Prague 6 brownfield site by historic rail station set for major redevelopment

A large area near Dejvice railway station and Hradčanská metro, currently empty, will be fully redeveloped.

Thomas Smith

Written by Thomas Smith Published on 03.02.2025 16:08:00 (updated on 03.02.2025) Reading time: 2 minutes

A long-vacant brownfield site near Dejvice railway station—the size of two Wenceslas Squares—is set for transformation into a new urban district in the coming years. Despite its prime location within sight of Prague Castle and close to Prague Airport, the site has remained unused for years. 

Prague’s Deputy Minister for Spatial Development, Petr Hlaváček, confirmed that the city has launched a study to explore potential uses for a key area near the Hradčanská metro station.

“This site has been neglected for too long despite its significance. Our study will assess its development potential,” Hlaváček said.

The land is owned by the Railway Administration, the city of Prague, and the Prague 6 district. Several major infrastructure projects, including work on the Blanka tunnel complex—the longest road tunnel in Czechia—and a planned railway connection to Václav Havel Airport will influence its future.

Legal disputes have long surrounded the site. In 2018, the Railway Administration agreed to sell the land to developer Amadeus Real Estate, owned by businessman Václav Klán. The deal, signed just two weeks before then-Railway Administration chief Pavel Surý resigned, bypassed a public tender.

The state challenged the sale in court, arguing it lacked transparency and exceeded Surý’s authority. However, the courts ruled in favor of the developer, and in 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the contract’s validity.

Amadeus Real Estate plans to finalize the purchase by 2030, aligning with the completion of the airport railway link. The final price will be based on an expert assessment, with previous estimates reaching up to CZK 1 billion.

Residents and business owners are particularly concerned about the fate of the historic Dejvice train station, which falls within the redevelopment zone. Martin Ullmann, who has operated a well-known pub at the station for years, has been in a rent dispute with the Railway Administration, which seeks to raise his rent significantly.

According to transport news site Zdopravy.cz, the Railway Administration recently signed a lease with a new restaurant operator, Spojka Events. The company, which also runs a café at Prague’s main train station, plans to open a modern restaurant on the site. Reports suggest the new lease is three times higher than what Ullmann has been paying.

Hlaváček acknowledged uncertainty about the new restaurant’s role in the broader redevelopment. “The question is how this will fit into the larger plan,” he said.

As planning progresses, officials must balance development goals with community concerns, legal constraints, and Prague 6's evolving character.

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