Správa železnic has signed a CZK 3.3 billion (EUR 132 million) contract for the reconstruction of the railway line between Chomutov and Kadaň, part of the Ore Mountains rail corridor. The project is funded by the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure.
The contract was awarded to the consortium of Chládek & Tintěra, Elektrizace železnic Praha, and Colas CZ, which submitted the lowest bid. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. Upon completion, trains will be able to reach speeds of up to 160 km/h, and passengers will benefit from more comfortable and accessible platforms.
The contractor will modernise over 12 kilometres of track along the foothills of the Ore Mountains, as well as four bridges and 19 culverts. The overhead line system will be adapted for alternating current (AC) power supply, leading to energy savings and reduced maintenance costs.
To enhance safety, the level crossing near Blahuňov will be removed and replaced by a road overpass. Train operations will be monitored via a new signalling and safety system.
At Kadaň-Prunéřov stop, both existing platforms will be refurbished, and a new platform will be added. Step-free access will be ensured through lifts, and passengers will benefit from new shelters, benches, and a clear information and wayfinding system.
Similar improvements will be made at Málkov stop, which will be relocated closer to the village. All platforms there will be accessible via a refurbished footbridge.
Elsewhere along the Ore Mountains rail corridor, Správa železnic is also upgrading an 8-kilometre section between Chomutov město (Chomutov Town) and Kyjice. In 2024, Správa železnic awarded Colas a CZK 1.9 billion (EUR 78 million) contract for this work, which is due to be completed in 2027. Two stops will be modernised, and line speed will be increased.
The section currently being reconstructed was originally built in the 1980s to accommodate expanding brown coal mining in the area. Its most prominent feature is the 418-metre-long Vrskmaň viaduct, which spans the Újezd reservoir, among other landmarks.
The project includes a complete overhaul of the line. Chomutov město and Jirkov zastávka stops will be transformed, with extended platforms and step-free access. In Jirkov, the existing underpass will be extended, allowing improved access to trains from the village of Otvice. To further enhance safety, a new underpass will also be constructed to link Otvice with the nearby shopping zone. In Chomutov, the level crossing between Kamencové jezero and the local zoo will be replaced by a pedestrian footbridge.
An architectural competition is currently underway to select a design for a new integrated rail and bus transport terminal in Chomutov.
The estimated total construction cost for the reconstruction of the Kyjice–Chomutov section exceeds CZK 3 billion (EUR 121.3 million). The project has been proposed for co-financing by the European Union through the Cohesion Fund under the Transport 2021–2027 Programme. The total eligible costs amount to CZK 2.8 billion (EUR 112.8 million), with the proposed EU co-funding rate set at 80.75%, meaning the maximum subsidy could reach CZK 2.2 billion (EUR 91 million). National co-financing is provided by the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure.
As part of the wider Ore Mountains corridor modernisation project, the station building in Teplice v Čechách was fully renovated in 2024, along with the line segment towards Ústí nad Labem. These improvements have provided the residents of Krupka, located in the foothills of the Ore Mountains, with a new stop featuring modern shelters and safe, convenient access to trains. Additionally, Bohosudov station and the connecting sections to Teplice and Chabařovice have also been reconstructed. The total value of these works amounted to CZK 2 billion (EUR 81 million).
From Prague to Dresden
Správa železnic is also working in cooperation with the German side — the Free State of Saxony — on the development of a 150 km high-speed rail line to enhance cross-border connections to Dresden. The current railway line is operating at full capacity and represents a major bottleneck, highlighting the need for additional infrastructure. This is why both parties have committed to building a new connection to deliver faster, higher-capacity services between Ústí nad Labem and Dresden.
The most complex and technically demanding element of the Prague–Dresden section will be the construction of the Krušnohorský tunel (Ore Mountains Tunnel), which is set to become the longest tunnel in Central Europe, with a projected length of up to 30 kilometres. Krušnohorský tunel of the Dresden – Prague high-speed line leads from Heidenau (Germany) to Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic).
The project for the new rail connection between Dresden and Prague is being jointly developed and will be implemented by Správa železnic and DB InfraGO.
Once complete, the new line will reduce travel times between Prague and Dresden from the current 2.5 hours to just 60 minutes.
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