Regular Passenger Transport Returns to Židlochovice after Forty Years

On Sunday 15 December, the first regular trains will ride on the renewed railway line between Hrušovany u Brna and Židlochovice. Správa železniční dopravní cesty (SŽDC) carried out its complete reconstruction and electrification. This allowed introducing direct trains from the regional capital. Passengers at Židlochovice Station will have at their disposal two new platforms; at Hrušovany u Brna, one centre and one external platform was built. All of them have a boarding edge at a standard height of 550 millimetres above the rail.

Operation on the three kilometres long branching from the main line of the Emperor Ferdinand’s Northern Railway was launched in 1895. It was built mainly to service the sugar factory in Židlochovice. Although passenger transport also played an important role during some periods, its importance continuously declined. Therefore, passenger transport was closed already in 1979 and freight transport was preserved approximately till mid-1990s. 

Židlochovice belongs to important transfer junctions in integrated transport of South Moravia Region; that is why its leadership endeavoured to renew operation on the line to Hrušovany and to carry out all adaptations that would allow introducing a direct train connection to Brno. The project also included electrification and a necessary configuration change of the trackage at Hrušovany u Brna Station. The highest speed on the renewed line will be 80 kph.

The building site was handed over at the end on November 2018; following that, preparation works started consisting e.g. in dismantling a rather well preserved railway superstructure including tracks. At Židlochovice Station, two new external platforms 170 metres long were built. The platform at Track No 1 is a so-called edge-edge transfer to buses servicing the newly built transfer terminal.

Two new platforms, also 170 metres long, were built at Hrušovany u Brna. More specifically it is one centre platform and one external platform, situated in front of the passenger building. Access to the new centre platform is provided by stairs and a lift from the current underpass.

Two railway crossings were reconstructed as well as one pedestrian crossing. Safe operation is assured by new signalling equipment Category 3 which has been adapted for remote control from the Traffic Control Centre at Přerov.

Technical and safety testing was carried out on the renewed line on 7 November. At present, final safety and signalling equipment is being plugged in. Construction works will continue till the end of next March. Some terrain adaptations, cleaning and completion works are yet to be done.

The project Modernization and electrification of the line Hrušovany u Brna – Židlochovice is co-financed by the EU under the Operational Programme Transport. Total estimated costs of the project equal CZK 832,470,216 (VAT excluded); the maximum EU support rate can amount to 82.05% from total eligible costs. National financing is provided by the state Fund for Transport Infrastructure.

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