Prague will announce a tender for eight billion crowns for a terminal at the Smíchov railway station

Prague - The Prague City Hall plans to announce a tender with an estimated value of eight billion crowns excluding VAT for the construction of a transportation terminal at Smíchov railway station. The intention was approved today by the city council, and it will still be voted on by the representatives. The terminal will replace the bus station Na Knížecí and will also include a P+R parking lot. According to the approved document, the state is to complete it by the end of 2030. At the same time, the Railway Administration (SŽ) is preparing the reconstruction of the station itself.

The new terminal will include a railway station for suburban and long-distance rail transport, a metro station, tram stations, as well as stations for city, suburban, and long-distance buses, trolleybuses, and electric bus lines. A large-capacity P+R parking lot will also be created west of the railway station.

According to the city's plans, the terminal will have several levels. Underground passages will lead from Nádražní Street to the platforms. The second level will house the station itself, which will be on the same level as today, with a bus terminal planned above it, moved from the current station Na Knížecí. The metro will be located below the terminal. All levels and modes of transport will be interconnected.

In the past, cost estimates for the construction of the terminal were lower; according to Deputy Mayor for Transport Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates), the current estimated price is due to a significant expansion of the intention. According to him, the costs are justified in light of ensuring transport accessibility. "We need to offer people commuting from other regions a way to get to Prague comfortably," he told reporters after the council meeting. He added that the city will seek funding from European funds and, considering the significance for the entire region, also from the government. "The project will indeed and demonstrably not serve only the residents of Prague," he stated.

According to the document approved today, the city hall anticipates the start of construction at the end of next year and completion by the end of 2030. The work will be coordinated with SŽ, which will be responsible, especially for the reconstruction of the station building and railway station, including the repair of platforms, creation of one new platform, and repairs of underpasses. A pedestrian bridge over the railway will also be constructed, connecting Smíchov, Radlice, and the developing neighborhood of Smíchov City between the station and the Na Knížecí area. In August, SŽ announced a public contract for the work with an estimated value of 5.2 billion crowns.

Smíchov railway station was opened as the second major station in Prague in 1862. The current station building was constructed in the 1950s; the original buildings were not preserved, partly due to damage during World War II. The station is one of the busiest railway hubs in Prague, along with the main station - which it was connected to ten years after its establishment - and Masaryk Station.