After more than two weeks of closure, Prague’s Staroměstská metro station on Line A will partially reopen this Wednesday, July 23, allowing passengers to exit but not enter the station. The Prague Public Transport Company (DPP) has successfully repaired one escalator using salvaged parts from equipment damaged during the recent arson incident.
DPP continues intensive work toward fully restoring service at the station. The partial reopening marks significant progress since the vandalism that forced the complete closure of this key transit hub. “We recommend passengers use the neighboring Malostranská station, which remains fully operational. The public will be informed well in advance about when the station will reopen for entry,” said Aneta Řehková, spokesperson for Prague’s transport company.
The station was unexpectedly closed on Saturday, July 5, following an escalator fire that prompted police to question six young men in connection with the incident. “The station was undergoing scheduled maintenance on one escalator section. Unfortunately, due to the fire, the two remaining escalators that were originally in operation were also damaged,” explained Deputy Mayor for Transport Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates).
According to investigators, who estimated damages at one million Czech crowns, the fire was ignited by a flammable object thrown onto the escalator. DPP initially projected that the station would remain out of service for approximately one month.
The engineering team’s creative solution—repurposing parts from damaged escalators to repair one functional unit—has enabled this partial reopening ahead of schedule, though complete restoration work continues.