Správa železnic (Railway Administration) has announced a tender for a contractor who will reconstruct Prague's oldest train station - Masarykovo nádraží - for CZK 3.2 billion (€134.6 million). The idea of the authority is that the contractor should be able to connect the historical spaces with contemporary architecture and at the same time that the comfort for passengers and trains should be significantly increased, according to the report by the Správa železnic.
The most striking urban element in the reconstruction of the Masarykovo nádraží station in Prague will be the platform above the track. This should connect the Florence area with the main railway station for pedestrians, while at the same time providing comfortable and barrier-free access to the individual platforms at the station itself. Construction work will begin at the turn of the year and is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2027. "Masarykovo nádraží already plays a significant role in Prague's suburban transport, with tens of thousands of passengers using it every day. Its reconstruction is part of the modernisation of the line to Kladno with a branch to Václav Havel Airport. Thanks to this connection, the importance of the station will increase significantly," says Jiří Svoboda, Director General of Správa železnic. Work is already in progress between the railway station Praha-Bubny and the future new stop Praha-Výstaviště and on other sections of the route to Kladno.
The modernisation will extend the number of tracks from seven to nine, one new platform will be added and the original ones will be reconstructed. A platform above the entire track will contribute to the urban integration of the station area into the surrounding buildings. It will not only enable a communication link between Florence and Hybernská Street and the Masarykovo nádraží and the main railway station but will also offer a new vestibule for waiting passengers. From there, escalators, stairs and lifts will take them directly to the individual platforms. A part of the platform will be planted with vegetation, creating a quiet zone right in the centre of the metropolis. All six platforms in the station will have barrier-free access. The track and all technologies, catenary and power supply will also be reconstructed. The construction will be carried out during operation, requiring only partial restrictions.
The modernisation and completion of the railway station Prague Masarykovo nádraží is approved for co-financing by the European Union from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The total investment costs amount to almost CZK 4 billion (€168 million).
