145 Years Ago Today: The Beginning of Public Transport in Prague

September 23, 1875: the operation was launched solemnly on the first track of the Prague horse-drawn railway from Invalidovna in Karlín to the Chain Bridge of Emperor Franz.

It was 3.4 km long, in the territory of Prague monorail with switches, in both suburbs double-track.

The first depot was in Karlín. At that time, the name of the company operating the horse-drawn railway was General Direction der Prager Tramway.

This date is considered a symbolic beginning of the history of public transport in Prague.

In 1876, the track was extended west of the National Theater, through the Újezd hub to the Smíchov Railway Station. In 1882 the network was extended to Vinohrady and Žižkov.

At that time, they were independent suburbs of Prague, but now they are incorporated into the city. In 1883, the size of the entire network was 19.43 kilometers.

In 1891 the first electric tram line was opened in Letná. This line led from the upper terminal of the Letná Funicular to the pavilion of the Jubilee Exhibition through Ovenecká street. After two more years, this line was extended to the Governor’s Villa, a further distance of 1.4 km.

In 1896, on 19 March, František Křižík opened a second, more important tram line, which leads from Florenc to Libeň and Vysočany, joining the industrial suburbs of Prague with its residential area in the center.

In a continuation of the rapid growth of Prague’s trams, another new lined was opened in 1897. This time it was a suburban route from Smíchov to Košíře. It was named “Hlaváčkova electric railway”.

Later, a new passenger railroad in Královské Vinohrady was opened.