PKP CARGO International and logistics developer Panattoni have entered into an agreement to cooperate on the development of Panattoni Smart Park Karviná, an industrial complex planned on the site of the former Barbora coal mine in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic.
New rail connection planned
The agreement, signed on 28 May 2025, sets out joint actions between PKP CARGO International, a subsidiary of the PKP CARGO Group, and Panattoni. These include the construction of a railway siding to serve the new logistics park, with PKP CARGO International taking on the role of rail operator. The siding will be connected to the national railway network and integrated with the existing railway station infrastructure in the Karviná area.
The cooperation also covers support in administrative procedures and investment processes. PKP CARGO International, based in Ostrava, is expected to provide freight services for tenants of the site and participate in the planning of transport logistics.
Development of a post-industrial site
The Panattoni Smart Park Karviná project is being built on post-mining land and will include around 150,000 m² of industrial and warehouse facilities. It is planned to feature supporting infrastructure such as parking areas and administrative buildings.
Construction of the park is scheduled to begin in early 2026, following the completion of the permitting process, and the first buildings are expected to be ready in 2027. Up to 2,000 new jobs may be created by the project.
Regional planning context
Authorities in the Moravian-Silesian Region have placed emphasis on the redevelopment of former coal mining areas, and the Panattoni Smart Park Karviná is aligned with this objective. Local consultations held earlier this year indicated public support for the investment, with around 70% of Karviná residents expressing approval.
The decarbonisation of the Czech economy and the closure of industrial operations in mining areas has left much of the rail freight infrastructure underused. This project represents an effort to integrate rail transport into the post-coal landscape and maintain rail connectivity in areas undergoing economic transition.
