BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 23. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing the Czech Republic with a 200 million euro loan to upgrade the country’s railway network, Trend reports.
The funding will be channeled through the Ministry of Finance and the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure to Správa železnic, the national railway infrastructure manager, which will implement the works.
The project includes repairs and modernization of regional lines as well as routes that are part of the EU’s Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). Správa železnic will also acquire new maintenance vehicles and equipment, with completion scheduled by 2030.
“This initiative reinforces the strong cooperation between the EIB and the Czech Republic in delivering sustainable transport investments,” said EIB Vice-President Marek Mora. “Investing in safer, greener, and more efficient rail infrastructure, we are helping the country meet its climate goals and improve the travel experience for millions of passengers.”
The investment is part of a broader framework under which the EIB plans to provide up to 2.2 billion euros in financing and technical assistance for Czech rail infrastructure between 2023 and 2027. Part of the loan will be supplemented by nearly 30 million euros in grants from the EU’s Just Transition Mechanism, supporting regions most affected by the shift to a carbon-neutral economy, including Moravia-Silesia, Ústí nad Labem, and Karlovy Vary.
“The loan from the European Investment Bank will enable us to continue the systematic modernization of the Czech railway network,” said Jiří Svoboda, Director General of Správa železnic. “Reconstructed lines will increase capacity to meet growing passenger and freight demand. The ETCS system enhances safety, and electrification of additional lines remains a priority.”
Emma Toledano Laredo, Director at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, highlighted the wider impact: “Investing in a modern railway network will cut travel times, reduce emissions, and make trains a more attractive option, supporting a carbon-free future in coal regions.”
The upgrades will improve travel times, station access, rail freight competitiveness, and climate resilience, strengthening the role of rail as a low-emission, sustainable transport mode that promotes regional development and social inclusion.