The Czech railway infrastructure manager, SZ, is progressing with the Prague air-rail link project from the capital’s station to Kladno with a branch to Václav Havel Airport.
Based on expert’s opinion on the most suitable variant of the Southern tunnel route under Prague’s Střešovice, prepared by Ruhr University in Bochum, representatives of the Czech Geological Survey and vibration specialist Milan Brož, it was decided to continue preparing the southern variant of the tunnel between Dejvice and Veleslavín. This variant is supported by the Assembly of the Municipal District of Prague.
The Czech and foreign expert teams examined four variants of the railway line routing. Widening and recess of the track on the existing trail and three routes of the tunnel led under Střešovice and excavated using the TBM method are the options analysed. Expert opinions agree that the most suitable variant is the so-called South variant, which leads under the Central Military Hospital, the Church of St. Norbert and Pod Hradbami Street.
“Správa železnic has put a great effort into choosing the route. We wanted to be absolutely sure that we had done everything essential to be able with a clear conscience to choose the best option,” Petr Hofhanzl, Director of the Civil Engineering Administration West said.
In the areas where the tunnel will be closer to the surface, there is soft soil that absorbs vibrations. The parts that lead through the rock mass are deep enough so that vibrations from construction or operation do not reach the surface. Besides, to the general impact on the buildings in the proximity of the new tunnel, experts from the University of Ruhr also dealt specifically with the impact on several concrete important buildings. These were, for example, the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the Veleslavín Heating Plant, the Střešovice tram depot and the Central Military Hospital. The opinion showed that the construction of the tunnel would not have any negative impact on these buildings.
The Prague air-rail link will significantly improve the lives of all residents of Prague 6 district, the largest capital’s area situated in the north-west of Prague. It will also be a fast and convenient alternative for the inhabitants of Kladno, who commute to the metropolitan area every day to work by car via Prague 6.
The new tunnel under Střešovice on the line between the Praha-Dejvice and Praha-Veleslavín stations will be part of the project of modernisation of the Praha – Kladno line with the connection of Václav Havel Airport, which is one of the largest planned infrastructure projects in the Czech Republic. Its goal is to connect Václav Havel Airport to the railway network and modernise the existing single-track line between Prague and Kladno, the largest Central Bohemian agglomeration with the highest number of commuters.
After new line completion, the so-called Green Radial, a zone with cycle paths, promenade and sports elements will be created on the route of the original railway.
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