Fuel Costs Vary Widely Across Czech Republic, Highway Pumps Most Expensive
PRAGUE,โฃ CZECH REPUBLIC – Czech motorists are facing meaningful price discrepancies at the pump, with differences reaching up to ten crowns per liter depending on location and service โofferings, โฃaccording to recent analysis. While fuel prices are generally higher at multinational chains like MOL due to operating and investment costs, highway gas โstations consistently charge โคthe most, capitalizing on limited consumer choice.
The price โขofโข fuel isn’t solely resolute by the commodity itself. Gas stations are increasingly offeringโฃ a range of additional services – from food and โdrugstores to gift goods and medicines -โค impacting overall costs. “Along with customary and โalternative fuels and drives, customers at our petrol stations will find a wide range of foods, drugstores, gift goods and medicines,” a representative stated.
Smaller, simpler stations often offer cheaper fuelโ but lack these amenities. “While some โขpumps can be lunch well, the tank ono are additional services limited. It’s โstations often work in simpler mode, without investing in shops andโ bisters,” explained analyst Jiลรญ Lajsk.
Highway stations areโ particularly expensive due to high rent and fees for their strategic locations,โ and also increased staff and service costs. Sellers โalso leverage the limited โคoptions available to drivers on major routes. “At the same โคtime, sellers alsoโข use that drivers on the highway have โa limited choice andโ draw fuel rather than a need for priceโ comparison, and โขso often โขprices,” Lajsk added.โค
This trend isn’t unique to โฃthe Czech Republic, mirroring a pattern seen across Europe, including even โgreater price variations in Austria. Drivers on โขthe D5 motorway,for example,frequently detour toโฃ the tank ono station in Nรฝลany for substantially cheaper gasoline โคor diesel,despite consistently long queues.
The situation comes โas OPEC recently agreed toโ increase โคoil production, a move โthat may eventually influence prices at the pump.