The repair of the railway station in Č. Budějovice should begin in January 2020

České Budějovice - The repair of the train station in České Budějovice for 170 million crowns is expected to start in January 2020. This summer, the Railway and Transport Infrastructure Administration (SŽDC) plans to begin repairing the station building in Veselí nad Lužnicí, and next year it hopes to repair the station in Český Krumlov. Marek Illiaš, spokesperson for SŽDC, told ČTK.

The condition of the České Budějovice station is one of the worst among regional cities. The Neo-Renaissance building was opened in 1908. In recent years, the newly modernized track and platform contrast with the state of the building. Last September, SŽDC signed a contract for the preparation of project documentation for the renovation of the station building. The winner of the competition is the consortium Metroprojekt + Sagasta + Ateliér 8000. Construction is expected to start in January 2020.

"The estimated investment amount is 170 million crowns, and the exact figure can only be specified once the project documentation is available. It may change due to new security requirements for the building or unforeseen technical problems. The historic building is a listed monument," Illiaš said.

Project preparation is underway for the repair of the station in Český Krumlov, which will cost five million. It is expected to start next April and will include a complete renovation of the building's outer shell, including the platform shelter, partial roof repairs, interior adjustments, and replacement of utility networks. According to Illiaš, all public areas will be modernized, increasing comfort for passengers and upgrading the operational sections. SŽDC has similar construction work planned for the repair of the station in Veselí nad Lužnicí, which is estimated to last from this July to the autumn of 2019, costing 19.5 million crowns.

The station in České Budějovice is very busy. In recent years, due to the modernization of the fourth corridor, travel time to Prague has been reduced and should drop to as low as 1.5 hours. Czech Railways recently resumed express trains to Linz, and the station also sees thousands of tourists heading to Šumava, to Lipno, or embarking on trips down the Vltava River.