Saxony and the Czech Republic assign a European dimension to the construction of the new railroad line from Dresden to Prague. "This is not just a Saxon dream project, but an important European key project. The EU is ready to provide substantial funding," explained Saxony's Infrastructure Minister Regina Kraushaar (CDU) after a meeting with Czech Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik. Now it is important that the federal government stands by its promises. "We need planning security, the state treaty and the necessary funds in the federal budget."
20 million euros needed for further planning
The new Dresden-Prague railroad line is a top priority for Saxony. According to the Saxon Ministry of Infrastructure, around 20 million euros must be set aside in the 2027 federal budget for further planning steps. On 21 May, Kraushaar intends to explain the issue in a speech to the plenary session of the German Bundestag.
Target: one-hour journey time from Dresden to Prague
The total length of the route is around 150 kilometers. The centerpiece is a 30-kilometer tunnel through the Eastern Ore Mountains between Heidenau and Chabařovice. At around 18 kilometers on the German side, it would be the longest railroad tunnel in Germany. Trains currently take around 2.5 hours between Dresden and Prague. The new route should reduce this time to one hour.
The meeting between Kraushaar and Bednárik was also about shipping on the Elbe. The Elbe ports of Děčín and Lovosice also belong to Sächsische Binnenhäfen Oberelbe GmbH via subsidiaries. "The Free State of Saxony and the Czech Republic need this inland waterway as a reliable connection to the German seaports, especially the port of Hamburg," it said.
Saxony is committed to maintaining the navigability of the Elbe and improving it where possible. Large and heavy goods transports in particular are partly dependent on the waterway. Ports, rail, road and waterways should therefore be considered as a joint system in which the individual modes of transport interlock sensibly.
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