A major reconstruction of Plzeňská Street in Prague 5 will begin at the end of June, bringing a series of traffic restrictions and detours through the summer

Starting July 16, the section between Kartouzská and Erbenova streets will be completely closed to all car and bus traffic, with disruptions expected to last through August 29.

The reconstruction is being driven by the urgent need to repair a severely deteriorated gas pipeline, with other infrastructure improvements taking place simultaneously.

The scope of the project has drawn criticism from the Prague 5 mayor, Lukáš Herold (ODS), who says the timing—overlapping with other large-scale repairs in the district—could create unmanageable traffic congestion.

“We explicitly asked the city to postpone the Plzeňská reconstruction until after the full rebuild of Peroutkova Street. Now, all three major arteries in Prague 5—Plzeňská, Peroutkova, and Holečkova—are under construction simultaneously. This will cause total traffic chaos,” Herold said.

The reconstruction will include repairs to the gas pipeline, managed by Pražská plynárenská distribuce, which dates back to the 1950s and 1970s.

According to board vice-chair Andrej Prn, around 600 meters will be replaced this year, with the remainder of the two-kilometer pipeline scheduled for next year.

“The condition of the pipeline is so poor that we must act immediately. That’s why the repairs are scheduled for the summer holidays,” said Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates).

In addition to gas work, the Technical Administration of Communications (TSK) will carry out road resurfacing, and Prague Water Management Company will overhaul water infrastructure. The public transport operator will also use the closure period to make adjustments.

Timeline of Closures and Transit Disruptions

• June 26–29: Plzeňská Street closed in one direction toward Zličín, from the Smíchov Gate to Kartouzská.
• June 30–July 15: Full closure of Kartouzská Street between Radlická and Plzeňská.
• July 16–August 29: Complete closure of the Plzeňská section between Kartouzská and Erbenova for all car and bus traffic.

Detours will be routed via Mozartova, Vrchlického, and Erbenova streets. “We’ll aim to reduce transit traffic through this sensitive part of Smíchov,” said TSK Deputy Director Josef Richtr.

Public transport will also see substantial changes:

• June 28–29: Trams will not operate in either direction on Plzeňská between Anděl and Sídliště Řepy. Replacement buses will run.
• June 30–July 11: Tram service near Anděl will be suspended. Routes to Košíře and Řepy will be diverted via Nádražní and Za Ženskými domovy. Tram access to Radlice will be replaced by buses.
• After July 11, tram services will resume through the area for the rest of the summer construction period.
• Meanwhile, bus lines 123, 191, and 167 will be shortened, and tram capacity will be increased by adding an extra line on Plzeňská.

City officials say they delayed this reconstruction until after the long-awaited repair of the Barrandov Bridge, which took four years. However, due to overlapping European Union funding deadlines, some construction—such as the installation of a new trolleybus line—cannot be postponed.

“In many cases, other projects underway in Prague 5 couldn’t be rescheduled for technical or financial reasons,” said Deputy Mayor Hřib.

The second phase of the reconstruction will begin in February 2026, completing the full pipeline overhaul and other upgrades.

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