ŠKODA Transportation handed over the last of 14 class 660/661 InterPanter EMUs for Czech Railways (ČD) at its Ostrava plant on May 5.

CZECH open-access passenger operator Regiojet is planning to launch a new service between Prague and the Slovakian capital Bratislava.

CZECH Railways (ČD) announced on April 14 that it has launched three international tenders for new rolling stock with a total value of around Koruna 10.8bn ($US 451m).

CZECH Railways (ČD) announced on April 13 that it will equip 663 vehicles of 33 different types with ETCS Level 2 as deployment of the system continues under infrastructure manager SŽDC's ERTMS National Implementation Plan.

SIEMENS has received contracts to supply a total of 11 multi-system Vectron electric locomotives for two European freight operators.

Funding and soft loans from European Union facilities and affiliated organisations promise to deliver long-awaited Eastern European rail infrastructure improvements over the next decade or so. Artur Perchel, manager, Central Eastern Europe & Israel at the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), assesses the impact.

ARRIVA is due to begin operation of a new semi-fast service between Prague main station, Czech Republic, and Benešov u Prahy on February 29.

DB Cargo has launched a new subsidiary in the Czech Republic called DB Cargo Czechia. It is the 16th state in which the German freight operator has launched an independent operation.

A prototype low-floor tram developed by Pragoimex, Czech Republic, began trial operation with passengers on the Prague tram network on February 1, when the vehicle entered service with the city's public transport operator DPP.

CZECH Railways (ČD) introduced its new class 660 InterPanter EMUs on Prague - Česká Trebová - Brno semi-fast services on January 27, replacing locomotive-hauled trains dating from the 1970s and 1980s.