The České Dráhy Group, the Czech Republic’s national railway operator, ended 2025 with a consolidated pre-tax profit of EUR 72 million, calculated in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The result marks a 46% improvement over the previous year, driven primarily by growth in passenger transport.
All companies within the group contributed to the positive result, with the exception of the freight segment, where ČD Cargo continues to be affected by the European rail freight crisis. Like other European national operators, the freight division is facing declining volumes in certain industrial sectors and the need for restructuring measures.
Passenger transport, the main driver of profit
The most significant growth was recorded in passenger transport, where České dráhy reported a pre-tax profit of EUR 96 million, an increase of EUR 68 million compared to the previous year.
In 2025, the Czech operator transported 168 million passengers, with each passenger traveling an average of 47.6 kilometers.
Total transport performance reached 8 billion passenger-kilometers.
The company also continued its extensive rolling stock modernization program. New ComfortJet multiple units for long-distance service, RegioFox regional railcars, and Vectron locomotives, designed for speeds of up to 230 km/h, entered service. In total, the fleet gained over 7,000 new seats in modern, air-conditioned trains.
“Our slogan, ‘Modern and Reliable,’ perfectly describes what we are working hard to achieve. We want to offer passengers high-quality, comfortable transportation they can rely on. In addition, this is complemented by a wide range of services, whether we’re talking about accessibility, onboard Wi-Fi, power outlets, or high-quality online sales channels and information services.
Last year, we achieved our best punctuality record in the last ten years. Of the more than 2.4 million trains put into service, over 88% arrived on time. “And this was reflected in increased customer satisfaction,” said Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of České dráhy.
He added that financial discipline is essential for the company’s future investments:
“In order to be able to invest at record levels in new trains and services, we must also have solid financial discipline. This is reflected in the improved rating from the rating agency, which has awarded us the best rating České dráhy has ever had: Baa1. This opens the door for us to securely obtain funds for the investments we are preparing in connection with the new public rail transport contracts.”
Over 2.4 million trains operated in a year
In 2025, České dráhy operated 2,427,132 trains. On average, the company ran 6,650 trains per day, the equivalent of one train approximately every 13 seconds.
The Czech operator has also expanded its international offerings. Since December 2025, trains have been running six times a day on the Prague – Brno – Vienna – Villach route, and starting in May 2026, direct connections between Prague and Copenhagen are also scheduled.
At the same time, the share of digital sales has increased. Nearly 70% of tickets sold in 2025 were purchased through České dráhy’s electronic channels, five percentage points more than in the previous year.
EUR 480 million in investments in maintenance facilities
An important component of the Czech operator’s strategy is the development of service and maintenance capabilities. In 2025, České dráhy began construction or modernization of maintenance facilities in Olomouc, Brno, Česká Třebová, and Hradec Králové, while work continued in Cheb and Havlíčkův Brod.
By 2031, the company plans to invest over EUR 480 million in the development of service infrastructure. These investments are important in the context of introducing new trains and increasing requirements for the technical availability of rolling stock.
The sale of assets deemed non-essential also continued in 2025. According to the group, some of the land and former decommissioned railway areas have been released for urban development, including in Prague, where former railway brownfields are set to be transformed into modern neighborhoods.
ČD Cargo, affected by restructuring and the rail freight crisis
The situation remains difficult in freight transport. ČD Cargo transported 57.8 million tons of freight in 2025, 1.1 million tons more than in the previous year. The increase was driven by higher demand for international fuel and container transport, as well as positive developments in overseas operations.
However, the company’s financial results were significantly impacted by restructuring measures. ČD Cargo reported a loss of over EUR 152 million, primarily due to the creation of provisions for restructuring and the write-down of assets that will no longer be needed in the future.
“In response to the unfavorable situation in the rail freight market, ČD Cargo implemented a new phase of restructuring, which led to a reduction in excess capacity in terms of railcars, locomotives, employees, and other company expenses. The loss of over 152 million EUR was primarily influenced by the creation of a restructuring reserve and the write-down of assets that will no longer be needed in the future. The aim of these measures is to adapt ČD Cargo’s size to market conditions and ensure its long-term financial stability,” Michal Krapinec added.
According to the group, the first three months of 2026 brought a slight improvement. ČD Cargo managed to increase transport volumes in the timber and iron sectors, and the automotive segment recorded positive results.
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