photo: RAILTARGET/Prague Main Station
Prague is becoming a strategic hub of European transport for two days. On 30 and 31 March, the Art Nouveau premises of the Fantova Building at Prague’s main railway station host a prestigious CEO Summit, where leaders of the railway industry and representatives of the EU are discussing infrastructure modernisation.
On 30–31 March 2026, Prague hosts a strategic CEO Summit of Europe’s railway leaders, focused on infrastructure development and railway modernisation. The event, organised in cooperation with Správa železnic, is taking place in the Fantova Halls at Prague Main Station and focuses on the implementation of European regulations and competitiveness.
The main theme is the strategy for the European railway industry, increasing competitiveness and implementing EU regulations for sustainable transport. Participants include CEOs of the most important European railway companies and associations, including those within CER (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies).
Read more
In an exclusive interview, MEP Ondřej Krutílek outlines his views on rail investment, market liberalisation and Europe’s competitiveness. He argues that…
In the past, similar summits have been held in cities such as Lisbon and Lugano. Now Prague is becoming the centre of discussions about the future of the railway network. The event builds on commitments from previous years, such as Wrocław 2025, where a declaration to double the share of rail transport by 2050 was signed.
The top-level gathering of leaders of the European railway industry, CEO Summit 2026, begins on Monday, 30 March. The programme in the historic heart of Prague promises not only diplomatic meetings but above all concrete debates on the technical stability and safety of continental transport.
Day One: ETCS and Strategic Financing in Focus
After initial networking and a meeting of the management committee of CER, attention will shift to one of the most pressing topics today — the implementation of the ETCS system.
The discussion will focus on critical factors shaping successful deployment, from harmonising European standards and securing financing to addressing technological challenges and improving operational efficiency.
An exclusive roundtable will bring together top sector executives. Moderated by Alberto Mazzola, Executive Director of CER, the speakers include:
- CEO of Správa železnic
- Oana Gherghinescu, Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA)
- Kristian Schmidt, Director for Land Transport at DG MOVE
- Matthias Ruete, European Coordinator for ERTMS
The debate will focus on key success factors of implementation — from harmonisation of European standards and stable financing to technological challenges aimed at increasing operational efficiency on European corridors. The first day will conclude with a gala dinner in the Column Hall.
Read more
Europe’s rail network is not prepared for the rapid movement of military equipment across borders. A debate at the ERS Summit 2026 showed that the…
Day Two: Rail in a New Era and Military Mobility
Tuesday’s programme will open with a meeting of the management committee of UIC (International Union of Railways), followed by the main summit block titled The Role of Rail in a New Era. This strategic panel will explore key priorities that will define the future of sustainable mobility. Major topics include military mobility, high-speed rail, and the stability of standards. Among the keynote speakers will be the CEO of Správa železnic and Ondřej Přibyl from the Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVUT).
The CEO Summit will conclude with a joint declaration outlining the direction of the sector for the coming period.
Source: Správa železnic