Easier accesss to 'Little Berlin': New exit planned for Vltavská metro station

Prague City Council has approved plans to build a northern entrance hall, or foyer, at the Vltavská metro station, which would add a new exit. City officials say the move is critical for the future development of the Holešovice and Bubny-Zátory areas. 

The decision also aligns with long-term urban planning goals to modernize infrastructure and accommodate a new district expected to house 25,000 residents. 

“The design will be coordinated with future development so that it is integrated into the new neighborhood in a city-building manner,” said Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček.

The northern foyer is intended to provide improved public transport access for residents of the planned Bubny-Zátory district, a redevelopment project transforming a former brownfield site. The project is part of the city's broader strategy to prioritize public transport as the backbone of urban mobility in the area.

The development will also ease congestion in a busy metro station with multiple tram stops directly outside its southern entrance.

Prague Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib, responsible for transport, highlighted the significance of the project for the district's connectivity. “A new district for 25,000 people will be created between the Nádraží Holešovice and Vltavská metro stations in the coming years. The new foyer will allow locals fast access...and significantly contribute to the development of the entire area,” Hřib stated.

The concept of a northern foyer dates back to the original design of the Vltavská metro station in the 1970s and 1980s. However, its construction was postponed due to the declining importance of the Bubny railway station and the area's reliance on tram services. The new exit will bring people closer to “Little Berlin”—a pocket of Holešovice a few minutes’ walk from the station.

In recent years, renewed interest in the region has spurred efforts to revisit the project. The Bubny-Zátory Zoning Study, approved in 2020, envisions an urban district between the Vltavská and Nádraží Holešovice metro stations. The modernized railway line connecting Prague to the airport and Kladno, alongside new tram routes, will further enhance connectivity.