SŽDC plans to commission a study on the underground railway in Brno by mid-year

Brno - The assignment of the feasibility study for the construction of an underground railway in Brno is expected to take place in the second quarter. The deadline has been postponed from the anticipated end of last year because some comments from the city and the region do not comply with the requirements of the Ministry of Transport. According to the ministry, it does not necessarily have to be a railway; it could also be a tram or metro, said Radka Pistoriusová, spokesperson for the Railway Infrastructure Administration (SŽDC), to ČTK.

The underground transport system in Brno is to run in a north-south direction, which is why it is also called the North-South Rail Diameter. It has been part of plans since the 1970s and is now being discussed intensively due to the reconstruction of the railway junction and the construction of a new station in a set-back position. It should connect the new station, the current station, and further lead north underground, ending in Královo Pole or Řečkovice, and connecting to the line to Tišnov if it is a railway.

Before starting the study, it is necessary to incorporate the conceptual comments from the Ministry of Transport. "They necessitate a significant revision of the technical conditions and an expansion of the study to assess other systems than just the railway. Options include, for example, a tram or metro," Pistoriusová stated.

The preparation of the study is expected to take 24 months. If the demands of the ministry are accepted, it may be divided into two parts. The first would determine the system by which the diameter would be constructed, and the second would determine the implementation, i.e., whether it will be a railway, metro, or tram. The time frame would then be shorter and the client would differ.

According to transportation models servicing the new station, the diameter is practically essential because the tram lines running from north to south are overloaded during peak demand times, and further growth in demand is expected.