Transport Ministry wants regions to limit local train connections

The Ministry of Transport says it is asking regional governments to cancel lesser used train connections in order to save on state subsidies. The suggestion follows from the policy of the previous transport minister, Gustav Slamečka, who noted that in a number of places the state would save money paying for taxis for passengers rather than trains. Regions pay roughly eight billion crowns a year to Czech Railways for the operation of local lines, three billion of which comes from the state. The ministry has given no indication of whether it may decrease that subsidy next year, though the Transport Minister Vít Bárta has said that Czech Railways too should expect cuts.