📋 Tender Overview
At its meeting today the government approved the Partial Territorial Development Plan (DURP) of VRT PRAGUE which defines the corridors for the high-speed line in the territory of the capital. This is an important step in the preparation of the new railway infrastructure which is supposed to increase the capacity of the Prague railway hub and create conditions for the future operation of high-speed trains.
The partial territorial development plan defines the corridor of the high-speed line in the section Prague-Vrsovice - Prague-Bechovice including a track yard intended for short-term parking of train sets. The solution also includes the construction of a new connecting track between the lines Prague-Liben - Prague-Malesice and Prague-Malesice - Prague-Bechovice the so-called Jahodnicka spojka which will enable smooth passage of freight trains through the Prague junction.
The approval of the Partial Territorial Development Plan of VRT Prague is an important milestone for the preparation of a high-speed railway in the capital. The state thereby obtains the necessary land protection for strategic transport infrastructure. The prepared sections of the high-speed railway line are one of the pieces of the puzzle of solving the currently borderline capacity of the Prague railway hub says Minister of Transport Ivan Bednarik and adds: The transport resort is thus continuing its plan for the backbone network of high-speed railways presented in the spring which should connect the largest economic and administrative centers of the Czech Republic on the Usti nad Labe - Prague - Brno - Ostrava axis with connections to Germany Poland Slovakia and Austria.
The Ministry of Transport proceeded to the acquisition of separate land-use planning documentation using the possibility given to the state by the amended Act No. 416/2009 Coll. on speeding up the construction of strategically important infrastructure. The investor of the building the Railway Administration requested the City Hall of the City of Prague to update the principles of territorial development of the city. City of Prague already in January 2023. The City Council approved the possibility of acquiring this Update in May 2024 however the relevant update has not yet been completed due to changes to the Urban Development Principles of the City of Prague based on previous amendments to the Building Act. Further waiting would mean a significant postponement of the territorial protection of the corridor and subsequent construction preparations.
VRT Prague is not just part of the future high-speed network. It is also an important capacity project for the entire Prague railway hub. Separating part of the long-distance transport from the busiest conventional lines will bring more space for more reliable regional passenger and freight transport and increase the resilience of railway traffic in the event of various extraordinary events says Tomas Toth CEO of the Railway Administration.
The partial spatial development plan is a special spatial planning tool intended for the preparation of important transport structures in the urgent public interest. Its acquisition is made possible by SS 2l of Act No. 416/2009 Coll. on accelerating the construction of strategically important infrastructure. The provider of the documentation is the Ministry of Transport and the approved partial territorial development plan is binding for decision-making in the territory. Subsequently the Ministry for Regional Development will adopt it in the national territorial development plan at the next change.
You can find up-to-date information on the preparation status of the high-speed railway construction project in the Czech Republic on the special website of the Railway Administration.
