The planned CZK 40 billion extension of the Prague metro A line from Dejvice to the airport is to improve connection for those living in the western and northwestern part of the capital city. In fact, however, traveling in Prague may get worse because the new metro line may disrupt the system of surface public transport in this part of the city.
The situation may be similar to that in Letňany where the metro line ends in fields and is used by fewer people than planned, so the city transport provider reduced the service.
“The metro to the airport will become a perfect competitor to the system of tram lines that is very well developed in Prague 6,” Prague´s transport expert Martin Šubrt said.
The new metro line will help only those living near the new stations, while others will need more time to get to the city centre. Once it opens the metro line, the city transport company plans to reduce the tram and bus service.
“The new metro is not a complement to the standing transport system. Building it will cost a lot of money, the tram service will be restricted and people will be forced to use the metro. But it won’t accelerate transport,” Šubrt said.
“Only the lucky ones living up to 400 metres from several new metro stations will feel an improvement,” he added.
A sightseeing tour by metro
What is the most criticised about the planned metro A line extension is the branch to Motol, said Barbora Krutáková, who raised objections to the proposed A route within the environmental impact assessment proceedings, in an interview with Aktuálně.cz. The A line would not head directly to the airport, but turn to the Motol hospital and then back via Bílá hora to the airport. Surface transport then might be faster for those travelling to the airport.
“In the official documents, I found no calculations, no analysis of the movement of passengers in this part of Prague, in what directions they travel and how they possibly get to Motol,” Krutáková said.
Greens prefer the D line
Prague representatives from the Green Party criticise the new metro line as well, claiming that a new fast-train connection to the Prague Airport will be built at a lower price.
“Construction of the 13-kilometre metro to the airport will cost at least CZK 40 billion and operating costs are estimated at CZK 500 million a year. Modernising the Prague-Kladno railway line with an extension to the airport will be at least CZK 10 billion cheaper and its operation will be CZK 200 million cheaper each year,” the Greens representatives said in their statement.
The Greens are proposing to instead focus on the the new D line metro, which would be used by many more people than the extended A line.
“The situation in public city transport in Prague 4 and 12, where hundreds of thousands of citizens live, relying mainly on buses, is critical. Moreover, the Nuselský bridge will have to be repaired in a foreseeable future, which will restrict transport on the C line and cut off this part of Prague from the city centre,” said Zuzana Drhová, a Prague representative from the Green Party.
Prague wants to build new line in eight years
However, the Prague town hall still wants to build the A line extension to the airport first. Construction could start in the autumn of this year.
“It should start operating in 2018,” said Radovan Šteiner, Prague councillor for transport.
In the first stage, a CZK 15 billion section from Dejvice to Petřiny should be built by the end of 2013, possibly including the extension to Motol.
“It will depend mostly on money,” Šteiner said. Prague believes it will cover part of the costs from European Union funds.
