Prague's Flora metro station to close for 10 months amid reconstruction

In a bid to improve accessibility and modernize its infrastructure, Prague’s Flora metro station (on the green A line) Flora is set to undergo a massive reconstruction project. This will cause the entire closure of the station, which will eventually see new elevators, escalators, and an entrance hall.

The station will be closed for approximately 10 months during the reconstruction, according to Daniel Šabík, communications manager for the Prague Public Transport Company (DPP). 

“The closure should last around 300 days, similar to the Jiřího z Poděbrad (JzP) station, which was closed for almost a year in 2023,” Šabík announced this week. The exact date for the closure has not been set. Like JzP, Flora only has a single entrance and exit to and from the platform, meaning that people won’t be able to use the metro, transport-news website Zdopravy.cz writes.

Workers will also modernize electrical wiring, equipment, and lighting, and install new escalators and a barrier-free lift. Šabík emphasized the need for the reconstruction, citing the station's outdated infrastructure and limited accessibility. Total building costs are tentatively estimated at CZK 1.16 billion.

The current Soviet-era escalators, which are heavy and fast, will be replaced with newer, lighter models. The existing escalators, weighing up to 40 kilograms per step, will be swapped out for ones that are half the weight. The new escalators will also be slower, with a speed of 0.65 meters per second, compared to the current 0.9 meters per second.

The reconstruction project will also involve revitalizing the station's vestibule and underpass. The winning contractor will be responsible for drawing up a repair project to give the station a new image. DPP is currently looking for a developer for the station’s reconstruction; only then will the date of closure be set.

The new-look, nearby JzP station now features a new lift for wheelchair users and parents with prams.

Once it is closed, passengers will need to use either the (A line) Želivského station to the east or JzP to the west. Alternatively, a total of 12 trams stop right outside the station, including numbers 2, 13, and 27.