České dráhy Has Started the Construction of a New Modern Repair Hall in Cheb

This day, České dráhy has officially started the construction of a new repair hall at the Maintenance Centre in Cheb. The modern maintenance centre will take care of the InterJet long-distance units as well as RegioPanter and RegioShark regional trains. This is another subsequent step in the national carrier’s repair strategy, which focuses on modernisation of servicing background facilities and improving the quality of rolling stock servicing activities.

A passable three-track hall for train maintenance with a total length of 176 metres will be constructed on the site of the northern round-house of the depot area, the demolition of which has been started today as well.

“Not only new modern trains, but also the corresponding servicing background facilities. This is what ČD will focus on in the upcoming years, and by 2031 it will invest more than CZK 12 billion in the development of servicing background facilities, including more than CZK 6 billion in the construction of new repair halls. I perceive this plan as important positive news not only for employees, but also for all those who are now considering their next career steps and would like to start working for our national carrier,” says Martin Kupka, Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic.

“Cheb represents the only ČD Maintenance Centre in the Karlovy Vary Region. The new modern hall will make easier handling of vehicles possible, without the necessity of decoupling the complete train sets. This will significantly reduce the time demands required for repairs and it will therefore allow the vehicles to be returned back to operation more quickly. The hall will be equipped with a crane featuring a load bearing capacity of at least 12.5 tonnes, a service gangway for safe access to the roof of the vehicles and assembly channels in all tracks,” adds Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of České dráhy, while describing the equipment of the new hall.

“The construction of a modern servicing centre will allow the expansion of maintenance, both in terms of maintenance levels and vehicle classes. Vehicle care will be concentrated in one location, which is to ensure significant streamlining of the maintenance process and reduction of costs,” sums up Michal Kraus, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy Director General for Servicing of České dráhy.

“The Karlovy Vary Region tries to regularly renew and modernise the carriages of train sets, and that is why I consider the establishment of a new repair hall to be a step in the right direction. The equipment will certainly meet the requirements of modern carriages and the quality of servicing activities can be improved,” stated Petr Kulhánek, Chairman of the Council of the Regional Authority of the Karlovy Vary Region.

The construction will be carried out by a consortium of the TSS GRADE and BERGER BOHEMIA companies, and the new hall should be completed and handed over in mid-2026. The construction was tendered at a price of more than CZK 755 million (VAT exclusive).

“TSS GRADE, a.s. has been operating on the territory of the Czech Republic and Slovakia for almost 25 years. During this time, we have proven that we are a reliable partner in the role of a contractor for the construction and implementation of modern railway infrastructure, railway maintenance facilities or premises used for provision of services to the travelling public.  Our projects in Pilsen, Brno, Ostrava and many other cities contribute to increasing the efficiency, quality and safety of railway transport, which naturally increases the quality of life of the inhabitants and visitors of these cities. On behalf of our consortium of the TSS GRADE and BERGER BOHEMIA companies, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to build a modern repair hall in Cheb and thus to contribute to the improvement of the background servicing and maintenance facilities for the rolling stock of České dráhy,” said Petr Heiland, Head of the Business Department of TSS GRADE, a.s., on behalf of the winning consortium.

“The Municipal Authority has long been striving to make Cheb an important railway junction. For example, we are well-known for our efforts to convince the German party to finally implement the long-promised and equally long-delayed electrification of the railway line to Nuremberg, so that international long-distance services can once again be run through Cheb, as they used to be in the past. The new repair hall, the construction of which is just beginning, is exactly what could strengthen the importance of the Cheb railway station. That is why we welcome it very much,” said Jan Vrba, Mayor of Cheb at the ceremonial commencement of the construction project.

The hall will be equipped with modern technologies which will help to improve its energy performance. Photovoltaic panels and technology to collect and reuse rainwater will be installed on the roof. Heating of the hall will be provided by an efficient combination of a gas boiler house and heat pumps. In addition to the actual rolling stock servicing area, the maintenance centre employees can look forward to, for example, new high-standard sanitary facilities or workshops for mechanics and power engineering technicians.

Main characteristics of the new hall

• three tracks, each with a useful length of 165 metres for the possibility of maintenance of complete sets,
• mounting channels in all tracks,
• a gantry crane with a load bearing capacity of at least 12.5 tonnes along the entire length of the hall to enable the replacement of the components situated on the roofs of the vehicles,
• assembly gangways for access to the vehicle roofs,
• equipment for the emptying of the closed-circuit toilets of the rolling stock,
• compressed air distribution system,
• water distribution systems for equipment of the rolling stock,
• workshops, sanitary facilities, storage areas.

The Cheb Maintenance Centre provides maintenance of trainsets intended for long-distance transport on the Cheb – Pilsen – Prague and Cheb – Ústí nad Labem – Prague railway line legs, as well as maintenance of rolling stock intended for regional transport in the Karlovy Vary Region and a part of the Ústí nad Labem Region, which is cared for by a total of 64 employees. It is a part of the Regional Maintenance Centre (OCÚ) West, based in Pilsen. In addition to its own vehicles, OCÚ West employees ensure also maintenance for railway vehicles of such carriers as Die Länderbahn CZ, ARRIVA vlaky s.r.o. and GW Train Regio.

České dráhy will continue to modernise its servicing infrastructure at other locations in the Czech Republic as well. These activities include mainly the construction of maintenance halls, rolling stock washing lines and sanitary tracks. “Other similar construction projects are planned in České Budějovice or Havlíčkův Brod. Construction work is also currently underway within the framework of a major renovation project of the entrance part of the Prague South Maintenance Centre,” concludes Mr. Kraus, Deputy Director General for Servicing of České dráhy.

České dráhy plans to invest more than CZK 12 billion in the development of its servicing background facilities by 2031. During this period, four new maintenance halls will be built and six more halls will be extended and modernised. Billions of crowns will also be invested in new rolling stock washing lines, sanitary tracks for the cleaning of trainsets and modern machinery, as well as in new technologies such as underfloor wheel lathes, non-destructive defectoscopy equipment or digitisation systems of maintenance processes.