Prague residents will have to wait at least another decade for the long-promised Metro D line, as the city’s latest timetable now sets the opening for 2034.

This section, stretching from Pankrác to the new depot in Písnice, is supposed to open all at once — nearly half a century after the completion of Line B.

The city once hoped the state would cover at least a quarter of the costs — about CZK 12 billion. The rest would be drawn from European funds.

But that plan proved unrealistic. Back in 2019, costs for the section from Náměstí Míru to Písnice were estimated at CZK 73 billion. Two years later, that jumped to CZK 98 billion. Today, it stands at CZK 120 billion — and may climb further.

“Unfortunately, previous political administrations did virtually nothing regarding Metro D, so it wasn’t realistic to meet the original 2023 completion date,” said Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates), Prague’s Deputy Mayor for Transport. “Instead, we used EU funds to expand tram lines.”

Airport Link Abandoned

When Line A was extended to Motol, many hoped it would eventually continue to Václav Havel Airport. In 2018, an analysis suggested the extension would cost CZK 27 billion and take eleven years to build, with stops at Bílá Hora, Dědina, Dlouhá Míle, and Staré Letiště.

Instead, focus shifted to a high-speed rail line between Kladno and Masaryk Station, with a stop at the airport. That project — under discussion for over 30 years — is finally under construction and expected to be completed by 2030.

In the meantime, airport transport has seen a minor upgrade. Buses from Veleslavín were replaced with longer trolleybuses, improving capacity and comfort.

“The three-section trolleybuses are a step forward, but a metro extension to the airport would have been the real solution,” said **Ondřej Matěj Hrubeš** (ODS), transport councilor for Prague 6.

Tram Lines Take Over

With Metro D stalled, the city has turned to expanding the tram network to improve public transport access to western districts. Two years ago, the line from Divoká Šárka was extended to Dědina. Future plans include extending this route via the Prague Ring Road to the Dlouhá Míle terminal, which will connect to the new rail line.

In February, city officials approved zoning changes to allow a new tram line from Motol to Vypich.

The 2.2-kilometer line will better connect Řepy, Břevnov, and Prague districts 5 and 6 by the end of the decade.

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