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After two years of construction work, a key section of the future railway link between Prague city center and Václav Havel Airport will open on Aug. 1, bringing the long-anticipated project closer to completion.
The stretch between Bubny and Výstaviště stations (both Prague 7), part of the broader line connecting Prague with the Central Bohemian city of Kladno and the airport, is currently in its final construction phase. Crews are laying tracks, paving walkways, and installing shelters, escalators, and elevator shafts. The overhaul will cost an estimated CZK 5.6 billion.
Easier navigability, enhanced connectivity
The new Bubny station will include modern facilities such as an orientation system, shops, and improved pedestrian access. The three double-track bridge overpasses leading to the station are already equipped with noise barriers and railings, with final rail installation underway.
“This project has removed long-standing barriers in the city, such as needing to cross the busy Bubenská Street,” said Jiří Svoboda, director general of the Railway Administration.
The station will also connect to the reconstructed Negrelli Viaduct, and offer access to Prague's metro C line at Vltavská.
Výstaviště station is also nearing completion, with workers finishing shelters, railings, and access routes. A new footbridge and sidewalk to Stromovka Park are expected to open in June, enhancing pedestrian connectivity.
Part of an ambitious development
The Bubny–Výstaviště segment is one of 11 stages in the airport rail project. Completed components include the historic Negrelli Viaduct. Looking west of the airport, nearby areas will also get new stops and easier connections.
The new line will connect Kladno with Prague’s Václav Havel Airport, including stops at the towns and villages of Jeneč, Pavolv, and Velké Přítočno. A new train stop—Prague-Liboc—will also be created to serve the Liboc area, which borders the Divoká Šárka park.
Another key development is the planned sharp rise in train speeds: in some sections of the route, trains will travel up to 80 kilometers per hour, around double the speed of today.
The full line to the airport is expected to be operational by 2030, and a journey from the airport to the city center is meant to take just 25 minutes.
