Czech news in brief for December 18: Thursday's top afternoon headlines

Czech railway authorities approved a final building permit Thursday for modernizing the Prague–Kladno rail line, clearing the way for construction to begin in 2026 to boost capacity, cut travel times and reduce road congestion. The 15-kilometer section between Prague-Ruzyně and Kladno will be double-tracked, electrified and designed for speeds up to 145 km/h, officials said. The four-year project, expected to cost about CZK 10 billion, includes station upgrades. Authorities say the upgrade will ease decades-long commuter pressure and support a planned rail link to Václav Havel Airport, slated to open in 2027.

Activists and faith leaders will gather Thursday at the Nicolas Winton statue at Prague’s Main Railway Station to protest the Czech government’s new hardline migration policies, timed for International Migrants Day. The right-leaning administration plans to reject the EU’s New Pact on Migration and enforce a zero-tolerance approach to illegal migration. Organizers warn cuts to social and legal support will affect refugees, migrants, and expats alike, straining schools, hospitals, and public services. The event includes a cultural program and calls for volunteers to assist foreigners.

Czech news outlet Novinky.cz is reporting that Charles Bridge is so crowded during Advent and lamplighter season that it can be nearly impossible to cross. Prague City Tourism revealed that about 750,000 domestic and foreign visitors are expected in December, including 80,000 to 100,000 for New Year’s Eve. The capital was visited by 6 million tourists in the first nine months of this year, and everything indicates that by the end of the year Prague will surpass last year's record of 8.1 million, says Novinky.

Prague 3 offered a limited-edition 160-piece mini LEGO Žižkov Tower kit for CZK 1,290 and it sold out within a day, officials reported. The kit, aimed at LEGO and architecture enthusiasts, does not carry the LEGO logo and omits the tower’s famous babies. The building guide is also sold out. The limited collector’s edition was promoted as an original Christmas gift, and the municipality hopes to restock or release additional pieces soon.

Czechia experienced the coldest temperatures in Central Europe Wednesday night due to a strong temperature inversion, meteorologists reported. While lowlands around 600 meters remained below freezing, mountain areas above 1,500 meters saw temperatures more than 10 °C higher. The inversion caused sharp temperature differences over tens of meters in altitude, with some places warmer than 10 °C. Fog and low clouds may lift Thursday, but the inversion pattern is expected to persist across the country in the coming days.

With reports of the Charles Bridge too crowded to cross what do you think of Prague's tourist influx during the holiday season?