer a future airport service. The concessionaire will also construct the airport station and upon completion will maintain the new line for 25 years with SŽ responsible for operations management. The new line will offer a 25-minute journey time from Prague city centre to the airport and it could open in 2030.
The project, which has been in the works since the 1990s, is the first railway scheme to be undertaken as a PPP in the Czech Republic. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is also proposing €700m in financing for the project, which it says is worth €1.65bn. The remaining funding will come from a mix of public investment and private capital from the chosen concessionaire.
There is currently no rail connection to Prague’s main airport, with metro passengers able to take a bus from the terminus of Line A at Nádraží Veleslavín or Line B at Zličín.
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