Czech Railways (ČD) saw a 4M increase in passengers during the first half of 2023, totaling 79M. This surge is most evident in intercity travel, with significant credit given to foreign tourists, notably Americans. However, this falls short of the pre-pandemic 91.6M passengers in 2019. CEO Michal Krapince attributes the growth to modern trains and enhanced services. Still, while current figures reach 86% of the 2019 count, changes in route carriers since then might affect comparisons. Performance metrics also improved; passenger kilometers reached 3.6B in the first half of 2023, 10.3M more than 2022. Financially, ČD had a gross profit of CZK 396M (€16.4M) in 2022, surpassing the previous year, but reported a net loss of CZK 139M (€5.7M) after taxes. Despite losses in passenger transport, freight was profitable. Moreover, 2022 saw 157M passengers, 36M more than 2021, showcasing recovery from the pandemic’s impact.
Source: czechdaily.cz
