CZECH REPUBLIC: The Ministry of Transport has announced that, following a market consultation assessment, it would award all the remaining long-distance public service obligation operating contracts directly to state incumbent ČD.

Other operators had not shown sufficient interest in the contracts, which cover six express and 13 fast services and run for between one and 10 years.

ČD will thus maintain its role as the country’s largest and only network-wide operator. However, its dominance will be reduced from the December 2019 timetable change, when RegioJet takes over the R8 Brno – Ostrava – Bohumín service under an eight-year contract while Arriva starts a three-year contract covering R21 Praha – Mladá Boleslav – Turnov – Tanvald, R22 Kolín – Mladá Boleslav – Česká Lípa – Nový Bor, R24 Praha – Rakovník and R26 Praha – Příbram – Písek – České Budĕjovice.

ČD has previously been awarded a nine-year contract covering Ex2 Praha – Olomouc – Vsetín (– Slovakia) and R18 Praha – Olomouc – Luhačovice/Veselí nad Moravou; a two-year contract for R14A Pardubice – Liberec; and a contract to operate R13 Brno – Břeclav – Olomouc until 2025.

Since 2016 GW Train Regio has held a 10-year contract for R25 Plzeň – Most.