City in Motion: Progress Unveiled for Prague’s Fifth Metro Line

In early December, a significant milestone was reached in constructing Prague’s metro line D.

The first section of the new line, spanning from the future Olbrachtova station to tunnel behind the future Pankrác D station, was officially connected as a wall between them came down.

Simultaneously, Prague City is taking steps towards the E metro line by appointing a coordinator for its planning.

Despite being previously referred to as Line O, the E line differs significantly, intending to form a circular route around the city center, linking Prague’s districts.

Zdeněk Hřib, deputy minister for transport, emphasizes the need for a thorough feasibility study to determine the route, technology, and approximate cost of this ambitious project.

“The current transport system will not suffice for Prague residents or visitors in the coming decades,” Hřib stated on Facebook. The E line aims to serve districts anticipating substantial construction development, particularly between Smíchov and Budějovická, as well as Prosek, Vysočany, and Žižkov.

“Imagine that the whole of Ostrava or even almost the whole of Bro moves to Prague. […] If we do not start tackling the radical strengthening of underground public transport in time, Prague’s streets will be overwhelmed, and Prague will suffocate. The streets are not inflatable and more cars or, for example, buses cannot fit in them,” the representative of the City of Prague Adam Scheinherr added.

The new line would be 36 kilometres long, with 23 stations, and potentially transport over 150,000 passengers a day and around 100 million each year.

According to earlier information provided by City Hall, it would lead from Nádraží Podbaba through Dejvice, Smíchov, Dvorce, Budějovická, Vršovice, Žižkov and Vysočany to Čakovice in the north of Prague.

In the second phase of construction, the line would then re-connect with Podbaba, with five further stops being added across the north of the city.