Czech Republic

Freight transfer points
Private companies run all freight transfer points. The most important ones are:

• Metrans, a.s.,
• CSKD INTRANS, a.s. and
• Bohemiakombi (UIRR member).

Nowadays fourteen terminals (one of that only for Ro-La) are operated by six dfferent operators. The largest terminal is in Praha - Uhrineves (executed by Metrans, a.s.), another important terminal is in Praha - Zizkov (executed by CSKD-INTRANS, a.s.). The operation on several small terminals was closed two years ago.
  
This terminals are able to manupulate with the large containers (20´-40´). Swap bodies and High Cube containers can be manipulated in several terminals. Besides these public terminals there are also several non-public ones owned by large companies. They use them for their own purposes (Mlada Boleslav, Koprivnice, Plzen, Uhersky Brod etc.).

Table 1. Combined transport

Combined transport policy and governmental support

The Czech Republic also participates on Pan-European programs about developing and supporting combined transport. Provisions accepted to support combined transport according to the European Agreement AGTC, directives EU and resolutions CEMT are realised in:

• Transport policy of the government; 
• Government resolution No 414/1998: systematic support for development of combined transport for the period of 1999-2000 with perspectives up to 2005.

       
The fundamental program in the combined transport area is the above mentioned document (Systematic support of combined transport development in the Czech Republic in 1999-2000/2005) with the aim of a partial transfer of road to rail and water transport, which are more friendly to the environment. The other purposes or projects are following:

• Creation of an information system, for electronic exchange and data transfer on freight 
• Creation and implementation of UN/EDIFACT form for transport setting of the Czech Republic 
• Development of a decision support system for intensified use of combined transport 
• Investigation of the infrastructure level of combined and integrated transport aiming at a wider exploitation in transport and logistic systems. 
• Research on the area in the vehicles-fleet-split needed for combined transport use.

Direct support to combined transport (1996-2000)

• Czech Railways - Purchasing of 458 special railway wagons series Sgnss (570 mio CZK = 16,3 mio EUR
• Rolling Highway Lovosice - Dresden - Support for rolling motorway line Lovosice - Dresden for Czech Railways to reimburse a traffic deprivation (average annually value: 85 mio CZK = 2,4 mio EUR
• Private subjects - State subsidies up to 30% for purchasing the intermodal transport equipment (98,5 mio CZK = 2,81 mio EUR)

Indirect support to combined transport

• Levy-taxation program for road vehicles linked up with the combined transport (law 16/1993). Tax reduction depends from the number of rides undertaken by a vehicle per year in both types of combined transport, maximum is a 100% tax reduction.
• Exception of driving bans in holidays for road vehicles linked up with the combined transport (limitation of rides according to law 301/2000). 
• Dispense for road vehicles using Rolling Highway. Czech and German vehicles using Ro-La system can go across the territory of neighbouring state without road permission and in holidays within a range of 200 km with special conditions. 
• Bilateral agreements with Slovakia (1997), Austria (2001) and Hungary (2001).

Research in the field of combined transport

One of the most important transport research institute in Czech Republic is Transport Research Centre (CDV), which has a long tradition of research and development. CDV has been appointed since 1 July 1996 by the decision of the Minister of Transport of the Czech Republic as the only research institute on transport issues under the responsibility of the Ministry of  Transport and Telecommunications of the Czech Republic.

In the field of intermodal transport CDV also participates on several international projects, for example on OECD RTR Programme and on projects financed by European Union within the Framework Programmes.