The reconstruction of the main train station hall has exceeded the budget by 127 million CZK

Prague - The cost of reconstructing the roof of the arrival hall at Prague's main train station has increased by 127 million crowns due to corroded supporting arches. The century-old steel structure was in worse condition than the Railway Infrastructure Administration (SŽDC) had anticipated. SŽDC spokesperson Kateřina Šubová stated this at a meeting with journalists today. The original contract with construction companies set the cost of repairs at 470 million crowns, but construction costs have risen to approximately 600 million crowns.

"Some of the supporting structures could no longer be refurbished and had to be made anew. Unfortunately, this reality could not have been predicted. Surveys conducted before the start of construction did not suggest this. It primarily concerned internal corrosion of the supporting arches," Šubová said. In the summer of 2015, about six months after the repairs began, she anticipated cost increases in the order of tens of millions of crowns.

The main part of the repairs involved replacing the glass panels on the roof of the hall. They were contaminated by smoke from steam locomotives that used to operate in the station, as well as steel particles that are released from the tracks and wheels during train braking. The preserved beams of the steel structure were coated with protective paint, and new overhead lines for electric locomotives were also erected.

SŽDC will have to clean the dirty glass surfaces regularly, said Mojmír Nejezchleb, deputy general director of SŽDC responsible for railway modernization, today. According to him, the current roofing could serve for another decade without major repairs.

Originally, the construction work was supposed to be completed this May. However, the delay, according to Šubová, is not related to unexpected additional work but rather attributed to last year's disruptions in railway traffic in the nearby Vinohrady tunnels. Although the main part of the repairs is already finished, some work will still continue.

According to SŽDC, protective elements against pigeon nesting still need to be installed. The joints in the roof, through which water is still seeping, need to be sealed. According to Nejezchleb, everything should be definitively completed by next May. None of these works, however, should affect the operation of the station.

The historic Fant's building located between the arrival hall and Prague's main thoroughfare is also set to be renovated. According to the Ministry of Transport, it should be refurbished by 2022. Currently, only the central part, including the exterior facade, has been repaired. The side wings of the building are still waiting for reconstruction. Around that time, railway workers also want to complete the project for an underpass from the main station to the intersection of Seifertova and Italská streets. The project also includes the construction of a footbridge to Vinohradská Street.

According to Nejezchleb, the tracks in the tubes of the Vinohrady tunnels will also need to be reconstructed. The switches in the part of the track leading into these tunnels should also be replaced. SŽDC expects this to streamline the route that trains take towards the Smíchov station or to Vršovice.

The total cost of the repair of the arrival hall at Prague station, including the project part, has risen to 690 million crowns. From European funds, SŽDC received a contribution of approximately 480 million for the reconstruction.