Project information
Příprava projektu Twinning (Tomeš)

Rail competition is one of the most visible outcomes of EU transport liberalisation, yet its impacts on fares, efficiency, equity, and sustainability remain insufficiently understood. This project will strengthen the research excellence and international visibility of Masaryk University (MUNI, Czech Republic) in this field, where MUNI is uniquely positioned to provide cutting-edge insights. Collaboration with three world-leading partners - University of Leeds, Politecnico di Milano, and Universitat de Barcelona - will equip MUNI to become a recognised centre of excellence in transport economics and rail policy.
Across Europe, rail liberalisation is reshaping passenger markets, creating opportunities and challenges for operators, regulators, and passengers. Czechia, among the first countries with genuine open access competition, offers a unique living laboratory for analysing how market entry affects service quality, fares, and modal shift. Drawing on exclusive datasets and first-hand expertise, MUNI can generate evidence directly relevant for countries embarking on liberalisation and for European regulators monitoring the Fourth Railway Package.
The partners bring complementary strengths: Leeds in cost analysis and advanced econometric methods, Milan in rail policy, regulation, and data, and Barcelona in applied transport economics and policy evaluation. Together, they will foster methodological innovation, comparative analysis, and stronger integration of MUNI into international research networks.
The project will focus on capacity building through mentoring, researcher mobilities, and joint publications as the main outputs. These will be complemented by PhD co-supervisions, workshops, and training sessions, supporting skills development and knowledge sharing. Broader dissemination and stakeholder engagement will be ensured through policy-oriented outputs, dedicated events, and online resources. To secure long-term impact, partners will prepare a roadmap for future collaboration and foster a network of researchers, helping to sustain professional links and contributions to European rail research and policy.