In Prague, the operation of the new section of the metro line A has begun

Prague - Today in Prague, six years after the start of construction, the operation of the new section of the metro on line A has begun. The six-kilometer extension of the metro from the original terminal station Dejvická to Motol, with four new stations, was ceremoniously opened by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (ČSSD) along with Prague Mayor Adriana Krnáčová (for ANO) and the management of the transport company. The first passengers traveled through the new section in the afternoon.
    The new stations opened to the public shortly before 3 PM. For example, the Bořislavka station at the beginning of the new section was full at the beginning of operations. According to the ČTK reporter, hundreds of people were transported in the first minutes. On Tuesday, Prague residents can expect changes to the schedules of connecting buses and trams in connection with the metro extension.
    At the opening of the metro at the new Nádraží Veleslavín station, the Prime Minister promised that the state would assist the capital city in improving transport infrastructure, including the construction of additional metro stations, and in utilizing funds from the European Union. "I believe that in the coming years, the state budget should contribute to the further construction of especially Prague's metro," Sobotka stated. The mayor appreciated the promise. "Thank you on behalf of Prague, and trust me, we will be reaching out to you very soon," she said.
    Sobotka also promised Prague state assistance with the modernization of the railway connection to Václav Havel Airport in Ruzyně, which should connect to the metro at the Nádraží Veleslavín station. According to the Prime Minister, the modernization will be cheaper than extending the metro to the airport. However, the new stations, according to the Prime Minister, make sense as they alleviate surface transportation and ensure better access to Motol Hospital.
    The construction of the extension of metro line A began in 2009 and cost approximately 20 billion crowns. Four stops were created in the new section of the metro - Bořislavka, Nádraží Veleslavín, Petřiny, and Nemocnice Motol. Similar to some less-used stations on line C, trains will operate in limited mode on the extended section of metro line A. At certain times, only half of the trains will pass through the new stations.
    Critics argue that directing the metro to Motol Hospital was not a wise choice, especially in a situation where there is no direct connection to the airport. Additionally, the city did not build a single park-and-ride facility at the new stations, contrary to its original promises.
    The Nádraží Veleslavín station is also a target of criticism due to the lack of escalators from the vestibule to the surface. General Director of the Transport Company Jaroslav Ďuriš told reporters that barrier-free access will be built as part of the modernization of the railway connection. He pointed out that there are certain barriers in the stations Florenc, Dejvická, and Zličín, and that Veleslavín has barrier-free access because it has an elevator. "In my opinion, it's an exaggerated issue," Ďuriš stated. The planned porters who will temporarily assist passengers at Ruzyně are, according to Ďuriš, an initiative of the airport.
    On Tuesday morning, the schedules for buses and trams will change, particularly in the areas of Prague 5 and 6. For the first time, bus line number 119 will take passengers to the airport. Other buses will also start and finish their rides at Veleslavín or Bořislavka instead of at the Dejvická stop.
    Although the city leadership did not face as many issues with the commissioning of the approximately six-kilometer section of the metro as it did with the similarly long Blanka road tunnel, this construction still has its challenges. Problems are being encountered with the absorption of the approximately seven billion crown European subsidy. In addition to the Ministry of Finance's oversight, the Supreme Audit Office and the Office for the Protection of Competition are also dealing with the construction.
    The new metro stations on line A visually differ from each other. Bořislavka, Nádraží Veleslavín, and Petřiny feature various shades of red on the wall cladding of the platforms. In contrast, the green-and-white Nemocnice Motol station lies almost on the surface. Its platform has a glass roof, and access is directly from the street.
    Prague's metro, with three lines, transports hundreds of millions of passengers each year. In 2013, it was 584 million people, averaging 1.6 million daily. The city leadership has long-term plans to construct a fourth line to Písnice, designated as D.
    The state participated financially in the completion of the metro in the 1990s, when a substantial part of the money already came from the city hall and European funds. Since 1990, Prague has invested nearly 63 billion crowns in extending the metro, according to the press. Sobotka promised state assistance last October for the construction of line D.

Expansion Progress of Metro A:

1978	opening of the first section Leninova (now Dejvická) - Náměstí Míru, a total of seven stations
1980	extension of the section Náměstí Míru - Želivského
1985	commencement of operations at the depot in Hostivař, but in the section Strašnická - Depo Hostivař trains only run through one tunnel and without passengers
1987	the Strašnická station and the second track tunnel in the section Strašnická - Depo Hostivař were put into operation
1990	the Skalka station was put into operation
2006	the Depo Hostivař station was put into operation
2015	extension of the section Dejvická - Nemocnice Motol