Pedestrians cannot pass around the Vyšehrad train station building due to its condition.

Prague – Pedestrians on Svobodova Street in Prague 2 will not be able to pass by the Vyšehrad train station building. Due to the emergency state of the building, the adjacent sidewalk will be closed. The tram shelter at the Albertov stop will also be removed. This was announced today by Prague 2 spokesperson Andrea Zoulová. The municipality agreed on the measures with the city hall, affected municipal companies, and the JCDecaux company, which operates the public transport shelter for the city. The fate and condition of the dilapidated monument is now also being addressed by the building department of Prague 2.

The decision to close the sidewalk arose from an assessment of risks associated with the current state of the station, Zoulová stated. The city's goal was to find measures that would ensure the safety of passersby. The building owner, RailCity Vyšehrad, previously had the building fenced, but it remained possible to access its vicinity.

The emergency state of the station is also being addressed by Prague 2's building department, which has previously conducted a number of administrative procedures with the owner and called for security measures for the building to prevent unauthorized access. Both parties have also argued over an inspection of the building. The owner initially did not want to allow officials to conduct an inspection, but it ultimately took place in September of this year. A structural engineer was able to enter the building and document the condition of the station. "The building department will thus obtain relevant grounds for its further activities in the framework of state administration thanks to the expert assessment,” added Zoulová.

The building, which has been privately owned since 2007, is owned by the Cypriot company MIQUELIRA LIMITED through RailCity Vyšehrad since the beginning of this year. The city hall wanted to negotiate with the representatives of the owners regarding the purchase of the building or an exchange for municipal land. So far, no agreement has been reached. Representatives of the city hall have also previously mentioned the possibility of expropriation, but no decision has yet been made on that matter.

The building, dating from the early 20th century, was declared a cultural monument in 2000. Investors previously planned to reconstruct the building, but the plan fell through due to difficulties in gaining approval from heritage protection authorities. The building has thus been deteriorating for a long time. Train operations were halted around 1960, and now the restoration of its original function is not possible because modern standards do not allow for a station to be placed in a bend. Instead, the city plans a train stop at Výton.