PRESS RELEASE: CTU's subsidy call is successful, hundreds of railway coaches will have their signal improved in 2025

Prague, 2 September 2024 - In the subsidy call "Technical devices for 5G in railway coaches", which is intended to help improve the availability and quality of mobile services inside train coaches, CTU received 4 applications from 3 carriers. The deadline for applications was 31 August 2024. Two applications for repeaters and for converting windows to permeable ones were submitted by České Dráhy, one for repeaters by Leo Express and one for replacing windows with permeable ones by RegioJet. In total, the applications concern almost 670 coaches and the allocated amount of 300 million should be practically fully used; the aim of the call to improve the signal in 350 railway coaches will thus be met. CTU will now evaluate the applications submitted and then issue a decision on the granting of subsidies.

The aim of the call is to equip passenger railway coaches operating mainly on TEN-T railway corridors with repeaters or permeable windows for 5G mobile signal coverage. Passengers in railway coaches will therefore benefit most from this call, which will give them high quality and, where possible, uninterrupted access to voice and data services via mobile phone inside the railway coaches. In addition to the obligation for mobile operators to significantly improve the quality of 5G coverage of transit railway corridors, this is another measure by which CTU is helping to improve the availability of mobile services for railway passengers. All subsidised projects must be implemented by the end of 2025.

"The interest in our first subsidy call has exceeded our expectations and we are pleased that it should lead to a substantial improvement in the quality and availability of mobile services for passengers on trains in a short period of time," said Marek Ebert, CTU Council Chairman.