New Prague Stations, New Cycling Routes

First in line will be a significant improvement in comfort for the connection between the Vltavská metro station and Holešovice. The future railway line to Prague Airport has been elevated onto a viaduct during the redevelopment of the area of Bubny – Zátory, in order to ensure better accessibility in the future new district.

But there’s no need to wait for the new district – raising the track onto the viaduct is already bringing benefits. A year ago, we welcomed a new link between Letná and Holešovice along Nicholas Winton Avenue, and now, south of Bubny station, a dignified, legal connection is being created between the metro and railway station and the built-up area of Holešovice.

The legalization of sidewalks along Za Viaduktem and Bubenské nábřeží streets had already taken place in recent years, making it possible to find a legal passage before – but only via very narrow sidewalks or otherwise limited routes. Now, however, a much more comfortable connection is created.

The entire newly opened space will likely operate under a similar regime as the passage along the sidewalks along Argentinská, or as the whole area around the Vltavská metro station – that is, as a pedestrian zone/footpath with bicycles allowed.

It should be noted that this is not the final form of the space, as it will continue to change in the future. The newly built underpass is intended to eventually accommodate a relocated tram line – though that is a matter for the more distant future.

Much sooner, however, we can expect new routes in the area of the viaduct near Výstaviště, where work is ongoing and should be completed somewhat later.

The way to and from the metro

From the Vltavská metro station, it will now be very easy to cycle into Holešovice. This is thanks both to the recently fully legalized sidewalks along Argentinská and to the widespread introduction of two-way cycling streets. To cross Argentinská without problems, it is best to use the cycle crossings at the intersections with Jateční or with Dělnická.

When continuing from Vltavská further west toward Letná, however, extra caution is needed. In recent years, cycling passage has indeed been legalized in the mode of a pedestrian path with bicycles allowed throughout the metro station area and along the building of the former Electric Works, including the pedestrian zone on Antonínská. But the architecture of the site has not undergone structural changes, and the space therefore remains limited, with passages often narrower and containing a series of bends. It is advisable to adapt your riding to the conditions and cycle considerately with respect to pedestrians.

And what about the stations?

How did the stations themselves turn out, and what are the options for parking bicycles there? We’ll take a look in a subsequent article.