Prague to launch series of themed tram rides starting with Operation Anthropoid

You can travel back in time with new thematic rides on some of Prague’s historical trams. Prague City Tourism, which this year is celebrating its 65th anniversary, will be remembering history with a series of special events.

The pilot edition of the themed tram rides will mark the anniversary of Operation Anthropoid on Saturday, May 27. Operation Anthropoid was the World War II mission to assassinate acting Reichsprotektor Reinhard Heydrich in 1942.

The route will go near the place where Czechoslovak paratroopers ambushed Heydrich in his car, and continue on to Karlovo náměstí, where there is a museum dedicated to the event in the basement of the Church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, where the paratroopers tried to take refuge.

The guides will then accompany participants into the museum, formally known as the National Memorial to the Heroes of the Heydrich Terror.

More themed rides will follow to educate not only the people of Prague, but also domestic and foreign tourists about the deeper connections of Prague's history and culture.

"Our goal is primarily to remind Prague's visitors of fragments of our history in an engaging way and to put them into context," Prague Deputy Mayor Jiří Pospíšil, responsible for culture and tourism, said in a press release.

"I am therefore very happy that we are launching this project, which informs about the crimes of totalitarian regimes and recalls the personalities who fought against them," he added.

Jana Adamcová, vice-chairwoman of Prague City Tourism‘s board of directors, said the themed tram rides are another innovative tourism product that was developed to attract a sophisticated clientele.

"It combines an attractive experience with education, in addition, it is ecological and does not burden road traffic in the city," Adamcová said.

The topics of future thematic tram rides have not yet been announced. The thematic rides are in addition to the existing historical trams 41 and 42 and new bus line K, which all run on weekends and holidays.