Flood Protection Exercise in Prague: Štvanická Footbridge to Be Temporarily Raised

On Saturday, traffic and public transport disruptions are expected in parts of Prague due to a large-scale flood protection exercise. Affected areas include parts of Holešovice and the area along the Vltava River between Hlávkův most and Libeňský most.

Prague is preparing for possible flooding on Saturday with a large-scale flood protection exercise. As part of the exercise in Holešovice, mobile flood barriers will be installed, numerous emergency services coordinated, and the Štvanická footbridge will also be temporarily raised for the first time.

The exercise “Holešovice – jih 2026” will take place on Saturday, 16 May, between Hlávkův most and Libeňský most. The affected section along the Vltava River is around 1.5 kilometres long. Work will begin as early as 6.00am and is expected to continue until around 10.00pm.

The main focus will be the installation of mobile flood protection elements across seven sections. A total of 7,348 mobile elements from 26 containers will be used. Depending on the location, the barriers will range in height from 0.33 to 3.8 metres.

Foto: Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prah

In addition to the City of Prague and the Technical Road Administration (TSK), the exercise will involve emergency services from the Integrated Rescue System, volunteer fire brigades, the army, the Czech Red Cross and several other organisations. A total of 171 people are expected to be directly involved in the installation work.

In addition, 40 prisoners from the Pankrác and Ruzyně prisons will assist with the work under the supervision of the Czech Prison Service. Fifty members of the active reserve of the Czech Army, as well as several volunteer fire brigade units from Prague and the Central Bohemian Region, will also take part.

A special part of the exercise will be the temporary raising of the Štvanická footbridge. The modern pedestrian and cycle bridge between Karlín and Holešovice was only opened in 2023. The technical lifting operation is scheduled for 9.00am and will be carried out together with Prague’s Technical Road Administration.

Foto: IPR Praha

During the work, the bridge will remain accessible from the Karlín side only as far as Štvanice Island. The section towards Holešovice will be completely closed from 5.30am.

At the same time, the fire brigade of Správa železnic plans to install individual flood protection measures in the area around Praha-Bubny railway station, which opened only last year.

Traffic problems are also expected on Saturday. Bubenské nábřeží will be completely closed to car traffic from midnight to midnight. Further restrictions will apply in the southern part of Holešovice between Hlávkův most and Libeňský most. In addition, changes will affect several public transport lines. More information is available on the website of Prague Public Transit Company (DPP).

Since the severe floods of 2002 and 2013, the City of Prague has operated an extensive flood protection system consisting of permanent flood walls, mobile barriers, flood gates, pumping stations and special sewer protection systems. Regular exercises have been held since 2005.