Maintenance of railway lines in the Czech Republic could cost up to a third less, as bids for such activities are lower than the estimated cost in tenders.
The Czech railway infrastructure administrator, Správa železnic, could save significant amounts on the renewal and maintenance of important railway lines. According to bids submitted in four tenders currently under evaluation, the proposed prices are almost a third lower than the initial estimates, which could generate total savings of over EUR 13.8 million.
Thanks to these savings, some modernization projects could be launched as early as this year, although they were originally planned for 2027.
Significant savings for line maintenance
The largest cost reduction comes from the tender for the cyclical renewal of the railway line between Vsetín and Horní Lidč. The initial estimated cost of approximately 23.4 million EUR has fallen to around 15.5 million EUR, representing a saving of almost 7.9 million EUR. The reduction is also explained by the high level of interest in the project, with seven companies submitting bids.
Further savings of around 3.2 million EUR could be achieved following the tender for the renewal of the railway section between Nymburk and Golčův Jeníkov. Here, the estimated value of the bids fell from around 9 million EUR to around 5.8 million EUR after five bidders participated.
In addition, two other infrastructure renewal projects could bring further savings of around EUR 2.8 million. These concern the busy rail corridor between Pardubice and Kolín, as well as the Řehlovice – Úpořiny section, located in the Ústí region in the north-west of the Czech Republic.
The evaluation of bids for the maintenance of lines in the Czech Republic is currently being finalized. The cyclical renewal of the railway infrastructure mainly involves the replacement of rails and switches, and in some cases the modernization of level crossings.
In the case of the project between Řehlovice and Úpořiny, the work mainly involves modernizing the electrification system and the contact line.
It should be noted that the new director of Správa železnic, Tomáš Tóth, recently announced the launch of a company-wide program of structural changes and modifications to tendering procedures.
New works could start earlier
Thanks to these savings of millions of EUR, Správa železnic could start work this year on modernizing the line between Beroun and Kařízek, a project that was originally scheduled for next year.
“The savings that Správa železnic is recording today are in line with the established direction. It confirms that our goal of building faster, more efficiently, and at lower costs is not a contradiction but a reality, thanks to the emphasis on the efficient use of taxpayers’ money,” said Ivan Bednárik, Minister of Transport.
The new director of Správa železnic, Tomáš Tóth, emphasized that the results of these procurement procedures demonstrate more efficient cost management. “These tenders confirm that we can reduce costs without compromising the quality of the work. They represent a solid basis for more efficient management of the railway infrastructure in the coming years,” said Tomáš Tóth.
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