Ministry releases details about subsidies of express train services

The Czech Transport Ministry on Friday released detailed information about subsidies of the country’s express train services. The state annually pays around four billion crowns for the services provided by the state-owned Czech Railways. The highest sum – some 650 million crowns – covers losses on the major train route between Germany and Austria via Prague, Brno and Břeclav. However, the biggest losses – some 225 crowns per each kilometre – are registered on Ostrava-Krnov-Olomouc route. The ministry released the information in connection with a tender issued last year for the operation of the Olomouc-Ostrava line. Czech Railways criticized the move as potential harmful to the company.