CZECH REPUBLIC: The Plzeň regional authority has awarded GW Train Regio a contract for the operation of local passenger services on two lines in the Šumava mountains totalling 99 route-km. The private operator beat a bid from state-owned incumbent ČD.
The public service obligation contract announced on March 26 runs for 10 years from December 2023, and covers the operation of 7·56 million train-km on routes P11 Horažďovice Předměstí – Sušice – Klatovy and P23 Domažlice – Klatovy.
The region will pay KC142·45 per train-km in the first year of operation, rising to KC155·94 thereafter. This is slightly higher than it currently pays ČD, but GWTR has promised to improve passenger comfort through the provision of more modern rolling stock. This is likely to be a fleet of at least six Stadler RS1 DMUs to be acquired second-hand from Germany.
GWTR has been operating regional services on the České Budějovice – Černý Kříž, Číčenice – Nové Údolí and Strakonice – Volary lines totalling 229 km in the neighbouring Jihočeský region since December 2017 under a 15 year contract.
