Prague is considering extending the future Metro Line D to the city centre. A feasibility study will determine how the section from Náměstí Míru to Náměstí Republiky could be implemented both technically and economically – including new interchange options with the metro, railway, and the future Metropolitan Express.
The City of Prague is pushing ahead with plans for the further expansion of the new Metro Line D. On Monday, the City Council tasked Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) with preparing a feasibility study for the section Náměstí Míru (excluding) – Náměstí Republiky. The aim is to assess technical possibilities, economic viability, and the optimal integration into the existing transport network.
The planned tunnel section would start at the future terminus Náměstí Míru, pass under the main railway station, and end at Náměstí Republiky. It would provide direct interchange with Metro Lines B and C, long-distance and regional trains at the main and Masaryk railway stations, as well as the future “Metropolitan Express SPODEM”.
“Extending Metro D to Náměstí Republiky is the logical step to connect the new line with all existing metro lines and the most important railway hubs in the city centre. It will provide quick, convenient, and barrier-free transfers while also easing congestion on overloaded sections in the inner city,” said Zdeněk Hřib, Prague’s Deputy Mayor responsible for transport.
Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček, responsible for urban planning, also emphasised its strategic importance: “This section closes the missing link to Line B and strengthens connections with the rail network. It will form a central part of a major transport hub to be developed here in the coming years. We are also already looking into options for a later extension beyond Náměstí Republiky.”
The approximately 2.2-kilometre fully underground route would feature two new interchange stations – at the main railway station and at Náměstí Republiky. It is already designated as “public infrastructure” in the city’s valid development plans and is part of the emerging Metropolitan Plan.
The feasibility study, estimated to cost 16 million crowns, is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of this year. It will build on earlier studies from 2008 and more recent planning documents. In addition to the main variant, a possible branch towards Žižkov will also be analysed. Close coordination with the railway infrastructure – in particular the “SPODEM” project – is planned.
