From today, April 6th, the railway connection between Prague and Brno via Česká Třebová will close for approximately two years, adding 30 minutes to average journey times between the two biggest Czech cities. A thorough modernization of the whole railway structure is planned, which will improve travel between regions and prevent future accidents. Photo Credit: KK / BD.
Czech Rep., Apr 6 (BD) – From today, April 6th, the railway connection between Prague and Brno via Česká Třebová will close for approximately two years. Long-distance intercity trains will be redirected via Žďár nad Sázavou. The closure is part of a CZK 3.4 billion construction project including work on the Brandýs nad Orlicí and Poříčany-Velim sections, and the Pardubice junction. The track connecting Prague to Brno is one of the busiest routes on Czech railways, and will now be limited to one track only. A thorough modernization of the whole railway structure is planned, which will improve travel between regions and prevent future accidents.
The biggest change for passengers is the re-routing of most long-distance trains between Prague and Brno via Havlíčkův Brod. This will increase journey times by approximately half an hour. While a regular train ride between Prague and Brno takes about 2.5 hours, it will now take around three hours. The changes are also expected to apply to regional and international trains.
After two years of closure, rail traffic will gradually recommence on the Česká Třebová – Brno section. The railway administration has published changes to the timetable effective from today, which are available here (in Czech). Timetables for connecting regional buses will be adjusted accordingly. In the South Moravian Transport System, timetables of the following lines will be adjusted :
Train lines: S2, S3, S6, S9, S22, S31, S51, R9, R13, R19, R50.
Bus lines: 215, 226, 250, 251, 253, 254, 255, 257, 258, 261, 271, 272, 273, 274, 276, 277, 321, 650
