The study will assess the possibilities of how to utilize the Ostrava-Vítkovice railway station

Ostrava - The Railway Infrastructure Administration (SŽDC) has commissioned a study on the possibilities for the future use of the Ostrava-Vítkovice train station. The deteriorating building requires immediate repairs, which are expected to begin no earlier than 2020. SŽDC spokesperson Kateřina Šubová informed the Czech Press Agency (ČTK) about this. The reconstruction costs are estimated at nearly 70 million crowns.

The station is located on the so-called Polanecká connector, which links the Ostrava stations of Svinov and Kunčice. The building was constructed in the 1960s and is completely oversized for the needs of the current railway. Therefore, it will be necessary to find a new use for it. "It is essential to find a meaningful use for both a larger part of the hall and the adjacent right administrative building," Šubová stated.

The commissioned study aims to propose and assess the possibilities for the station's usage, taking into account the interests of SŽDC, travelers, the city, and also the professional public. "The study will also check the current structural and technical condition of the building. Based on the outputs and results of the architectural-historical survey by heritage conservationists, the next phase of project preparation will begin this year. The costs for the overall reconstruction are estimated in the range of tens of millions of crowns, with the final amount to emerge from the project itself," Šubová stated.

The building of the Vítkovice station was built in the so-called Brussels style, similar to the station in nearby Havířov. This station is also deteriorating, and there were even considerations for its demolition. However, SŽDC and the city eventually agreed on its reconstruction for approximately 120 million crowns, during which a multifunctional center with the possibility of sports or cultural activities will be created in part of the station.