The missing high-speed line to Bavaria threatens the Czech Republic. The experts came up with their own solution, bypassing Pilsen

There is still an iron curtain on the western border. This was agreed upon by the participants of the parliamentary seminar, which dealt with the non-existent high-speed railway connection between the Czech Republic and Bavaria.

The round table “High-speed line Prague – Pilsen – Western Europe” drew attention to the fact that not only has a fully double-tracked and electrified line not yet been built in this direction, but it also does not figure in the current plans of the VRT network, which is now being designed.

Member of Parliament and member of the subcommittee for transport Miloš Nový (TOP 09) pointed out at the beginning of the seminar that while the D5 motorway was built up to the border in 1997 in just five years, the railway journey between Prague and Munich still takes seven hours and is completely uncompetitive .

High-speed rail transport thus bypasses the Czech Republic not only on the route from Berlin to Vienna, but increasingly also on the route between Munich and Warsaw. This will become more and more important, and according to the MP, the western direction and the Prague-Munich branch should become a priority. The high-speed connection Warsaw – Wrocław is to be completed in Poland as early as 2031.

“The eastern direction is taken into account, the western one is omitted in the plans,” emphasized Nový.

VRT Western Express

And as a member of parliament and a citizen of Pilsen, he decided to take the initiative. He intends to politically enforce the VRT proposal for the “Western Express” line. It was prepared by Jan Eisenreich from the design and technology company Brens Europe and presented its basic outlines to the deputies.

The high-speed line to the west is based on the current concept of VRT lines in the Czech Republic. It completes the missing capacity arm in the direction to Pilsen and further to Western Europe. It starts at the Berounské tunnel, which is now being designed, and the plans include the possible branching of the VRT line on the Beroun side.

The line continues from Beroun through Hořovice and Rokycany. It is located close to the D5 highway, so that it interferes with the landscape as little as possible. Before Pilsen, the Letkov turnoff separates from the line, which continues into the city center to the main railway station.

However, the VRT line itself passes Pilsen in a southerly direction, again concurrently with D5. The city will be served by the new Plzeň TRS terminal. It is planned near the intersection of the D5 highway with the I/53 road. Furthermore, the intended line continues directly west past Horšovské Týn to the state border, which it will cross at the Lísková crossing.

According to the author, the design speed of the track is 320 km/h, the minimum is 300 km/h. Its total length would be 133.3 kilometers, of which 53.3 km would be tunnels and 19.5 km bridges.

According to the author, the Plzeň TRS terminal (fast connections terminal) can be easily connected to the tram and other regional public transport, and at the same time there is enough space for a P+R parking lot.

Jan Eisenreich reminds that he prepared the project for the parliamentary round table and has not yet discussed it anywhere. “It is a private project, it should bring discussion,” he adds, noting that this is already the fifth option that uses the D5 corridor as much as possible and all other preparations. He promises from him that he will arouse interest in the Ministry of Transport and the VRT Construction Administration.

Excuses in German

However, according to Petr Šlegr from the Center for Effective Transport (CEDOP), the Ministry of Transport is the frog in the spring when it comes to fast connections from Prague to the west.

“When in 2010 the Beroun – Plzeň line was optimized to a speed of 105-140 km/h, Mr. Sosna declared that this was the target state“, pointed out Šlégr, pointing to Luďko Sosna, director of the strategy department of the Ministry of Transport.

At the same time, he reminded the main long-term argument of the Ministry and SŽ that the western arm of the VRT is not being prepared due to the lack of interest of the German side and the line should have nothing to build on. “Making excuses for a German is laughable, in Bavaria there are even regional tracks built at 120-160 km/h,” noted the traffic expert. According to him, it is necessary to prepare the track mainly with regard to the acceleration of traffic in the Czech Republic.

He also reminded that the commitment to expand the incomplete concept of VRT by other branches is also part of the current government’s coalition agreement.

The first resolution on the request of VRT to Bavaria was already adopted by the Chamber of Deputies in February 2012. At that time, it remained unheard due to the fall of the government. Now the initiative of MP Nové will try to do just that.

“Politicians must be the first to be kicked out. I will try to promote the track at the level of the city of Pilsen and the region. At the same time, I want to continue negotiations with the Railway Administration,” Novy concluded.

Tags

Berounský tunnel Cedop connection Czech Republic – Bavaria VRT high-speed terminal High-speed lines in the Czech Republic

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