Following heavy rainfall, the Petřín cable car in Prague has sustained severe damage, preventing the city’s transport company (DPP) from conducting short-term repairs. With an upcoming renovation already scheduled for March 2025, the decision was made to cease operation of the cable car. As a farewell, guided tours will be offered to the public in October.
The extreme rainfall in September caused extensive damage to the railway line. The constantly shifting slope where the cable car was built, along with a faulty drainage system, rendered the track impassable. ‘Unfortunately, the track is now completely unusable, and there is a risk of more trees falling onto the rails due to the softened ground,’ explained Jan Šurovský, technical director of Prague Transport.
A temporary repair would cost between 12 and 15 million crowns, but given the planned renovation in March 2025, it is considered an inefficient use of resources. ‘It doesn’t make sense to spend that much for just two or three months of operation,’ added Šurovský.
The transport company plans to begin preparations for the track reconstruction in November and December. Both cable car cabins will be dismantled and donated to museums. One will be displayed at the DPP Museum of Public Transport, and the other at the National Technical Museum.
Guided Tours and Open Days in October
As a farewell gesture, Prague’s public transport operators are hosting symbolic events. On Saturdays in October (5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th), guided tours will take place at the top station of the cable car, offering visitors a look inside the engine room and the driver’s cabin. The cost is 60 crowns, while children under 10 can attend for free. Tickets are available online via the DPP fan shop, with advance sales starting today, Friday, 27 September 2024.
On Sundays (6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th October), as well as on the public holiday of 28th October, visitors can explore the mountain station and parts of the cable car on open days without a guide. Admission is free, and no registration is required.
If demand is high, the transport company may offer additional guided tours in early November.
