The European Train Control System (ETCS) has officially entered service on the Prague–Milovice railway line, marking a new step in the extensive program to digitalize and modernize the Czech railway network.
With the system now operational, rail safety will be improved, and trains will be able to travel at speeds of up to 160 km/h on certain sections of the route, reducing travel time by several minutes.
Implemented by the railway infrastructure manager Správa železnic, the project covered 42 km of track, with work taking place between 2023 and 2026. The investment totaled EUR 12.3 million (304 million Czech korunas).
The project included the installation of two Radio Block Centers (RBCs), responsible for continuously monitoring traffic and transmitting movement authorizations to ETCS-equipped trains. Additionally, 667 trackside transponders were installed, enabling the precise location of trains and the transmission of information necessary for the operation of the signaling system.
To facilitate communications between trains and the RBCs, the GSM-R network was upgraded; two new base stations were built, and the transmission infrastructure was modernized to meet ETCS requirements.
The contract for implementing ETCS on the Prague–Milovice line was carried out by the Czech company AŽD, and the project was co-financed through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2021–2027, while the national contribution was provided by the Czech State Fund for Transport Infrastructure.
ETCS ensures the interoperability of the Czech railway network
The commissioning of the system on the Prague–Milovice route is part of the national strategy to implement ETCS on the main railway corridors in the Czech Republic. The authorities aim to gradually replace national train protection systems with the European standard to increase traffic safety and interoperability with the rail networks of other European Union member states.
In recent years, the Czech Republic has accelerated the implementation of ETCS, and as of January 2025, the system has become mandatory on numerous sections of the main network. The national program aims to equip over 4,000 km of railway track, with investments supported by both national funds and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and other European funding instruments.
According to Správa železnic’s plans, ETCS also serves as the basis for increasing operating speeds on the conventional network. The infrastructure manager is preparing to modernize several lines so that trains can travel at 200 km/h, but this goal is contingent on the full implementation of the European signaling system and the modernization of the infrastructure, including the elimination of level crossings and the adaptation of electrification systems.
At the same time, the Czech Ministry of Transport recently announced that it is analyzing an update to the national ETCS implementation plan, in light of the difficulties encountered by rail operators in equipping their entire rolling stock and the need to establish a realistic timeline for secondary lines. The revision aims to maintain safety and interoperability objectives while also aligning the pace of investment with the financial and technical capacity of the railway sector.
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