The rail link to Prague Airport is gaining momentum: Three international consortia are bidding to realise the multi-billion PPP project. The project includes the construction and maintenance of the new railway line over a period of 25 years.
On Monday, the Czech railway administration opened applications for participation in the tender to select the operator for the PPP (public-private partnership) project for the Prague-Václav Havel Airport railway line. Three international consortia, including Czech companies, are interested.
The railway administration (Správa železnic) views the interest of the bidders as a positive signal and confirmation of the importance of the railway link to the airport project for the future of railway transport in the Czech Republic. This result is particularly valuable against the backdrop of the current difficult global situation, where the international investment environment is characterised by increased uncertainty.
The three bidders for the project are VINCI Railways, GÜLERMAK INVEST, and STRABAG Motorway. In the coming weeks, the railway administration will review the fulfilment of the qualification requirements of the individual bids. A phase of competitive dialogue will then be initiated, leading to the final bids and the selection of the most suitable partner for the implementation of the project.
The railway project to Václav Havel Airport is the first of its kind in the Czech Republic to be based on a public-private partnership. The aim is to select a private investor who will take over the construction of the line to Prague International Airport and its subsequent maintenance over a period of 25 years.
At present, travelling to the airport is still inconvenient. The journey via the Náměstí Republiky metro station takes around 40 minutes and requires a change to the metro and a trolleybus. In the future, the journey time from Prague city centre to the airport will be reduced to 25 minutes.
However, the new line will not end at the airport but will continue to Kladno to improve the city’s connection to Prague. The estimated cost of the entire project is around 28 billion crowns.
