Prague’s long-awaited Petřín funicular is moving closer to reopening, with the new cable car cars already delivered to the Czech Republic and set to be installed later this month.

The new cars, built in Olten, Switzerland for Prague’s public transport company, are currently being stored at a depot while reconstruction work on the line continues. Installation on Petřín Hill is expected to begin in the second half of April.

If testing and approval processes stay on schedule, passengers could return to the route in September, according to Prague’s transport company, which shared the update on X.

The historic funicular, which runs from Újezd through Nebozízek to the top of Petřín Hill, has been closed since September 2024 for a full reconstruction of the line and supporting infrastructure.

The two new cars were produced by the Austrian-Swiss group Doppelmayr/Garaventa, based on a design by Czech studio Anna Marešová Designers. The contract was worth 137.7 million CZK.

Before the new cars can be placed into service, workers still need to install the traction cable and connect both cars to the system. Once that is complete, the remaining technology required for operation will be assembled.

Test runs without passengers are scheduled for May and June. The first tests will take place with empty cars, followed by tests with added weight to simulate passenger loads.

After technical trials are completed, Prague’s transport company will seek approval from authorities for trial operations and certification of the new cars.

The redesigned cars will offer wider views of Prague thanks to larger glass surfaces. Inside, they will include folding seats and an updated observation area. Capacity will also increase from 100 to 120 passengers per car, including 19 seats.

The line first opened in 1891 during the Jubilee Provincial Exhibition. It has been shut down twice in the past. Service was suspended in 1916 during World War I and resumed in 1932. A major landslide damaged the track in 1965, and the line did not reopen until 1985.

According to Prague’s transport company, the current reconstruction was necessary because of the unstable condition of the Petřín hillside and the age of the previous cars, which had reached the end of their operational life.

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