Czech Republic: Railway industry

The Czech Republic has one of the densest rail networks on the continent, with more than 9,400 km of track, much of which is electrified and is an important transit point between Western and Eastern Europe. The market is open, with several operators established in freight and passenger markets. České dráhy is still the principal passenger operator, but RegioJet and Leo Express provide long-distance competition. Freight is dominated by ČD Cargo, with strong private competition from Metrans and PKP Cargo. Modernisation proceeds with a focus on interoperability and speed, e.g., ETCS implementation and high-speed rail links to Germany, Austria, and Poland, aiming to upgrade key corridors by 2030.