The main topic: introducing of the competition on the railways and its impact on the performance, prices, modal share etc.

Goal: to analyse the impact of the European reforms on performance, price and modal split in the rail transport

Topics discussed:

• vertical separation
• infrastructure fares
• railway company restructuring
• liberalisation impact on railway passenger transport
• interoperability
• open access and public services

Venue:Hollar building, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University

Program committee: Martin Kvizda, Tomáš Nigrin, Daniel Seidenglanz, Zdeněk Tomeš

Course of the seminar (detailed program is available). Report was published in the Review of Economic Perspectives.

After welcome speech of the organiser, Didier van de Veldeintroduced his presentation on the very actual topic: Vertical separation in the Railway Sector: Recent Insights. He was followed by Marc Ivaldi who presented paper focused on The Dynamics of Transport Fares. The morning section was closed by Russel Pittman and his Two Surprises in Railways Restructuring.

After the lunch the conference continued with presentation of The Effects of Liberalisation of the Passenger Railway Market on the Situation of Regional Rail Connections in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria held by JakubTaczanowski. Then Zdeněk Tomeš revealed the impact of Open Access Passenger Rail Competition in the Czech Republic. Ernest Godward and his presentation on Market Opening and Interoperability in the European Railway System was the interesting ending of the afternoon section.

The last section was introduced by György Bessenyei and his presentation on Railway Infrastructure for a Competitive Passenger Transport. Then Marcin Król revealed Some Experience with Vertical Separation of Rail Infrastructure in Poland. Practical Lessons for Policymakers" and the whole conference was ended by Ondřej Krčál with his presentation of A Simulation Model of a Long-Distance Passenger Rail Service.

Participants

1. Russell Pittman – Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, USA
2. Ernest Godward – European Railway Agency, France
3. Marc Ivaldi – Toulouse School of Economics, France
4. Didier van de Velde – Delft University of Technology, Netherlands
5. György Bessenyei – European Investment Bank, Hungary
6. Marcin Król – Collegium of World Economy, Warsaw School of Economics, Poland
7. Jakub Taczanowski – Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagellonian University, Krakow, Poland
8. Tomáš Pospíšil – Czech Railways, Czech Republic
9. Martin Kvizda – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Czech Republic
10. Zdeněk Tomeš – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Czech Republic
11. Tomáš Nigrin – Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Czech Republic
12. Daniel Seidenglanz – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Sciences, Czech Republic
13. Antonín Peltrám – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Czech Republic
14. Ondřej Krčál – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Czech Republic
15. Rostislav Staněk – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Czech Republic
16. Monika Jandová – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Czech Republic
17. Václav Rederer – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Czech Republic
18. Tomáš Paleta – Masaryk University Brno, Faculty of Economics and Administration, Czech Republic