For the first time in over 40 years, Prague city has opened a new train station—a move that brings it closer to completing a long-discussed rail link between the city center and Václav Havel Airport.

The new Bubny station, along with the modernized rail line leading to Výstaviště, officially opens this weekend.

From Saturday, August 2, trains heading toward Kralupy nad Vltavou and Ústí nad Labem will begin using the station. On Monday, August 4, connections from Masaryk Station to Kladno will also start making stops there.

“This isn’t just about getting from A to B faster,” said Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS). “Bubny is now the heart of a completely new district. The railway is doing what it once did in history—sparking urban growth.”

The changes are already visible. The updated line spans just under one kilometer, now built largely on supporting pillars rather than traditional embankments.

The 5.6 billion CZK upgrade (partially funded by the European Union) also replaced aging overpasses and added new platforms, elevators, and footbridges to improve access between Letná and Stromovka Park.

The new Bubny station has one unusual feature: trains run directly inside the station building. It’s the first time this approach has been used in the Czech Republic.

Spanning 250 by 50 meters, the structure is elevated and rests on pillars, freeing up space underneath for commercial use. More than a dozen shops and services are expected to open below the tracks.

The building is also designed with passenger comfort in mind. Travelers will find glass waiting areas, elevators, escalators, and even indoor trees connected to automatic irrigation systems. According to Jiří Svoboda, director of the Railway Administration, the construction required “a high level of technical and logistical coordination.”

Remembering a Dark Past

While modern infrastructure reshapes the area, part of the site’s history is being preserved. Work is now underway to restore the original Prague-Bubny station, a place where almost 50,000 Jews were deported between 1941 and 1945.

A new Memorial and Center for Dialogue is planned for the site, expected to open in about two years. The project is valued at 190 million CZK.

A Step Toward the Airport

The Bubny–Výstaviště upgrade is part of the broader Prague–Airport–Kladno rail project, which spans 11 stages. The Negrelli viaduct is already complete, Masaryk Station is being renovated, and the Kladno–Ostrovec section is finished.

Work on the Prague Ruzyně–Kladno stretch is set to begin this year. In 2026, construction of a new underground station in Dejvice is expected. Meanwhile, the planned airport rail stop just received its first building permit.

If all goes as scheduled, direct trains from the city center to Václav Havel Airport could begin running by 2030.

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