Prague launches construction work for Wenceslas Square tram lines

Prague city officials Wednesday officially marked the beginning of construction work for Wenceslas Square’s new tram lines, which will allow trams to return to the upper part of the square for the first time since 1980. The entire project, which also sets out to revitalize the area, will take around three years.

According to Prague Public Transport Company (DPP) technical director Jan Šurovský, the new tram line will bring back a vital aspect of Wenceslas Square that has been missing for many years. Speaking of trams being discontinued on the square in favor of the metro a few decades ago, Šurovský said: "It became clear almost immediately that the metro is great for traveling long distances, but local public transport in the city center has deteriorated.”

The 550-meter-long track with two pairs of stops will connect to the current lines on Jindřišská Street and Vodičkova streets, with the tracks leading to the buildings of the National Museum. Trams will also directly connect Wenceslas Square with the nearby Vinohradská and Škrétová streets. Officials say that around 30,000 people are expected to use the new lines daily.

 "The track will enable the new routing of lines that will provide fast connections," Prague Deputy Mayor for Transport Zdeněk Hřib said. He pointed out that three tram lines will run along the square, providing easy access to various parts of the city.

"The new line will significantly strengthen the Prague tram network, which is very susceptible to unexpected events,” added Šurovský.

The trams will run on the sides of the square, leaving a promenade in the middle. The city also plans to reduce car traffic on the square, creating a more pedestrian-friendly space. The construction of the new tram line is part of a larger project to revitalize Wenceslas Square and improve the overall transportation system in Prague. Developers will install new trees in the upper half of the square, as well as an underground retention tank for rainwater.

Work officially gets underway on June 29. A temporary line, number 39, will run from Kotlářka to Anděl, Újezd, Národní třída, Lazarská, and Vodičkova starting July 1.

A temporary stop will also be established at Jindřišská from July 15, and a temporary route – 36 – will run from Vozovna Žižkov to Biskupcova, Olšanské náměstí, Hlavní nádraží, and Wenceslas Square starting July 16.

As the construction begins, drivers can expect some changes in traffic flow, with two lanes instead of three on the north-south section of Wenceslas Square. 

Wenceslas Square is 682 meters long and approximately 60 meters wide. In 2020, the City of Prague began reconstruction of the lower part of the square, which is now finished.