News

Complete victory for České dráhy, represented by Skils, before the High Court in Prague in a long‑running CZK 7 billion dispute

Skils has successfully represented České dráhy in court proceedings in which RegioJet and Student Agency sought to compel České dráhy to reimburse Správa železnic (Railway Management, formerly SŽDC) for alleged state aid exceeding CZK 7 billion.

According to the claim, České dráhy were supposed to have received state aid of approximately CZK 7 billion in connection with the sale of part of their business to the Správa železnic in 2008. This transaction concerned land, railway tracks and other real estate assets (the so‑called “non‑operational railway infrastructure”).

At the beginning of 2025, the Municipal Court in Prague issued a judgment dismissing the action in its entirety, fully endorsing the defence arguments of České dráhy (including the conclusion that the transaction did not constitute unlawful state aid under any circumstances). In March and April 2026, the High Court in Prague, acting as the appellate court, reviewed the case. It likewise fully accepted the arguments of České dráhy, upheld the Municipal Court’s judgment dismissing the claim and, furthermore, following an appeal lodged by České dráhy on costs, ordered the claimants to reimburse České dráhy more than CZK 80 million in legal costs.

České dráhy, represented by Skils, thus achieved an extraordinary success in this long‑running and highly complex dispute.

Further information on the case is available, for example, on the ČTK, novinky.cz, seznamzpravy.cz and Zdopravy.cz.