Czech Krumlov will repair the bus station

photo: Lubor Mrázek

Český Krumlov - This autumn, Český Krumlov will begin the reconstruction of the bus station, with costs reaching 70 to 75 million crowns. The city will receive more than 42 million crowns from the European Union for a barrier-free transfer terminal, which will include a parking lot for cars and bicycles. Miroslav Reitinger, director of the Český Krumlov Development Fund (ČKRF), told ČTK today.

The construction will last from this autumn until autumn 2018. "A crucial change is that a modern bus station will be created, with central covered illuminated platforms, a clear navigation and information system, and new access routes. In addition, it will be complemented by about 100 parking spaces for cars, which will open up space for the P+R service," said Reitinger. The project also includes the reconstruction of engineering networks.

The ČKRF is fully owned by the city, but the fund operates independently. The fund has been preparing for the project for three years, adjusting its operations accordingly. "We have limited some expenses and accumulated our own resources for this investment action, which is significant for the city," stated the director of the ČKRF. Part of the changes will be the reconstruction of the dispatch building, for which the fund does not want to draw subsidies, as it intends to rent out some spaces there.

The construction will not bring any transportation restrictions for residents or tourists; buses will continue to stop at the station. "The appearance will improve and what people have been criticizing us for about 25 years, that our station is ugly, that it has terrible toilets, and that it is not a dignified stop for any visitor to the city," said Dalibor Carda (ČSSD), the mayor of the city, to ČTK.

According to Reitinger, people are bothered by the uncovered stands at the station, the lack of clarity in the space, and the absence of information systems. "The dispatch building is also very unwelcoming, providing no services for travelers that would correspond to the 21st century. When you are waiting for someone, there is a lack of parking options and there is nowhere to store luggage. We would like to improve all of that," said Reitinger.