The Central Bohemian region is preparing a giant tender for 60 billion, it will be looking for a railway carrier

The aim is to ensure the operator of electric train transport from 2029, when the current contract with Czech Railways expires. According to the representatives of the region and the Prague municipality, the announcement of the tender is a priority. The new carrier will shape rail transport in the Central Bohemian Region and Prague for the next 30 years.

The current trains that run on the Central Bohemian Railway are at the end of their service life and it is necessary to replace them with new, more powerful and faster machines that will also provide passengers with greater comfort. According to the regional councilor for public transport, the tender will be issued this summer.

“We plan to issue a tender for units with a capacity of 400 places following the finalization of tender documentation and approval by the authorities of both municipalities, i.e. in the Central Bohemian Region and Prague. We assume that it will be during the summer of this year. The preparation of other tenders will then continue,” said Petr Borecký (STAN), councilor for the area of ​​public transport, for iDNES.cz.

The region expects to announce the results of the competition in the course of 2025, and the winning carrier should start serving the selected routes from the timetable change in December 2029.

According to Zdeňko Hřib, Prague’s deputy for transport, the upcoming tenders are absolutely necessary. “Prague and the Central Bohemian Region’s contract with the current carrier ends in December 2029, and it is necessary to ensure further operation. At the end of 2029, part (16 pieces) of the oldest units of the 471 series are expected to be retired, which will need to be replaced with new units,” Hřib told iDNES.cz.

City and county together

The main contracting authority will be the Central Bohemian Region, the capital city of Prague is a cooperating contracting authority. The integrated transport of the Central Bohemian Region (in cooperation with Ropid) was entrusted with the preparation of documents for the start of the tender process and started preliminary market consultations with vehicle manufacturers and potential carriers. “On the basis of the results of these consultations, the procurement documentation will be modified and subsequently the tendering process for the carrier will be announced, while the tendering date is currently in the summer of 2024,” Hřib confirmed, adding that the project has a high priority.

The new carrier will purchase large-capacity double-deck electric units of the EMU 400 type. They should be deployed not only on the line to Kladno and the Ruzynsk airport, but also on the S7 line Beroun – Prague – Český Brod, where it will enable the change of the power supply system in the Beroun – Prague-Radotín section to alternating. Furthermore, on lines S1 Prague – Poříčany – Kolín and R41 Prague – Kolín – Kutná Hora and, in the future, after the modernization of the track, also on express trains from Prague via Milovice to Mladá Boleslav. On the other lines, single-deck units of the EMU 240 type will be operated, for which the bidding process will be prepared subsequently. 54 existing units of the 471 series, which České dráhy have applied for compulsory purchase, will continue to run on the tracks, and therefore their operator for the period 2029 – 2044 will be in competition in the following years.

According to MP Tomáš Helebrant (ANO), the connection to Prague is key, but it is also necessary to think about connections between other cities as well. “For me and for ANO, I can promise that we will support not only a better connection with Prague, but also the strengthening of regional transport,” Helebrant told iDNES.cz, adding that the tender deadline is realistic.

He added that the region should also take care of the systematic development of the entire region. “The motivation of people and their personal experience with this form of transport is essential. In practice, this means that first of all, this form of transport must be either faster or as fast as individual, it must have the right frequency, it must be comfortable, safe and also affordable,” Helebrant added.