The Ministry of Transportation is seeking operators for express trains serving the Liberec Region and surrounding areas

In January 2025, the Ministry of Transportation released long-awaited information regarding the launch of a bidding process for a set of express train lines (dubbed “MiniDEAL”) that serve the Liberec Region. This involves the operation of express trains serving the region of Bohemia north of Prague between 2029 and 2044. The project includes the delivery of dozens of new express train sets with a service life of at least 30 years.

Given the length of the planned period, the project also calls for the gradual modernization of the rail lines, the introduction of low-emission propulsion systems, and improvements to passenger services—including adjustments to timetables—to ensure continued integration between long-distance and regional rail and bus services.

What exactly is this contract expected to bring to our region? What changes to the timetables are being planned in this context?

Answers to these questions can be found in the Transport Service Plan for the Liberec Region (summarized primarily in its appendices P4-02-03, P4-02-05, P7-01-01, and P7-01-01a), but for greater clarity, we’re providing basic information on the topic in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs).

What is the main objective of the MiniDEAL tender?

The objective is to contractually secure the operation of the following express train lines:

• R14A (Pardubice – Liberec),
• R14B (Liberec – Ústí nad Labem),
• R21 (Prague – Tanvald),
• R22 (Kolín – Rumburk).
• Also included is the R24 line (Prague – Mladá Boleslav – Rumburk), which will replace the existing L4 line (Mladá Boleslav – Rumburk) and will thus create a direct rail connection between Prague and the Českolipsko and Šluknovský výběžek regions.
• The contract also includes an option for a new R29 line (Kolín–Liberec), the introduction of which is contingent on improvements to the rail infrastructure.

At the same time, the goal is to improve the quality of rail transport, particularly through the deployment of new, modern rolling stock, which—especially on the Liberec–Jaroměř line, in conjunction with the completed track modernization—will also significantly reduce travel times.

Is the Ministry of Transport preparing a tender in cooperation with the regions?

Yes, the changes to the route (Line R24) and the timetable are the result of joint planning, and the regions are also preparing adjustments to regional train and bus services in response to the changes to the express train lines.

What changes to the timetable are being planned, and what benefits will they bring, particularly to passengers from the Liberec Region?

For clarity, the attached document provides a description of the changes organized by individual routes or logical groups, with a focus on the Liberec Region.

Is the scope of service final?

The model timetables are used to develop an initial financial model and, respectively, the carriers’ competitive bids. However, the contract allows for flexibility and the option to cancel some services or, conversely, to order additional ones.

It is worth noting that some express train services are already ordered and financed by the regions (on the Nový Bor–Rumburk and Turnov–Tanvald sections). MiniDEAL also anticipates this financial cooperation, and it will be utilized beyond the current scope for the R24 line, or for peripheral services on all of the above-mentioned lines.

Will express trains be part of the Integrated Public Transport System (IDS), including the regional fare systems IDOL, PID, IREDO, and DÚK?

Yes. In cooperation between the Ministry of Transport and the regions (the IDS organizers), rules have been established for carriers, who will be required to integrate express trains into the IDS under predetermined conditions. Since the Ministry of Transport has opted for contracts where the revenue risk lies with the carrier, the rules must also include a mechanism to guarantee revenue to the carrier in the event that any of the IDS operators fails to adjust its fare in line with inflation.

The nationwide OneTicket flat-rate fare system will also apply on all trains.

Will the connection between Liberec and Hradec Králové via Stará Paka remain competitive in the long term? Why don’t the express trains use the shorter route via Jičín?

With the gradual modernization of the railway between Prague and Liberec, long-distance services from Liberec to Hradec Králové, Pardubice, and Moravia are expected to be rerouted to the faster route via Mladá Boleslav and Nymburk. The importance of the line via Semily and Dvůr Králové nad Labem will lie primarily in providing relatively fast basic service to the entire Podkrkonoší region, as there is currently no high-quality road network in the vicinity of these rail lines. Among other things, the change will significantly speed up connections between the Liberec region and the eastern Krkonoše Mountains by creating connections between the R14A Liberec–Pardubice express trains and the V41 Kolín–Trutnov rapid trains in Stará Paka.

It is precisely the large number of major towns lacking quality road connections that answers the question of why, for the operation of the R14A line between Liberec and Hradec Králové, the route via Stará Paka has long been preferred over the shorter route via Jičín—which, however, runs parallel to the I/35 highway, which is currently being modernized and competes with rail traffic.

The full press release (including a detailed description of the lines) is available for download here.