Development of the railway connection to Prague airport marks a new milestone

A direct train connection to the Václav Havel Airport is set to be completed in 2029. Once the train connection is in operation, the traveling time to the airport from the center of Prague will be 25 minutes. An additional connection will make the journey to Kladno last around half an hour. 

The project to modernize the track between Praha-Ruzyně and Kladno stations on July 1 reached another important milestone as the Railway Administration (SŽ) acquired a valid zoning decision, SŽ said in a press release.

"The railway to the airport is one of the key projects on which we are working intensively," SŽ director Jiří Svoboda told Ekonomický deník. "The entire modernization will place the capital and Kladno among modern European agglomerations, and will provide passengers with fast and convenient connections." 

The renovation of the over 15-kilometer-long section, the main focus of which is the double-tracking and electrification of the line, will increase the speed of trains to up to 140 km/h. The project will also create barrier-free stations and up to 1,100 new parking spaces.

The installation of new sidings will allow trains to switch from one track to another and ensure higher line capacity. The level crossings on the busiest roads will be removed and replaced by off-grade crossings, while the remainder will be upgraded.

The Hostivice station will undergo complete renovation and will gain two island platforms and two pedestrian underpasses. The Jeneč station in its new location will have barrier-free platforms accessible from a constructed underpass. Today's Unhošť station will be closed and replaced by the Malé Přítočno stop on the constructed track switch.

New stops will also be built at Hostivice-Jeneček and Pletený Újezd. These will significantly increase the accessibility of rail transport to the inhabitants of the adjacent localities. The Pavlov stop will undergo a complete renovation.

Some of the railway stations will have park and ride (P+R) lots. They will be built in Hostivice (461 spaces), Jeneč (256 spaces), and Malé Přítočno (384 spaces). Altogether, there will be 1,101 parking spaces. A new P+R parking garage will be built at the Hostivice station, which is being designed and financed by the Central Bohemian region.

Construction is divided into several stages. SŽ director Svoboda said that the implementation of the Praha-Bubny to Praha-Výstaviště and Kladno to Kladno-Ostrovec will begin this year. Tenders for construction contractors are currently underway.