From Saturday, March 25, 2017 the Prague Public Transport Company (DPP) has announced it will christen a new tram line fully serviced by the “iconic historical tram type T3.”
The new nostalgia line will operate between Královka and Zvonařka, servicing Prague Castle, Malá Strana, Vinohrady, and other centrally located neighborhoods (for a complete timetable see this link).
The connection hasn’t just been established for novelty effect; the new line is intended to alleviate the overloaded 22 route, frequently crowded with tourists at peak season.
Photo: Wikimedia/ŠJů
The new tram line will operate every 30 minutes during the tourist season every quarter, say DPP reps; additional stops may be added at a later date.
The T3 was first unveiled at the international fair in Brno in the summer of 1960. It took its first passenger-less test spins around Prague while being fine-tuned.
Regular operations launched on November 22, 1962 on lines 4 and 27. The T3 was retired from the streets of the Czech capital in 2011.
A number of spring updates will be made to Prague’s tram lines including extended service, re-numbering, and new routes.
The celebratory launch begins next Saturday at 9am at Královka where a tram parade kicks off the accompanying festivities which include a musical program and family-fun activities.