Finance sought for high-speed rail line between Prague and Dresden

The Czech and German Transportation Ministers have submitted a letter to the European Commission's head of transportation requesting financial support for the construction of a fast rail link between Prague and Dresden. The two ministers said the investment, which is currently estimated at around €5bn, was a high priority for both countries. Not only would the new line cut the travel time between the two cities to just one hour, but it would reduce pressure on the congested rail corridor that runs along the Elbe. According to Czech transport minister Karel Havlíček, construction could start as soon as 2025 and would take five years to complete. The route includes a 26 kilometer tunnel through the mountains along the Czech-German border.