EIB to Support Czech Republic with PPP Advisory for Strategic Rail Projects Linking Prague, Moravia, and European Corridors

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank will provide Správa železnic with 27 months of advisory support for three major Czech railway PPP projects, including the Prague Airport rail link and high-speed connections in Moravia. Fully funded by the InvestEU Advisory Hub, the service will guide procurement, contract structuring, and risk management while building lasting PPP expertise within the national rail infrastructure manager. The projects are key to integrating Czech transport with European TEN-T corridors, improving passenger connectivity, freeing freight capacity, and supporting the country’s transport and climate goals.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 14-Aug-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB) has entered into an agreement to provide advisory support to Správa železnic, the Czech Republic’s national railway infrastructure manager, for the preparation and procurement of three major railway projects to be delivered as public-private partnerships (PPPs). These initiatives are part of the country’s priority domestic rail investments, fully aligned with both Czech and European Union transport strategies, and form critical links in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) connecting the Czech Republic with Germany, Austria, Poland, and Slovakia.

Funded through the InvestEU Advisory Hub and offered free of charge, the EIB’s guidance will cover technical, legal, and financial aspects of project delivery, building local expertise in structuring and managing complex PPPs. The goal is to accelerate the modernization of the Czech rail network, support a shift toward greener transport, and improve cross-border connectivity along key European rail corridors.

The advisory work will focus on:

Prague Airport Rail Link – Part of a €2.2 billion investment from central Prague to Kladno, with a branch to Václav Havel Airport. The PPP will cover a €1.1 billion section from Prague Veleslavín station to the airport, including the rounding to the Praha–Kladno track.
High-Speed Moravian Corridor (TEN-T) – Part of a €7 billion, 150 km high-speed rail development between Brno and Ostrava, integrated into the Dresden–Prague–Brno–Vienna/Ostrava–Katowice priority corridor. The PPP will encompass a 50 km Brno–Nezamyslice upgrade to 200 km/h and a new 74 km high-speed section between Přerov and Ostrava with speeds up to 320 km/h, plus 17 km of connector lines.

The Prague Airport link will offer sustainable, direct connections between air travel, the city center, and long-distance rail services. Meanwhile, the Moravian corridor will enhance domestic and cross-border travel while freeing capacity on conventional lines for strategic freight transport. Completion of the Moravian sections is anticipated after 2030, with total corridor investment expected to exceed €20 billion.

“The EIB has vast experience in delivering complex PPP projects, and this partnership will help the Czech Republic accelerate the transition to greener, more efficient transport,” said EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris. Jiří Svoboda, Director General of Správa železnic, added, “Strengthening our ability to manage large-scale PPPs is essential for building a sustainable and resilient transport network for future generations.”

The EIB’s 27-month assignment will address risk allocation, performance specifications, tender preparation, contract structuring, and concession monitoring. Working closely with Správa železnic’s PPP team and its transaction advisers, the Bank’s experts aim to ensure that the knowledge and capabilities gained will support future large-scale infrastructure projects across the Czech Republic.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the EU and the Capital Markets Union. The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2024. These commitments are expected to mobilise around €350 billion in investments, supporting 400,000 companies and 5.8 million jobs. In the Czech Republic, the EIB Group signed operations worth a total of €2.47 billion last year.

All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Accord and exclude funding of investments in fossil fuels. The EIB Group is on track to deliver on a commitment to support €1 trillion in climate and environmental sustainability investments in the decade to 2030 as pledged in the organisation’s Climate Bank Roadmap. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation and a healthier environment.

Approximately half of the EIB’s financing within the EU is directed towards cohesion regions, where per-capita income is lower. This underscores the EIB’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth and the convergence of living standards.

For more information, please visit the EIB website.

About InvestEU

The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with crucial long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investments for the European Union’s policy priorities, such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. The InvestEU programme brings together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the European Union, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is implemented through financial partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.

About Správa železnic

Správa železnic is the national railway infrastructure manager of the Czech Republic, responsible for the development, modernization, and maintenance of the country’s railway network. As a key player in European transport connectivity, Správa železnic drives sustainable mobility, safety, and innovation in rail infrastructure. The organization oversees strategic investments aimed at improving passenger and freight transport, enhancing cross-border links, and integrating Czech railways into the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). In recent years, Správa železnic has launched major projects including high-speed rail development, station revitalization, and digitalization of railway operations. All initiatives are aligned with EU climate and transport policies, contributing to the decarbonization of transport and regional development.