The European network of high-speed railroads can pass Czech Republic. If Prague won’t offer to get involved in the building of high-speed lines in two years it miss its chance.
The future of high-speed trains in Czech Republic is discussing on the conference of high-speed service ongoing in the Czech Senate. Pyotr Zhaluda, the General director of Czech Railroads told that its future is not too rose-colored and Czech Republic can appear apart of the European network of high-speed railroads. If Czech Republic can’t jump a last wagon of high-speed service the Berlin — Vienna trunk will pass not counting Prague.
The main problem of Czech railroaders is absence of required infrastructure. Despite 150 bln kronas was invested in repair of railways for the last 20 years trains on some districts move on lines built 50 years ago and unable to compete cars in speed. The only competitive line in Czech Republic connects Prague and Ostrava but even there trains move with the maximal speed of 160 kmh.
The benefits of high-speed lines are obvious for Czech Republic. Only in case of their availability the country can get a chance for financing of the railroad infrastructure from European money. Czech ferriers could come up to international markets and passengers could spend much less time to move from one city to another. According to Pyotr Shlegr, the Director of the Center of efficient transportation, high-speed trains pay their way on middle distances.
“The speed of a high-speed train it twice bigger than of a car and twice smaller than the speed of a plane which afford it to compete airlines on the distance under 1 000 km. A train unlike a plane will bring you from one center to another without any survey. Besides, in a sign of increasing oil price benefits of railways will be more and more obvious.”
High-speed trains don’t need to beware of low costers competition, Pyotr Shlegr considers. — The European practice shows that the weight of airlines on a market is minimal between Brussels and Paris or between Paris and London where high-speed lines are already built.“
Can Czech Republic trying to stabilize its national budget through austerity measures avoid itself building of high-speed lines? Won’t it be a profusion? No, Pyotr Shlegr is assured.
“A cost of 1 km of a high-speed line is not much more expensive than 1 km of an urban motorway”, — he explains.
Published on 20 May 2011 on hsrail.ru