Leo Express
 | This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (November 2017) |
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 CZ Class 480 of Leo Express | |
| Company type | Joint-stock company |
|---|---|
| Founded | 8 January 2010 |
| Founder | Leoš Novotný |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Peter Köhler (CEO) Inmaculada Gutiérrez Carrizo (předsedkyně představenstva) Leoš Novotný (místopředseda představenstva) Ismael Gutiŕrez Sánchez (člen představenstva) Teresa Torres Martin Bala (člen představenstva) Heinz Grossmann (člen představenstva) Ibon García Neill (člen představenstva) |
| Services | Open-access operator |
| Revenue | 603 mil. CZK (2023) 526 mil. CZK (2022) |
| 11 mil. CZK (2023) 3 mil. CZK (2022) | |
| 4 mil. CZK (2023) -3 mil. CZK (2022) | |
| Total assets | 494 mil. CZK (2023) 431 mil. CZK (2022) |
| Owner | Renfe EuroMaint AB |
Number of employees | 210 (2023) 179 (2022) |
| Subsidiaries | Leo Express Tenders s.r.o. Leo Express s.r.o. |
| Website | www |
Leo Express, fis a private transport company providing rail and bus passenger services in Central Europe since 2012. It operates mainly on the commercial route Prague-Ostrava, but its trains also go to Košice and Krakow. The network is complemented by bus lines to Poland and Ukraine. From December 2019, Leo Express also operates regional trains in Pardubice Region, and in December 2023 it took over regional rail transport on the busiest Slovak railway line, Bratislava–Komárno. Together with its main shareholder, the Spanish National Railways Renfe, the company plans strong growth in Central Europe in the coming years, both in commercial lines and in commitment services.
The company was established on January 8, 2010 and renamed Leo Express a.s. on August 15, 2011. In 2021, the Spanish national railway company Renfe acquired a 49.9% stake in the company, while another 5% stake was acquired by the Swedish rolling stock maintenance company EuroMaint.
Commercial routes
Leo Express operates long-distance trains in the Czech Republic on the Prague–Ostrava–Bohumín route, as well as on international routes connecting Prague, Ostrava, and Košice, and Prague, Ostrava, and Krakow.
PSO routes
In October 2010, the company announced its interest in future public service obligations. From December 2019, the Pardubice Region assigned Leo Express transport services on the PSO routes Ústí nad Orlicí - Letohrad - Jablonné nad Orlicí - Králíky - Mlýnický Dvůr and Dolní Lipka - Hanušovice in Czech Republic.. The carrier has also secured a direct connection Lichkov - Letohrad - Prague and extended connections to Hanušovice or Wrocław. The carrier operates low-floor Alstom Coradia LINT 41 and LINT 27 units on these lines.
The subsidiary Leo Express Slovakia has taken over the operation of regular passenger transport on the busiest Slovak PSO line Bratislava-Komárno as of December 10, 2023, where it replaced ZSSK and ÖBB. The Alstom Coradia LINT 41(German 648 series) units leased from Alpha Trains have been put into service on this line.
Fleet
As of 2024, the Leo Express rail fleet consists of 5 Stadler Flirt EMUs, each with a capacity of 237 passengers. These trains are equipped with various classes, including Economy, Economy Plus, Business and Premium, providing options for different passenger needs. Long-distance low-floor trains feature WiFi, air conditioning, refreshments with delivery to seat, daily press and professional stewards.
The company also operates a fleet of over 25 regional train units Alstom Coradia LINT 41 and LINT 27, which are equipped with amenities such as free Wi-Fi, power outlets, coffee corner and air conditioning.
Leo Express also operates bus lines to Krakow, Lviv and Mukachevo, which connect with the company's trains on the Prague - Ostrava - Košice/Krakow lines.
Economic results
Leo Express, based on audited results, achieved consolidated revenues of CZK 603 mil / EUR 24,4 mil for 2023 with over 1,7 mil customers and expects to reach over CZK 1 bln for year 2024 with around 3,5 mil customers. The carrier plans to reach approximately 5 million train kilometres in 2024. Consolidated EBITDAR for 2023 reached over CZK 140 mil / EUR 5,7 mil (increase y-o-y by +175%) and net profit CZK 4 mil / EUR 165k compared to a loss of CZK -3 mil / EUR-124k in the prior year. The company has also managed to repay all of its bank loans and continues to use financial and operational leasing.
Services
Leo Express offers its customers the Smile Club loyalty program with free registration. Currently, Smile Club members receive a cash back reward. Immediately after registration, they receive 2.5% cash back, with a maximum of 10% cash back. Higher loyalty categories (4 in total) can be achieved through ticket purchases, catering or by topping up leo credits. After each trip, the passenger receives a portion of the ticket price in leo credits according to the current category. For pupils, students and seniors, Leo Express offers a 25% cashback. Other benefits for members of the loyalty program include free seat reservations, free water on board and free ticket cancellations up to the scheduled departure time.
Starting in 2020, Leo Express allows customers to offset the carbon footprint of their trip. The offset compensates for the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the train journey. The contributions fund tree planting in the Czech Republic each year, with the winning project always chosen by the customers themselves. The contribution amount depends on the means of transportation, the class chosen, the occupancy and the exact number of kilometers traveled.
Leo Express has its own mobile app where you can conveniently purchase tickets. They can also use the app to track the current location of their connection on a map, receive notifications about delays, or save their ticket to Apple and Google Wallet.
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Interior of the first class -
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ Financial statements of RAPID Express a.s. for 2010
External links
[edit] Railway operators of the Czech Republic | |
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