The two ministers agreed that journey times on the Prague - Linz route should be cut to less than four hours. Currently the fastest trains between the Czech capital and Austria’s third-largest city are timed at 4h 10min, despite modernisation of the Prague - České Budĕjovice line, a reduction in the number of stops and the introduction of multisystem class 380 locomotives by Czech Railways (CD), which have eliminated the need for locomotive changes at the border.
Czech infrastructure manager SŽDC said in 2014 that a 3h 45min Prague - Linz journey time should be possible by the end of the decade.
Modernisation of the Vienna - Brno line is due to begin in 2021. The section from Vienna to the border at Břeclav will be upgraded for 160km/h operation, with 200km/h running planned on some sections. Austria has budgeted €650m for this project.
In addition to its role as the main route for passenger trains between Prague and Vienna, the line is also an important corridor for freight traffic from the Baltic States, Poland and the northwest Czech Republic to Austria, the Balkans, Italy and France.
Cross-border rail links will be on the agenda again at the next meeting between the two ministers in June, when they will be joined by the Hungarian transport minister.
