Since the beginning of the year, trains on the Czech Republic’s main railway lines have been operating exclusively under the control of the European Train Control System (ETCS). After more than 20 million kilometres travelled, authorities and operators are giving it a positive review.
Six months after the introduction of ETCS, the Czech Ministry of Transport is praising the system. With over 20 million kilometres logged, Transport Minister Martin Kupka says the decision to adopt this modern technology was a step in the right direction.
The ministry had already decided in 2017 to introduce a uniform, comprehensive safety system that is independent of human error. Since then, the State Railway Administration (Správa železnic), transport companies, technology suppliers and the ministry have been working together on its implementation. The state provided over 10.5 billion koruna to equip locomotives with the necessary on-board equipment. ETCS is expected to be installed on over 4,000 kilometres of track by 2030 – the project is estimated to cost around 32 billion koruna in total.
ETCS currently monitors around 60,000 train journeys per month – primarily on the main corridors. This means that more than 42 per cent of the transport performance on the Správa železnic network is already carried out under this system. By 2040, ETCS is to be available nationwide on all routes, adapted to the respective technical requirements.
A new regulation has also been in force since 1 May: railway companies whose vehicles are equipped with ETCS and whose drivers are trained must use the system on other routes as well – even where ETCS is not (yet) exclusively in operation. This applies to sections such as Ejpovice – Plzeň – Cheb, Bohumín – Dětmarovice – Mosty u Jablunkova, and Dětmarovice – Petrovice u Karviné.
The European Train Control System intervenes automatically when danger arises – for example, if a train driver misses a stop signal. The system works through the interaction of on-board technology, track sensors (clearly visible as yellow rectangles between the rails), and masts along the track. It continuously assesses the current situation, automatically sets a safe maximum speed for the train, and ensures the necessary distance to the vehicle in front – comparable to adaptive cruise control in a car. Mandatory use on main lines has significantly improved safety in rail transport.
