Prague will have six light rail lines by 2028, a major expansion of the network which, according to the city’s public transport authority (PID), will improve daily mobility for over 150,000 passengers.
The new routes will cross the Dvorecký Bridge and connect five of the capital’s 22 districts: Jarov in District 3, Wenceslas Square in District 1, Strahov in District 6, Malešice in District 10, and Nové Dvory in District 12. Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda emphasizes that this expansion responds to a growing demand for efficient transport and additional capacity. “The capital’s tram network continues to develop, so Prague will have six light rail lines that will better connect the districts and offer faster and more comfortable travel. Investments in rail transport are, in fact, investments in the quality of life and sustainability of the city.”
Plan for the six light rail lines
Although Prague already has one of the densest and most popular tram networks in the world, there are still poorly connected areas or routes that are operating at full capacity and need to be relieved. That is why the new lines have been designed to eliminate these “missing links” in the network, increase capacity, and facilitate access to underserved areas. This extensive expansion program represents the most significant investment in public rail transport in the last ten years and is part of Prague’s strategy to profoundly transform urban and metropolitan mobility. The projects are part of the “New tram lines for 150,000 passengers every day” program, included in the “Strategy for the development of PID lines in Prague for the period 2022-2032.”
Deputy Mayor for Transport, Zdeněk Hřib, explains that the long-term goal is to form a complete ring of tram lines that will allow travel between neighborhoods without having to pass through the city center, in parallel with the introduction of new, more comfortable trams with greater capacity.
The first of the six lines will become operational in March 2026, with the opening of the Dvorecký bridge. It will be crossed by two tram lines, 20 and 21, plus four bus routes. Thanks to the new routes, residents of Modřany, located about 10 km south of the center, will have direct connections to Malá Strana to the north and to Dejvice. At the same time, residents of Barrandov will benefit from more efficient connections through Podolí (District 4) and onward to I. P. Pavlova, one of the city’s most important and congested transport hubs.
The year 2027 will bring three other major expansions. The first is the Jarov line, on the Olšanská – Habrová route, which will be the main structure of a new neighborhood to be built on the site of the former Žižkov freight railway. Residents of the Vackov and Třebešín areas will gain quick access to the city center via tram 5.
From the summer of the same year, the Wenceslas Square line will also be in operation, restoring tram service to the upper part of the square and the National Museum area, creating direct links to important points in the city, including Masaryk Station. This is one of the main stations in the city center, serving mainly regional and suburban trains, and is integrated into the urban network. However, it should be noted that it is not the same as the Main Station (Hlavní nádraží), which is intended for national and international traffic.
Also in 2027, the Strahov line (Malovanka – Strahov route) will be put into operation, providing a direct link between Strahov, an area with an important historical component, and the north of the city center, including the Hradčanská metro station (on Line A) and other important arteries.
Spring 2028 will mark the completion of this extensive expansion program. The Malešice line will bring direct routes to Náměstí Míru (also known as Peace Square, a significant transport hub), Karlovo náměstí (one of the largest and best-known squares in the center of Prague, located in the New Town), and the Main Railway Station (Hlavní nádraží) to this neighborhood for the first time. Interestingly, this line was first planned 60 years ago, but has never been implemented until now.
Also in 2028, the Nové Dvory line will open, connecting Libuš to Nové Dvory by extending line 17. This extension is part of a larger urban transformation project; the area is set to become a new local center, where, in a few years, passengers will be able to switch from the tram to the future metro line D, which is currently under construction.
New lines operated by new trams
All six new lines will be operated by ForCity Plus 52T trams, supplied under a framework agreement signed in December 2023 between the Prague public transport authority and the Škoda Group. The document provides for the delivery of 200 trams, 40 of which have already been ordered, with delivery to be completed by the end of 2026. The new vehicles will bring a higher level of comfort, reliability, and capacity, offering a real alternative to individual road transport and supporting Prague’s goal of becoming a greener and more efficient city.
In parallel with the expansion of the light rail network, another major project is underway to modernize and reorganize the capital’s railway hub. In February 2025, infrastructure manager Správa železnic presented the plans and options selected for this program, estimated at EUR 7.65 billion. The modernization will enable an increase in suburban, regional, national, and international traffic, contributing to the decongestion of the capital and much smoother metropolitan mobility.
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