The supervisory board of Správa železnic, the Czech Republic’s rail infrastructure manager, is moving from a largely supervisory role towards more direct involvement in strategic and investment decisions. The shift comes as the organisation manages infrastructure projects worth tens of billions of crowns and faces increasing operational and capacity challenges across the rail network.
Newly elected chairman of the supervisory board Martin Kolovratník said the board intends to play a more active role in steering the organisation and reviewing major decisions.
"My priority is the regular and consistent coordination of key management steps, including the expert review of strategic decisions. I want to strengthen the customer perspective, especially with regard to carriers, service interruption planning and operational reliability. We are also preparing fundamental changes to public procurement, such as putting greater pressure on competition, price, supplier expertise and the quality of results. I would like to propose a change in status that will enable the Board of Directors to approve contracts worth over CZK 200 million (€8 million), while also providing management with robust oversight of significant investment and operational projects. This will strengthen central management and consolidate Správa železnic's position as a strong and confident investor in the eyes of suppliers," says Martin Kolovratník, the newly elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of Správa železnic.
Transport minister Ivan Bednárik said infrastructure management must be more closely linked with daily rail operations and the needs of operators. He highlighted planning of engineering works, operational reliability and communication with carriers as areas that must be embedded into strategic decision-making rather than handled as secondary issues.
Procurement policy is also expected to change. The supervisory board plans to seek an amendment to its statute allowing it to approve contracts exceeding CZK 200 million (€8 million) and to provide binding scrutiny of major investment and operational projects. The objective is to increase competition among suppliers and strengthen control over price and quality in large infrastructure schemes.
The governance shift is accompanied by changes in the composition of the supervisory board. As of 26 January 2026, the following members were dismissed from their positions: David Čermák, Pavel Čížek, Zdeněk Zajíček and Tomáš Martinec.
From 27 January 2026, Tomáš Tyll was appointed as a new member of the supervisory board. Three seats on the board remain vacant.
On 27 January, the newly constituted supervisory board is scheduled to meet to take the next step in the leadership transition by selecting a new director-general of Správa železnic. Tomáš Tóth has been proposed for the post. He is described by the transport ministry as an experienced railway manager with a long career in the Czech rail sector.
The stated aim of the leadership and governance changes is to stabilise the organisation’s management structure and clarify the division of responsibilities between the supervisory board and executive management.
Správa železnic is responsible for managing, maintaining and developing the Czech railway infrastructure, including track, stations and signalling systems. Its decisions directly affect passenger and freight operators as well as the delivery of large modernisation and capacity expansion projects.
According to the transport ministry, the reform is intended to strengthen accountability and the organisation’s ability to manage large-scale investments while maintaining reliable daily operations. The new governance model is designed to position Správa železnic as a stronger and more assertive investor towards contractors and technology suppliers, while placing greater emphasis on the operational needs of railway undertakings.
