The new tram line in Plzeň will bring passengers directly to the university

Plzeň - Starting Monday morning, passengers in Plzeň will be able to use a new tram line, an extension of route number 4 from Lochotín to Bory. The line runs to the University of West Bohemia at the beginning of the Borská Pole industrial zone. The section, 1.4 kilometers long, cost 616 million crowns including VAT, and was supported by the EU with 355 million crowns. Until the scheduled inspection in November 2020, trams will operate there in a trial run.

According to the chairman of the board of the Plzeň public transport company (PMDP) and deputy mayor Roman Zarzycký (ANO), the tram network in Plzeň was last expanded in May 1990. Plzeň has been preparing the new construction for about 20 years, spending 170 million crowns on land purchases.

The new line runs from the intersection Klatovská-Kaplířova-U Borského parku to U Letiště street, where there is a terminus. Before it, there is another terminus on Dobřanská Street near the former football field. There is also a new transfer terminal for public transportation and regional bus services in Plzeň there. As part of the track construction, there is a 38-meter-long bridge over road I/27 from Klatovy.

"Until now, Borská Pole was only served by buses and one trolleybus line. Now people will not have to transfer when traveling from the center," said Mayor Martin Baxa (ODS) at today's ceremonial opening of the line. The new line ensures sufficiently capacious connectivity to the area, which has been problematic to access during morning rush hours. "Students and employees will get to school more quickly. This connects the faculties in the center with those in Borská Pole," said rector of the University of West Bohemia Miroslav Holeček.

Four stops have been added on the route of line number 4 in both directions - 'Borský park', 'Bory' at the new terminus on Dobřanská Street, 'Technická' near the university, and 'Univerzita' close to U Letiště street. "All tram services will go to the terminus Bory, but only some (half during peak hours) will continue to the final stop Univerzita," said PMDP CEO Jiří Ptáček.

The new transfer hub Kaplířova-Dobřanská, costing 63 million crowns, is already completed, which according to Deputy Mayor Michal Vozobule (TOP 09) is key for Plzeň. It will allow transfers to public transport lines from suburban bus services from Přeštice, Nýřany, and their surroundings, which will no longer go to the central bus station. Buses from U Borského parku have also been moved there. The EU will provide 39 million crowns for the construction.

The intersection Kaplířova-Dobřanská has been changed into a roundabout. To improve the visibility of the intersection Klatovská-Kaplířova-U Borského parku, the city is installing traffic lights there. There is a parking lot for 69 vehicles near the employment office. From today, cars can again pass through Kaplířova street.

By 2021, the city will build a large parking lot with 370 spaces on the former football field in Dobřanská street, the largest so far in Plzeň. Today, construction machinery from contracting companies is there. Drivers coming from the south or west, as well as people from the university and the employment office, will park there for free. The investment in the paved area will require several million crowns.

The city and PMDP are also considering the construction of a tram line to the Vinice housing estate, where further development is planned on Sylvánský vrch. "It's the first in line that we would like to include in the plan in collaboration with the city and then move towards implementation," said transportation operations director of PMDP Miroslav Macháň. He added that they are also discussing an extension of line number 1 to the former barracks Slovany on Nepomucká street, where hundreds of apartments and commercial properties are to be developed. Conversely, there is currently no plan to extend the tram to the end of Borská Pole towards Domažlice. "But it cannot be ruled out that the demand for transport in this area will indicate that it will be necessary," said Macháň. Vozobule added that he wants a comprehensive public transport master plan to be developed next year, which will indicate where trams should be led further.