THE conclusions of a feasibility study into a high-speed line linking Dresden and Prague were presented on January 14 by Saxony's state transport minister Mr Martin Dulig.

THE continuing decline in coal transport, in part caused by cheaper supplies of oil and gas, plus the global slowdown in the steel industry continues to impact railfreight volumes in central Europe.

IRJ at ERA Moving Towards the Single European Rail Area conference, Luxembourg: Mr Leos Novotny, CEO of Czech open-access private passenger operator Leo Express, says his company is proof that it is possible for passenger rail services to be profitable despite the obstacles sometimes imposed by incumbent railways.

CZECH Railways (CD) has signed an agreement with Silesian Railways (KS) to co-operate on measures to improve cross-border regional rail links between eastern Czech Republic and southern Poland.

The Czech Republic is currently engaged in an unprecedented programme of infrastructure upgrades. Pavel Surý, director general of Czech railway infrastructure manager SŽDC, speaks exclusively to Kevin Smith and Quintus Vosman about how this work is transforming domestic and international services.

CZECH railfreight operator CD Cargo announced on August 14 it is launching a tender worth an estimated Koruna 550m ($US 22.7m) for a contract to supply five ETCS Level 2-equipped multi-system electric locomotives, with an option for three additional units.

THE Czech Ministry of Transport has launched a tender for a contract to develop a concept for a transition to a single electrification system as part of plans to convert all lines currently electrified at 3kV dc to 25kV ac 50Hz.

FOLLOWING a study by Czech rail infrastructure manager SŽDC, the Czech Ministry of Transport has selected a preferred option for a rail link between Prague city centre, Vaclav Havel International Airport, and the town of Kladno to the northwest of the capital.

THE Bavarian Railway Authority (BEG) and Karlovy Vary regional transport authority have signed an eight-year contract with Netinera Germany subsidiary Länderbahn to operate a new cross-border Hof - Cheb service, which will be introduced when the 7.6km link between Selb, Germany, and Aš, Czech Republic, reopens in December.

THE first InterPanter five-car EMU built by Škoda Transportation was presented to Czech Railways (ČD) at the Velim test circuit on June 25.