Czech railway tenders face legal challenges and operator shifts

The Czech Ministry of Transport has rejected objections from České dráhy regarding a tender for express train services on the Prague–Hradec Králové–Trutnov line. RegioJet won the contract with a bid of 70.40 CZK per kilometer, significantly lower than the 102.42 CZK per kilometer proposed by České dráhy. If the decision stands, RegioJet is set to take over the service in December 2028 under a six-year contract. A petition signed by nearly 3,000 people seeks to keep the line under České dráhy, citing concerns over service continuity and staff employment.

Separately, the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) has launched an administrative proceeding following a complaint from Stadler. The Swiss company alleges that České dráhy allowed the winner of a massive 84 billion CZK tender for 133 electric trains—won by Škoda Group—to materially change its bid after the binding submission deadline. While České dráhy maintains that all communications with Škoda Group were legal clarifications of technical details, the investigation could potentially lead to the cancellation of the tender if procurement rules were violated.