Metro D: Krč Station and cycling transport

The metro station in this valley will be located above ground, nestled between the castle pond and the Southern Link. Originally, only a parking garage was to be built near the new station, but now, several office buildings will be erected. They will take advantage of the connection to both the train station and the metro station, as well as to the road network.

In the midst of all this, the backbone bike route A22, which connects the right-bank bike route A2 with Prague 4 and Jižní Město, and the superior bike route A7 along the railway to Strašnice, will pass through.

The routing of the bike route will remain very similar to its current state. It will cross Na Strži Street via a bike crossing. This is followed by a short section where cyclists will likely be separated from pedestrians. Near the metro station itself, traffic will be merged into a paved calming zone, leading over the metro station.

Then, the path will continue in its current track along the Krč castle to Vídeňská Street.

It could be better

The plan for the new metro station does not worsen the passage for cycling traffic compared to the current state. On the other hand, it does not bring any improvements either; the potential of a busy bike route right under its nose is not being utilized. Yet, this is not a complicated location, there is enough space.

For a start, Prague could try to guide people on bikes along a separate cycle path on as long a section as possible – away from cars and pedestrians. Directly above the metro, a shared zone could work, but cyclists should at least be accommodated with smoother paving. In the case of a pedestrian zone, according to city standards, it would be appropriate to mark a corridor for bike passage.

The drawings account for a total of 100 places for bicycle parking, 50 at the southern and 50 at the northern vestibule. Some of these are to be covered. So, let’s hope that the plans will be realized.

Much about the station’s details and the transport solution can still only be speculated on. Given the plans at the other Metro D stations, we already know that, according to the plans published so far, cycling will not be anything to write home about. Yet, the potential is there.

Prague should strive to have as many people as possible commute to the metro by bike – it’s economical, ecological, and, moreover, it saves space on the roads and in public transport. So far, Prague doesn’t seem to be aware.