A new rail link between Prague and Liberec promises to reduce the journey time from the current two and a half hours to just 69 minutes. The new railway line is set to be completed over the next ten years, with construction costs amounting to almost 86 billion crowns.
Transport experts, along with representatives from two regions and several cities and municipalities, met at the end of last week to present the new Liberec-Prague railway line. During the meeting, details were shared on the progress already made and the steps still required for preparation and approval. The Liberec Region plans to adopt amendments to the regional spatial development plan for the new railway line at the regional parliament meeting in April. The project preparation involves not only the Liberec Region but also the Central Bohemia Region.
“For the past five years, experts have been working on a project to create a new and faster railway connection between Prague and Liberec. According to the approved study, the train should cover the distance in 69 minutes, which is a significant improvement over the current journey time of two and a half hours,” explained the Governor of the Liberec Region, Martin Půta. “In April, we will discuss updating the development principles of the Liberec Region in the regional parliament and include the affected area in the spatial development plan, in accordance with the study, so that construction can be planned. I am very pleased that the railway administration is sticking to the 2034 completion date for the train connection.”
The Prague-Liberec connection is part of the TEN-T network (Comprehensive Network) for both passenger and freight transport. In 2022, construction costs were estimated at just under 52 billion crowns. Due to rising prices, this estimate has now increased by 66% to 86.6 billion crowns. “According to experts, the project remains economically viable,” added Governor Martin Půta.
The new Turnov-Liberec railway line will be double-tracked and designed for a maximum speed of 200 km/h. The existing line will be decommissioned, with the section between Hodkovice nad Mohelkou and Rychnov u Jablonce nad Nisou continuing to be used for freight transport. The line will be fully electrified, allowing trains of up to 750 metres in length to operate without special permits, in accordance with modern standards. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2030.
The railway administration will soon be organising an open architectural competition for the Liberec Regional Terminal. The competition is being jointly organised by the railway administration, the city of Liberec, and the Liberec Region. The winner will be announced at the beginning of next year.
The first train arrived at Liberec station in 1859, and between 1859 and 1872, the railway connection between Liberec and Prague was fully operational. Currently, the train journey from Liberec to the capital takes two and a half hours, with a necessary change in Turnov.
