Prague’s D line: Why is the city getting a fourth metro line?
Prague's metro system is, for many people, one of the jewels of the city, and it has fans all over the world. Its three lines (the green A line, the yellow B line and the red C line) are iconic, and they give the impression of being fixed. But what people may not know is that actually plans are in place for a fourth line, the blue-coloured D line. But why? Why does Prague need another metro line?
To answer this question, Danny Bate spoke to Adam Scheinherr. Dr. Scheinherr is currently a councillor for the city of Prague, and was, from 2018 to 2023, the deputy mayor of transport. Since 2024, he has been the chairman of the local party Praha sobě (‘Prague for itself’).
When did this whole idea of giving the Prague Metro another line originate?
“It started with the construction of the other lines. Already in the 1970s, we were thinking of building a fourth metro line, the D line. But the project took real shape in the 1990s when it went to metropolitan planning. The real work started from 2018 to 2022, when we got all the construction permits needed, and we did the geological inspection, and started the construction.”
So the idea or the plan for this D line is fifty years old now. Back then and today, why do people think that Prague needs this addition?
“It was in the plan from the beginning. In this south part of the city where the D line is supposed to go, there are large housing estates, with thousands of people living there, and now those Prague inhabitants are reliant only on buses and cars. So, from the beginning, there was a plan to bring them a good capacity public transport system. In Prague, we can bring them either trams or the metro. It was decided to bring the metro, also because there is a large hospital there.”
Could you give us a sense of where the D line will actually run? Which are the specific neighbourhoods that will get a station?
“So it should start in the south part of the city where there are small city districts called Písnice and Libuš. There are also the large housing estates, called Kamík, Lohotka, Krč.
“It should go in the direction of the city centre, cross the red line at the Pankrác station, so you could make the transfer to the red line. Then it should continue to Náměstí Bratří Synků, then Náměstí Míru, where you can change to the A line. It should continue also to Main Train Station and to Náměstí Republiky. That should be the end.”
“By going in this direction, it should run parallel for a little bit with the Metro C line. We have a capacity problem on the C line. The most intense part used by public is between I P Pavlova and Vyšehrad station. So we plan to make this parallel line, and part of this capacity would move to the new Metro D line. We want to bring another possibility for people living in that neighbourhood. The Vršovice train station is very close. It is planned also that more trains will be stopping there when there will be built the Metro S line.
“So when you look at the future of traffic, it makes sense.”
But specifically for the areas that will get a metro station, what happens? Does it regenerate these areas? Do things get more expensive when you have a metro station?
“For sure they get more expensive. The apartments can profit from a rise of their price, maybe up to 30-40%. But for people it brings good quality – a good-quality and comfortable public transport system.”
You mentioned this very intensive bit between Vyšehrad and I P Pavlova on the C line, which goes through a bridge! It is literally part of the Nusle Bridge, an incredible feat of engineering. What will the D line do? It can't share that bridge.
“No, this is why the D line will go to that square, Náměstí Bratří Synků, and it will go underground. Another reason to have the D line there is for when we will need a big reconstruction of Nusle Bridge. We will have the possibility to transport the people between the Main Train Station and Pankrác with the D line.”
“One interesting thing: this is not the end. When the fourth line will be finished, we should start constructing also the fifth line. That's the big future of Prague. It will be the first line that will not go to city centre, but all around the city.
“This is the O line, like the circle line (okružní in Czech). When you look at big cities all over the world, all of them reach a point when they don't do only metro lines going into the city centre like radials, but also all around the city, like a circle. For cars, you have the ring road, and this is the same.”
“Now transfers in the city centre are overcrowded. When you need to go to your neighbouring city district, you always have to pass through the city centre. With the O line, everything will be simpler and faster.”
We've talked so much about plans about the D line in the abstract. How is it actually going? How is construction proceeding at the moment?
“The zero phase of construction started in 2019 with geological survey and inspections. The real work started in 2022 in April. So it's underway now. On April 21st, it will be the three-year anniversary.
“This is the first phase of construction only between the Pankrác and Olbrachtova stations, because this part is the most complex from a geological point of view. Pankrác will be the transfer station and the tunnel for the D line will pass passing six meters under the C line. So it's very difficult to do this work when the C lie is in service. That’s why we started with this part, because it's the most demanding and it takes eight years.
“But the next phases are a little bit stuck, especially the second part between Olbrachtova and Nové Dvory, due to some difficulties with the public tender. We already have a delay of five years. Unfortunately, the government is not pushing this project enough, and does not give enough attention to it. The final date of construction is farther and farther away.”
When would you say that ordinary members of the public can expect to take a train on the D line for the first time?
“One year ago the plan was 2031. Now the plan is 2034. This is the official date according to the public transport company.”
So nine years to go – that seems like a long way off. How then would you describe public attitudes towards the D line? Are people looking forward to it? Are people positive or negative?
“I would say people are largely positive. They are used to that metro system in Prague being the best system of public transport. They understand that as Prague is developing, and that we also have to develop our metro system.
“But I would say there is also a little bit of frustration, because for many years, politicians are just talking. There is a lot of delays and the price is rising up. Especially over the last two years, it's not going so well.”
But in your view, it will all be worth it someday?
“For sure. We cannot freeze Prague in its development. We have this very positive thing in Prague that around 46% of Prague people are taking public transport. When you look all over the world, we are in the top. In order to keep this, we have to really invest into our public transport system. We have to invest especially into those areas where a lot of people are living, and where they don't have possibility for now other than buses and cars.”
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