Jihlava and SŽ are selecting companies for the reconstruction of the railway station for 1.9 billion crowns

Jihlava - The city train station in Jihlava will transform into a central transport terminal within two years, where passengers will be able to transfer from passenger trains to line buses and public transport, and access for cars will also improve. The reconstruction, prepared by the Railway Administration (SŽ) in cooperation with the Jihlava city hall, is expected to begin in the summer. The estimated costs of these projects are around 1.9 billion crowns in total, with tenders currently starting. Representatives of SŽ and the city announced this to journalists today in Jihlava.

The city and SŽ initiated the selection process for contractors on Tuesday, said Jihlava Mayor Petr Ryška (ODS). The estimated value of the city contract is around 400 million crowns. "We will see how it turns out in the bidding. We think it's quite a good time right now, and it might be a little less," he noted. SŽ expects costs for its investment to be within 1.5 billion crowns.

The mayor stated that if there are no complications, the contractor could be selected by the end of May. "Of course, it is possible that it might take longer," he said. Nonetheless, he anticipates that construction work could begin at the turn of August and September.

The old buildings at the station will be demolished, and the new departure building will have two floors. The reconstruction will also include the track and platforms. "It is essentially a complete reconstruction and renovation of the entire station and the entire railway infrastructure," stated Miroslav Bocák, director of the Eastern Building Administration of SŽ. He added that it involves a section 1.5 kilometers long. The goods area at the station will also be reconstructed, which is primarily a requirement from the army according to him.

The city investments are divided into two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by spring 2026 at the latest. The city will take care of a new layout of the area in front of the station, where there will be stops for line bus transport and public transport, as well as a parking lot with 68 spaces. The communications along the terminal will be newly connected to a roundabout on Havlíčkova Street.

The Jihlava - city station is close to the center, while the main train station is further away. According to the mayor, the city station is not currently the most beautiful place and needs cultivation. He is pleased that there will be a modern transport terminal there. "I believe it will be an asset for Jihlava," said Ryška. He added that after the completion of this terminal, train transport to Prague should improve, with direct connections expected.

The city train station will serve passengers until mid-December this year. "Throughout next year, there will be a suspension of passenger transport at this station, which means that the public will not be boarding here at all," said Bocák. The station will be passable for trains even during reconstruction, but trains will only stop there again with the new timetable coming into effect in December 2025. The investments by SŽ are expected to be completed by June 2026.

Later, according to the city hall, the bus station could also move to the terminal. Looking ahead, there are also plans to connect the new central transport terminal in Jihlava with the high-speed railway (VRT) terminal, which the Railway Administration plans to build in Jihlava - Pávov in a few years. The winning architectural design for the VRT terminal was presented by the administration in Jihlava last week.