Trains on line from Plzeň to Cheb can use ETCS system

The pan-European ETCS system ensures safe operation on another part of the third corridor. Správa železnic has completed its installation in the section from Plzeň to Cheb. The construction also included the construction of new interlocking equipment at Cheb station. The works have been underway since the end of 2019 and the total investment costs exceeded CZK 1 billion.

The first ETCS radio-block centre for the section between Plzeň and Cheb was activated in 2021. In the main tracks of individual railway stations and in all intermediate sections, 910 Eurobalises were installed for communication between the trackside and on-board (train) part of ETCS. Modifications were also made to the existing station interlocking and line signalling system, which ensures the transmission of data on the availability of sections, the status of routes and level crossings and other information to the radio-block centre.

This spring, the replacement of the existing relay interlocking equipment with electronic interlocking equipment of category 3, which is controlled from a single operating workstation, was completed at railway station Cheb. In addition, it enables operation from the Traffic Control Centre in Prague.

The works in Cheb also included the addition of electric switch heating and necessary modifications to the tracks, station announcement system for passengers and information and CCTV system. The premises for the interlocking cabin centre and a room for telecommunication equipment underwent construction modifications, at the same time the arrangement of the traffic controllers' workplaces was changed.

ETCS is a standardised European train control system that ensures the operation of trains among different national railway systems. Its deployment improves the fluidity and at the same time the safety of rail traffic.  

The investment action is based on the ERTMS/ETCS European Deployment Plan and the National Implementation Plan. On the line from Plzeň to Cheb, mixed operation is envisaged, i.e., both under and outside the ETCS supervision.

The project called ETCS Plzeň (excl.) – Cheb is part of the Project ETCS Beroun – Plzeň – Cheb, which is co-funded by the European Union from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme. The total investment costs of the ETCS Plzeň – Cheb project amounted to CZK 1,013,534,696 excluding VAT. The European contribution is EUR 22,498,393, or CZK 562,459,790. Financing from national sources was provided by Státní fond dopravní infrastruktury (State Fund for Transport Infrastructure). The contractor of the construction was the company AŽD.

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