On 31 March 2025, Prague Airport will close the main runway 06/24 for an estimated 4.5 months. This closure will affect a significant portion of the summer season. During the runway’s modernisation, essential structural and technical work will be carried out to maintain the runway at the legally required standard and improve operational safety.
During the closure of the main runway, all air traffic will be diverted to the secondary runway 12/30. Its approach and departure routes take aircraft over densely populated areas of Prague and the Central Bohemian Region. The closure will also be utilised by the Directorate for Roads and Motorways to carry out work related to the replacement of the pedestrian bridge and the widening of the D7 in this section. Work around the main runway will also continue into 2026.
“Improving the area around the main runway is absolutely necessary and cannot be postponed,” said Eva Krejčí, Director of Communications and Marketing, adding: “We will use the second runway for all air traffic for as long as necessary. As this runway is unsuitable for take-offs and landings in poor visibility, we will carry out repairs during months when, according to long-term statistics, fog is least frequent. We have also informed the affected local communities in advance. We apologise to the residents affected, but until the parallel runway is operational, we have no choice but to shift all traffic to the secondary runway.” During the closure of the main runway, arrivals will primarily be directed towards Prague, and departures will head in the direction of Kladno.
The maintenance work around the runway comprises 15 construction and technology projects designed to optimise the use of the closure period. The largest projects include the repair or reconstruction of taxiways and the renewal of part of the sewerage system to improve drainage from the airport’s paved areas. All of these projects are located in the immediate vicinity of the main runway, meaning that it cannot be used for take-offs and landings at the same time. However, the repairs do not affect the main runway itself, which was completely rebuilt in 2012 and 2013.
The Directorate for Roads and Motorways (ŘSD) will use the closure of Václav Havel Airport Prague for its own construction work on the D7 motorway, which will significantly affect the main runway. For this reason, the measures are being coordinated. The work, originally part of the planned reconstruction of the motorway junction, is being carried out in advance as a separate project due to coordination with air traffic. During demolition work, the motorway will be completely closed for a weekend. The Directorate for Roads and Motorways plans to start rebuilding the bridge at the end of March, which should take no more than 200 days.
Work will continue over the same period in 2026, with further structural and technical measures. “Unfortunately, it is not possible to complete the repairs in one year, as we are already entering the months when unfavourable weather conditions, especially fog, are more frequent,” added Krejčí.
At the same time, Prague Airport is continuing its plan to build a parallel runway, which will be used during repair or maintenance work on the main runway once operational. The planning process for this construction project is currently underway.
