The European Commission is awaiting arguments for the tunnel between Prague and Beroun

Beroun

Beroun - The Railway Infrastructure Administration (SŽDC) is currently preparing arguments for the European Commission to support the latest proposed route for the 25-kilometer railway tunnel from Prague to Beroun. This was stated by SŽDC spokesman Pavel Halla. Thanks to the construction costing 33 billion crowns, the travel time between Beroun and the capital should be reduced to ten minutes, whereas it currently takes over half an hour.
    "By the end of the year, we are preparing a reassessment for the European Commission, so that we can start the application procedure for EU funding from the Transport Operational Programme next year. So everything is running according to schedule for now," said Halla.
    According to Mladá fronta Dnes, the European Union finds the construction costing 33 billion expensive and options are being sought to reduce the cost. However, according to Halla, the amount of investment should not change. "The amount essentially does not play a role; it is just about strengthening the arguments for this variant with the help of the Vienna agency," he stated. According to him, the last route of the tunnel was arrived at quite logically because it is not possible to lead it through residential areas.
    The tunnel is set to begin construction in 2012 and should be completed by 2018. "Regarding the zoning decision, the latest amendment to the construction law is essential for us, according to which we do not have to negotiate with landowners who are not directly affected by the tunnel construction," noted Halla. SŽDC already has an agreement with all 12 affected municipalities, including Prague, regarding the change in the zoning plan. "That has already been negotiated, so we hope it will succeed," added the spokesman.
    The construction of the tunnel is highly welcomed by Beroun's mayor Jiří Besser, who has participated in discussions about its form in the past. "The project has been in preparation since 1995; I was present at the very first discussions. It has gone through enormous development, there were nine tunnel routes, and this one was chosen as the simplest," he remarked.
    According to him, all parties are doing their utmost to ensure the tunnel's construction. "Of course we support it because the connection between Beroun and Prague would be much more convenient for people. The train reaches much further in Prague than buses, and in many cases, there is no need to connect to public transport," added the mayor.
    Currently, the route from Prague to Beroun runs along the Berounka river and has 11 stops. The maximum allowed speed for trains is 80 kilometers per hour. The tunnel would shorten the route by ten kilometers, and trains could operate at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour.
    In connection with the planned modernization of the railway connection to Prague, Beroun plans to build a P+R (Park and Ride) parking lot with a capacity of 184 spaces next to the train station next year. The total costs amount to nearly 17 million crowns, and the approved contribution from structural funds is 6.6 million.