The chairman of Renfe, Raül Blanco, has reached an agreement in Prague with the CEO of the Czech railway operator Leo Express, Peter Köhler, to advance the joint expansion strategy of both companies in Central Europe. The agreement has closed a three-day agenda in which the chairman of Renfe has seen first-hand the work of its European partner and held different meetings with the Czech Government and other railway operators.
Leo Express is Renfe's main European partner. In 2021, the Spanish company acquired 50 per cent of the capital of this Czech private operator. Leo Express began operating in the Czech Republic in 2012 and since then has been expanding its services to neighbouring countries such as Slovakia and Poland, and also has operational experience in Germany. It is a young and agile company with a great capacity for growth.
As part of its internationalisation strategy, Renfe seeks to expand its activity in the European Union as an operator, advisor and consultant, asserting its position as a leading company in the sector. The partnership with Leo Express is a long-term strategic project for Renfe that has been reinforced with these meetings.
The chairman of Renfe, Raül Blanco, and the CEO of Leo Express, Leo Köhler, have agreed to strengthen their alliance and jointly explore new business opportunities to expand their activity in Central Europe, both in commercial services and in public service tenders, with a view to taking a leap in their activity in the short term and growing up to 80%.
This partnership represents a key opportunity for Renfe to open new business, by facilitating access to the markets in which Leo already has a licence to operate: Germany, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as to the local implementation capacity, experience, team and reference that Renfe needs to advance in these markets.