In 2025, further improvements to the Czech waterway infrastructure are planned. These include new leisure boating docks, modern service centres, as well as the extension and modernisation of important waterways such as the Elbe and the Baťa Canal, aiming to enhance comfort and safety for boaters.
On Tuesday, Transport Minister Martin Kupka, alongside Lubomír Fojtů, Director of the Waterways Directorate of the Czech Republic (Ředitelství vodních cest ČR), presented the latest developments and plans of the Ministry of Transport for expanding the waterway infrastructure in 2025.
Before the start of the summer season, three new public docks for leisure boating will be launched on the Elbe, along with a service centre featuring a refuelling station in Roudnice nad Labem. At the same time, the extension of the Baťa Canal in Moravia will continue, as well as other complementary infrastructure aimed at enhancing the leisure offerings on Czech waterways. In the autumn, a modern service locomotive, currently being constructed at a Dutch shipyard, will raise the level of boat maintenance services in Prague.
“This year, we’ve prepared several innovations for tourists travelling along the Elbe in Central Bohemia. Three new public docks will nearly complete the network of stops in all major cities. A new floating dock will open this year in Uherské Hradiště on the Baťa Canal, allowing several boats to dock simultaneously in this beautiful centre of the Slovácko region. Additionally, a new refuelling station with service facilities will be operational in Roudnice nad Labem, ensuring that fuel refills and wastewater disposal meet 21st-century standards. For Prague, we’re currently building a new service boat that will also cater to smaller vessels starting in the autumn,” says Transport Minister Martin Kupka. He adds, “The value of these investments is evident in the statistics: the newly built Elbe docks have already been used by 1,400 boats, with the most activity in Poděbrady and Litoměřice. However, the absolute leader was Davle on the Vltava, where 575 boats docked in the first year after completion.”
Lock facilities for small boats in the Czech Republic are being expanded to ensure a comfortable and safe passage. “Special waiting areas for small boats, where they can wait for the locks to open, ensure smooth and secure lock passage. These areas have been completed in Vrané nad Vltavou and Roztoky in recent years. Before the season begins, the already built waiting areas in Hořín and Dolánky will be put into operation. But that’s not all: we are currently beginning the construction of waiting areas in Modřany and Miřejovice, with additional areas planned for Podbaba and Štěchovice later this year,” explains Lubomír Fojtů, Director of the Czech Republic’s Waterways Directorate.
Special attention is being paid to the popular Moravian waterway, the Baťa Canal. According to Martin Kupka, the Czech Transport Minister, the first boat should navigate through the new lock to Hodonín later this year. “We are particularly focusing on the popular Moravian waterway, the so-called Baťa Canal. I am confident that the first boat will pass through the new lock to Hodonín later this year. Full operation will commence with the start of the 2026 shipping season, along with the expanded ports in Hodonín and Rohatec,” says Kupka and adds, “A promising outlook for next season also includes further expansion of the public harbour in Veselí nad Moravou and improvements to visitor facilities at the harbours in Petrov and Strážnice.”
The planned developments and investments in Czech waterway infrastructure offer a promising future for leisure boating and tourism. With modern docks, improved service centres, and expanded lock facilities, leisure options on Czech waterways will be sustainably enhanced. These measures will not only improve safety but also promote regional tourism.
