Prague’s busiest tram corridor shuts down for 24 days as repairs begin

People traveling through central Prague by tram will face major changes from Saturday as repairs temporarily close one of the busiest sections of the city’s tram network. The closure of the route through Národní and Spálená streets will affect 12 tram lines for 24 days, with services returning to normal on Aug. 11.

The Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) said the two-way tram closure will run from Újezd to Lazarská from July 18 until Aug. 10. No replacement bus service will operate during the disruption, and passengers are advised to use the metro for journeys through the city center where possible.

The affected section is among the most heavily used parts of Prague’s tram network. During weekday rush hours, a tram passes through the area in each direction roughly once every minute.

The closure will affect tram lines 2, 4, 5, 9, 18, 22, 23, 42, 93, 97, 98, and 99. Most services will be rerouted through alternative corridors, including routes via Národní divadlo, Masarykovo nábřeží, Myslíkova Street, Jiráskovo náměstí, Anděl, and Švandovo divadlo.

Some routes will undergo significant changes, while others will only be partially diverted. DPP will also introduce two temporary daytime tram lines during the closure: line 32 between Vypich and Sídliště Řepy, and line 39 between Vozovna Žižkov and Náměstí Bratří Synků.

The transport company said the repairs are necessary to replace worn sections of track and improve infrastructure at several locations.

Work will include replacing track structures at the intersection of Spálená and Lazarská streets, repairing curves near the Máj department store, and installing two new track lubricators. Full details on affected lines can be found at the DPP website.

Workers will also modernize two switches, replace aging overhead power poles near the National Theatre, and complete additional local repairs along the route.

Traffic restrictions for cars will be limited to areas directly affected by construction work. DPP said there will be no replacement bus service, and recommended passengers use metro lines to cross the city center during the closure.

The disruption comes shortly after another major tram repair project in Prague’s historic center was completed.

Work on tracks in Mariánské hradby and Jelení streets is scheduled to finish before the Národní and Spálená closure begins, allowing tram lines 22, 23, 41, and 42 to return to their usual routes near Prague Castle from Saturday, July 18.

Trams are expected to return to Národní and Spálená streets with the overnight service beginning Monday, Aug. 10, into Tuesday, Aug. 11.