People in the survey about the design of the railway bridge in Libeň chose the option with an arch

Prague – In a survey about the design of the new railway bridge in Prague's Libeň, people chose the variant with an arch above the roadway and a sports facility beneath the bridge. This was reported today by the Railway Administration (SŽ) on its website. More than 650 people from Prague and other parts of the country participated in the survey.

"The Railway Administration respects the results of the survey and will continue with the project preparation based on the selected variant. Project work and the development of an architectural study will begin shortly, with completion expected by the end of 2026," stated SŽ in a press release.

In the survey, which took place in June in collaboration with Prague 9 and the city hall on the Prague Citizen Portal, interested parties could vote on two bridging options and three versions of the use of the space beneath it. In all monitored groups of voters – residents of Prague 9, other Prague inhabitants, and non-Praguers – the second architectural variant won with 56 percent of the votes. There was also consensus on the future use of the space under the bridge, where the sports facility received the most support, with 62 percent of respondents voting for it.

Preparation of the project documentation for the reconstruction of the track is now continuing. Last August, SŽ indicated that the construction would start in 2028; it is now expected to begin in the early 2030s. The construction will take three years. The estimated costs for the entire project are around 2.5 billion crowns.

The planned reconstruction of the railway line between Libeň and Malešice is expected to speed up the transit of trains through Prague. After the construction of the so-called Libeň crossover, according to SŽ, freight trains will no longer wait near Smetanka park for crossing with the main line. The new double-track connection from Libeň to Malešice will first cross over the main corridor to Běchovice, and then connect to the existing single-track line near Českobrodská Street.

The section will be significantly quieter than it is currently after modernization, as noise from train accelerations will be eliminated. The project will also include the doubling of the entire section to Malešice, which is used, among other things, by the city line trains. SŽ has obtained a valid zoning decision for the construction and has also incorporated feedback from local residents in the project preparations.

SŽ is a state organization that, among other things, is responsible for the railway tracks, station buildings, creates the timetable, and ensures equal access for carriers to the railway. It also acts as an investor in the construction of railway lines. This year, it is operating with a budget of 72.2 billion crowns, which is 9.5 billion more than last year's budget.