Czech railways have selected Sudop Praha and Moravia Consult Olomouc to create the documentation for a shared permit for the modernization of the Veleslavín to Ruzyně track section. The cost of the documentation is estimated at nearly CZK 212 million, and the project’s total cost is expected to be almost CZK 10 billion. Work is set to begin at the end of 2026 and last for three years.
As part of the Prague-Masaryk Railway Station to Kladno modernization project, the Veleslavín to Ruzyně track section will see newly designed stations and a new Praha-Liboc stop. The project also includes installing new electric lines and constructing two tracks, which will allow for shorter intervals between trains. The Czech railways aim to increase operational safety and enable higher track speeds by eliminating crossings.
The winning designer will prepare the documentation for the shared permit. The construction will begin at the Prague-Veleslavín underground station, a transfer point for the metro and other public transport connections. Its design was selected from an international architectural competition.
The newly-built Praha-Liboc stop will be between Brodecká Street and U Prioru Street. The final station of the entire section in Ruzyně will then move to the opposite side of Drnovská Street. This will allow passengers to quickly transfer between trains from Kladno to the airport.
The entire railway modernization project from Prague to Kladno, with a connection to Vaclav Havel Airport, is divided into more than a dozen buildings. The total cost of the project is estimated to be around CZK 50 billion, according to the CEO of Czech Railways, Jiří Svoboda, who previously estimated the cost to be CZK 43 billion in 2019.
The Negrelli Viaduct was reconstructed between 2017 and 2020, and last year, the track reconstruction between Kladno and Kladno-Ostrovec began. At the beginning of this year, the section reconstruction between Prague’s Bubny and Výstavištěm started.
This year, Czech Railways plans to announce tenders for the construction between Ruzyně and Kladno and the modernization of Prague Masaryk Railway Station. The work should then continue on the section between Prague-Ruzyně and Vaclav Havel Airport and the new station directly at the airport. The reconstruction of three areas between the new Praha-Výstaviště stop and the Prague-Ruzyně station is planned for 2025.
Finally, the rounding will allow for a direct connection between the airport and Kladno. “I believe we will ride to Vaclav Havel Airport from Prague in this decade,” Svoboda added.