The extension of the tram line in Podbaba has both a permit and a builder

Prague - The extension of the tram line in the Prague district of Podbaba will be constructed by Eurovia CS. The project has already obtained a construction permit. Ilona Vysoudilová, spokesperson for the Prague Public Transit Company, told ČTK that design work should begin this month, with construction starting at the turn of the year. The construction, costing approximately 282 million crowns, is expected to be completed by the end of June next year. The Public Transit Company of the Capital City of Prague (DPP) will obtain funding from European funds for the project.
The tram line, which currently ends in front of the Crowne Plaza hotel (formerly the International Hotel) at the former Družby Square, will be extended by approximately 260 meters of new double-track. An additional approximately 290 meters of track will be laid in a new tram loop at the planned Praha - Podbaba railway station. At the same time, around 300 meters of the existing track from Vítězné náměstí will be reconstructed.
During the construction, the current loop will be dismantled. According to Vysoudilová, the new section will continue along Podbabská Street to the intersection with Pod Paťankou and Ve Struhách streets. This intersection will connect to the entrance to the new loop, which will also include new sanitation facilities. Due to the new loop, part of Pod Paťankou Street will be relocated, and the railway siding bridge will be demolished.
The main goal of the extension was to create a new transfer point. Passengers arriving in Prague by train from Kralupy nad Vltavou and Roztok would then be able to transfer directly to the tram in Podbaba. However, due to a lack of funds, the Podbaba railway station will be constructed with several years of delay, contrary to original assumptions. It is therefore unclear when passengers will have the opportunity to transfer. There are considerations to extend the line to Suchdol in the future. Therefore, the new loop will be located west of Podbabská Street.
However, DPP does not want to postpone the construction primarily because of the opportunity to apply for funds from European sources. The subsidy will be obtained from the operational program Prague - Competitiveness.
The last newly built tram line was the extension of the tracks from the Laurová stop to the Radlická metro station in 2008. Five years earlier, DPP put the line from Hlubočepy to Barrandov into operation. In the last two years, the extent of the tram network has not changed.
Eurovia CS specializes in transport and engineering construction. The main shareholder of the company is the French company Eurovia, which is part of the Vinci group. This group also controls construction companies SMP CZ and Průmstav in the Czech Republic. Together with Skanska, Eurovia CS also participated in this year's reconstruction of the tram line on Plzeňská Street.