On August 20, 2024, ČD Cargo, headquartered in the Czech Republic, revealed its plans for European freight transport expansion through a significant contract extension. The company exercised an option to purchase the final eleven Traxx 3MS locomotives, bringing the total number of units acquired to fifty. These new locomotives, set to enter service in 2026, will be equipped with Atlas and EbiCab signaling and safety systems, enabling operation not only in the Czech Republic but also in Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia. Additionally, ČD Cargo has ordered ten more Traxx 3MS locomotives, scheduled for delivery in 2025, which will be allocated to its Austrian subsidiary.
The renewal of the locomotive fleet is a critical step for ČD Cargo's expansion into foreign markets, with a particular focus on Germany and Austria. However, the Czech company aims to go further, announcing plans to enter the Italian and Benelux markets, though the exact timeline for this expansion has yet to be determined.
In 2023, ČD Cargo transported over 12 million tons of goods through its subsidiaries and affiliates, solidifying its presence in seven European countries. The company is the leading freight rail carrier in the Czech Republic and is fully owned by the state-operated passenger rail company České dráhy. The freight division was established on December 1, 2007, and currently operates a fleet of 300 electric locomotives, 350 diesel locomotives, and over 20,000 freight cars.
The subsidiary ČD Cargo Logistics offers additional transport and logistics services, including transportation along the New Silk Road through the MalaTrain product, special transport of railway vehicles, trams, and trolleybuses, warehousing at a facility in Lovosice with internal tracks for loading and unloading, and e-commerce services such as customs clearance, order fulfillment, sorting, labeling, and shipping.
