I have been interested in the development of cycling infrastructure in Prague since roughly 2007. Its evolution is arduous, accompanied by stories full of countless twists and turns. In this series, I would like to share what I remember from those nearly twenty years—before I forget it entirely. I welcome any corrections to potential errors or inaccuracies in the comments.
The relocation of long-distance cycle route No. 3 toward the Vltava involved the implementation of two cycle path sections between Strakonická Street and the river. The first one was the connection between Velká and Malá Chuchle. Between Malá Chuchle and Hlubočepy, cyclists still used the old road (Zbraslavská Street) until 2013, which suffered from repeated closures due to falling rocks from the Barrandov cliffs.
A new cycle path along the Vltava connected here in 2012 to a „dead-end“ sidewalk built alongside the Barrandov Bridge. In its very first full season, the new path was rendered impassable for several weeks due to the floods of June 2013. These floods also had a significant impact on the total cycling traffic counts recorded that year.
In Lahovice, cycle route A1 remains on the side street K sádkám. Since the route opened, this section has been criticized by the Cyklisté sobě community because drivers use the side street to bypass traffic jams on Strakonická. However, no adjustments were ever made to close the street to cars or at least make it one-way heading out of Prague. I haven’t heard about the problem for some time, but I assume a resolution has not yet oc
The continuation of the A1 route north of Barrandov Bridge did not receive as much infrastructural attention. The sidewalk from Barrandov Bridge along the water led cyclists into a „traffic hell“ at Lihovar, with a prohibited entry into – reasonable well suited at the time – Nádražní Street.
Many people rode through Zlíchov, which is an „in-and-out“ affair when it comes to the tram tracks; this earned Na Zlíchově Street the reputation of a section with an exceptionally high number of solo accidents. Those who wanted to take Strakonická could use a sidewalk of mediocre quality—at least until Prague 5 town hall, under then-Mayor Jančík, placed its infamous concrete flowerpots there. While these made the town hall a laughingstock, they also made the legalization of the Strakonická sidewalk impossible until at least 2017, when the town hall finally removed them (when the project subsidy’s write-off period expired).
And it was about time. The parallel Nádražní Street, where route A1 led south of Smíchov Station, underwent a reconstruction of the tram line in 2020, which was moved to its own separate track bed. This narrowed the roadway, which handles dozens of bus lines. Previously, bus drivers could safely overtake cyclists on the tram tracks without delay; after the narrowing, however, buses overtaking cyclists became problematic for both parties. Around the same time, the „secret“ passage behind the station near MeetFactory ended due to the start of construction.
The legalization of the Strakonická sidewalk in late 2021 brought at least partial improvement. The modifications also included—rather discontinuous—integration. The sidewalk was subsequently repaired structurally. However, it is a great shame that the recent addition of a new signaled intersection on Strakonická worsened the situation again. A shared pedestrian and cycle crossing at the entrance to the Smíchov Harbor area was replaced by a signaled pedestrian-only crossing—certainly not without the influence of the aforementioned, „demonic“ České přístavy (Czech Ports). A planned investment project intended to one day turn the sidewalk into a solid path thus took a major blow, and given the district’s current approach, we certainly cannot expect improvements in spatial parameters.
Today, a cyclist on Strakonická must choose between two evils: a discontinuously legalized sidewalk or discontinuous cycle lanes, which is ultimately quite dismal. An alternative for a comfortable arrival at Smíchov may be provided by the Dvorecký Bridge and the ongoing development between the Smíchov Terminal and Na Knížecí. However, from the Vltava, you first have to weave through Lihovar and climb to the level above the railway line, which has little to do with a pleasant ride along the water. Furthermore, if things continue as they have and the cycling „backbone“ is an unrestricted promenade on Albrightové Street—which starts at the entrance from Za Ženskými domovy with a high curb—we probably shouldn’t expect a stellar result.
Finally, I haven’t mentioned Císařská louka in this section at all. The reason is simple: a footbridge from the island to the embankment likely won’t be realized until the owner of České přístavy a.s., Anna Černý, gets rid of her absurd aversion to cyclists, which negatively affects other non-motorized investments in Prague. One hope is that the footbridge is listed as a public benefit structure in the draft Metropolitan Plan. Now we just have to hope the Ports don’t lobby it away during the comment period.
Formally, the A1 route still passes through Smíchov via Nádražní and Štefánikova streets. However, a good half of the traffic now uses Strakonická and the integration with Svornosti, Zborovská, Hořejší nábřeží, and Janáčkovo nábřeží streets. Also, there is a vision for cyclists to get from U Královské louky Street all the way to Kampa without contact with car traffic.
The building project at the site of the Erpet sports facilities, poetically named Šemíkův Břeh (Šemík’s Bank), has quite a few opponents, with objections from locals and the Club for Old Prague. From a cycling perspective, it is good that the project accounts for both a path along Strakonická and a passage for cyclists along the promenade by the Vltava bank—or at least doesn’t make it impossible.
Another investment plan lies between the Railway Bridge and the Smíchov waterfront (náplavka). A hotel project I saw about five years ago planned to extend the waterfront and connect a cycle path under the Railway Bridge, but its further development is unknown. This project would finally provide access to the otherwise dead-end southern end of the Smíchov waterfront. The waterfront itself will, of course, require surface treatment. From experience on the right bank, we know that a narrow strip of smooth paving will definitely not be enough. However, the path will not be very wide.
The A2 route should also pass under the Jiráskův Bridge separately from cars, bypassing the massive intersections on its western bridgehead. A two-way cycle lane between Kořenského Street and the waterfront exit has been in preparation since roughly 2010. Originally a construction project, it was reduced in 2018 to non-structural modifications. By 2021, the project was finished, but its official legal approval was never issued, although it got close before the change in the political landscape in 2025.
The dual solution of the reconstructed intersections on the bridgehead itself will gain importance once connecting sections of route A8, which crosses the Vltava at Jiráskův Bridge, are realized. For the radial direction, however, it does not yet have much significance.
The one-way streets of Janáčkovo nábřeží and Zborovská are equipped with fairly comfortable dedicated cycle lanes that today lead us to the Legion Bridge. Here, however, one must weave through Vítězná Street into Šeříková. Route A1 deserves to be straightened out here. Why shouldn’t it be possible to climb from the dead-end waterfront under the bridge onto Jiráskovo nábřeží? Such a plan is currently being vetted at IPR. In Prague 1, its advocate is the current Councilor for Transport, Ryvola. An added benefit would be partially bypassing Kampa Park.
This is an adjusted machine translation using Gemini of this article: https://mestemnakole.cz/2026/02/vzpominani-na-prazske-cyklotrasy-6-levobrezni-cyklotrasa-a-1-jizne-od-centra/
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