Reconstruction of the main train station in Brno will restrict trains for two years

Brno - The main train station in Brno is set to undergo reconstruction starting April next year, costing 2.7 billion crowns. It will finish in 2019 and significantly restrict train operations. A complete modernization of the signaling system is planned, and bridges over Hybešova and Křídlovická will be reconstructed, as well as the switches at the southern end of the station, said ČTK spokesperson for the Railway and Transport Administration (SŽDC) Kateřina Šubová. The investment is necessary regardless of the location and timing of the construction of the new station so that the current one can still function until the new one is opened.

The largest portion of the funds, over two billion, will be spent on installing a new signaling system to replace the outdated electromechanical one. Although the administrative proceedings regarding the potential designation of the bridges over Křídlovická and Hybešova as heritage sites have not yet concluded, SŽDC must treat them as heritage sites, which will increase the cost and duration of their repair.

The construction work will not affect passenger transport initially, as it will take place at the lower station. "It is necessary to modify the tracks, build an underpass, and construct the platforms. The expected completion is in July," stated Šubová. Only after that will access to the fifth and sixth platforms not be possible due to the reconstruction of the bridges.

In December next year, the entire station area will be subject to disruptions as work will begin on the signaling system, switches at the southern end of the station, and repairs of the bridges will continue. "The construction work is to be completed by the end of 2019, with finishing work expected in 2020," Šubová added.

The disruptions will most severely impact operations in 2019, as the station will not be passable. Only certain trains from Česká Třebová, Moravský Krumlov, and Jihlava will enter the station, while others will use the lower station. There is also a plan to terminate trains from Tišnov in Královo Pole. "However, we will be more specific in the fall of next year," said Czech Railways spokesperson Monika Bezuchová.

The main train station in Brno has long been left to "live out its days," with the expectation that a new station would currently be in operation. Therefore, it has undergone significant repairs in the last five years. While there has been talk of relocating it a kilometer south for almost 100 years, the voices of opponents have been so strong in the last 20 years that construction has not yet begun. They demand the preservation of the station close to the city center, and a feasibility study has shown that it is possible and that it is not absolutely necessary to relocate it. A decision from the city and region is expected by the end of January, which will be followed by the Ministry of Transport.