Trams will start running on Wenceslas Square again from Saturday

Trams will start running through Prague's Wenceslas Square again on Saturday, Sept. 28, after a three-month closure for repairs and construction. The Prague Public Transport Company (DPP) has been working on repairing the tracks in the streets around the square and building a new tram line, which is expected to cost CZK 1.24 billion and last three years.

According to Prague Integrated Transport (PID), this is one of the most important transport hubs in the center of Prague, with more than 10 day and night lines passing through normally. Furthermore, the operation of line No. 35, which has had its terminus in Jindřišská Street in front of Wenceslas Square, has been suspended.

"Trams will return here in full force on Saturday, Sept. 28 in the morning," said PID. They also reminded the public that from Tuesday, Sept. 24, until the opening on Saturday, the section from Senovážné náměstí to Wenceslas Square will not be serviced due to finishing works. The construction of the new tram line in the upper part of Wenceslas Square began on June 29.

The return of the trams to the upper half of Wenceslas Square has been long-awaited, as they haven't run there since 1980. The decision to bring them back was made by the previous city administration, and compared to the original state, the trams will now run on the sides of the square with a promenade in the middle. The city also plans to restrict car traffic in this section.

"This is an important step for improving public transportation in Prague and making the city more accessible for its residents and visitors," said a spokesperson for the transport company. "We are excited to see the new tram line in action and the positive impact it will have on the city's transportation system," they added.

The construction of the new tram line has been a major undertaking, with the workers also repairing the tracks in Jindřišská and Vodičková streets. 

The new line will significantly improve connections from the city center to Vinohrady and beyond, and ease traffic congestion on Ječná Street and at Karlovo náměstí, and enable connections from Vodičkova Street to Vinohradská, from Masarykovo nádraží to Muzeum, from Náměstí Republiky to the center of Vršovice, and other routes, PID says.