photo: Archives/High speed railway
Railway administration of the Czech Republic will cooperate and will get advice on the future, planning, and development of high-speed lines in the Czech Republic with their French counterpart SNCF Réseau based on their years of experience. The contract will be valid for the next eight years. Part of the agreement will be giving information on regular communication and supervision during the construction of lines, their commissioning, maintenance, and inspection.
"If we want to adhere to the current work schedule and start construction of the first sections of high-speed lines in 2025, we need qualified experts who have experience with the preparation and operation of such lines," said Jiří Svoboda, General Manager of the Railway Administration.
According to the contract, consultations are to take place at higher stages of preparation. It will be mainly about cooperation in the department of processing documentation for zoning decisions or creating internal regulations of the Railway Administration for operation at the high-speed lines.
"The involvement of experts who have extensive experience in the design and operation of this technically advanced system will minimize the risk of errors, the correction of which could increase the cost of project implementation. It is thus not possible to gain or replace the experience of French colleagues on their own," the Railway Administration said in a press release.
From the cooperation with SNCF Réseau, the railway administration also promises to make a blueprint and practice-proven technological decisions available to the public.
"As in France, Czech high-speed railways are being prepared primarily for passenger transport. This approach allows for more efficient terrain copying, resulting in fewer tunnels or bridges. The tracks can thus get better integrated into the landscape. The advantage of the French approach is also the rail connections of the new and existing railways. High-speed trains will be able to pass between networks and serve areas that won´t be directly connected to these high-speed lines, "said the Railway Administration.