The implementation of the European Train Control System (ETCS) on the Czech railway network has achieved its main objective: improving traffic safety. According to findings published by the Czech Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ), the introduction of exclusive ETCS operation has helped eliminate incidents caused by passing stop signals and improved operational reliability.
Since the introduction of exclusive operation under ETCS in 2025, there have been no accidents and no instances of unauthorized passing of stop signals (“red-light running”) on lines equipped with this system. Authorities emphasize that this phase was essential for achieving other strategic objectives, including increasing infrastructure capacity.
ETCS has already enabled higher operating speeds on several railway sections. For the first time in commercial operation in the Czech Republic, trains have exceeded the 160 km/h threshold on two sections of the southern corridor between Prague and České Budějovice.
In addition, the sections currently undergoing modernization on the Brno–Přerov route are designed for speeds of up to 200 km/h, but achieving this level of performance depends on operating exclusively under ETCS.
Priority for TEN-T corridors
The NKÚ report recommends a careful assessment of the costs and benefits of ETCS on lines outside the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), as well as the establishment of clear priorities for continued implementation.
The Ministry of Transport and Správa železnic (the Czech railway infrastructure manager) have already responded to these recommendations by updating the ETCS development strategy, published in May.
According to the document, the most advanced version of the system will be implemented as a priority on the main TEN-T corridors, where approximately 90% of the country’s rail traffic takes place. On secondary lines, simpler and more cost-effective solutions will be used, including lower levels of ETCS or the ETCS PZV system, which is compatible with standard on-board equipment installed on trains.
Plans call for equipping an additional 730 km of track with such systems by 2030, and by 2033, the network protected by these solutions is expected to reach approximately 1,400 km.
Authorities believe this approach strikes a balance between operational needs and available resources, while ensuring predictability for railway operators and contracting authorities.
Increasing line capacity will become possible at a later stage, with the introduction of ETCS without conventional trackside signaling. This requires additional infrastructure investments, projects that are already in the works.
Another important objective is increasing interoperability at the European level. Czech authorities emphasize that defining the technical specifications of ETCS is the responsibility of the European Union and call for accelerating the standardization process to facilitate the movement of trains between countries.
In this context, the Ministry of Transport and Správa železnic are advocating at the European level for the creation of a European ETCS coordinator, who would manage the system’s development and the updating of technical specifications across the continent.
The introduction of ETCS represents one of the most important projects for the modernization of the Czech railway network in recent decades. In addition to increasing safety, the system is considered essential for the future development of the network, for operating trains at higher speeds, and for the full integration of Czech rail transport into European mobility corridors.
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