GW Train Regio, the second-largest regional carrier in the Czech Republic after Czech Railways, has decided to increase train fares by ten percent from January next year. According to Robert Krigar, the General Director of GW Jihotrans, the parent company of GW Train Regio, the decision comes in response to rising costs and pressure for higher wages.
“We assume that next year – just like all our competition – we will increase tickets. We will increase by about ten percent. The reason for this is the rising prices of all costs. We will also have to partially increase wages because inflation and other objective reasons will lead us to this,” said Krigar.
The company is also considering whether to increase the price of transporting electric bikes because they are heavy, and many holders are not manufactured for this weight. Currently, bicycle transportation costs the same, 60 CZK, in both trains and buses.
Electric bikes are increasing, making up more than half of all bicycles that GW Jihotrans transports in trains and buses. “It’s starting to be a problem with weight; loaders need to be physically fitter. Then there is the question of the price of an e-bike when any complaint is in different money than a normal bike. Bike holders were designed for some weight; many e-bikes exceed that weight today. There is starting to be a problem with attaching these bikes,” said the director. This could make the transportation of an electric bike more expensive than a regular one.
GW Train Regio operates regional passenger rail transport on so-called Šumava locals in the South Bohemian region. The company employs approximately 270 people, of which about 180 are drivers. 2023, it will also provide personal transport in Pošumaví in the Plzeň region.