100 YEARS OF PRAHA'S METRO
I.  - Without A Comebacks (1898-1964)

Metro in Praha is 100 years old. People, who are a bit known about facts about urban transport might be shocked at this moment. Well, first line was opened really as later as in 1974, but this sentence is still true. In 1898, famous Praha's ironmonger V.J.Rott told this proposal to city council in Praha...

There is known well, that first metroline was opened in London 1863. There is also need to say, that this was quite normal railway, that was opened on 10th January 1863 on 7km long tunnel section between Bishops Road (today railway station Paddington) and Farringdon Street, certainly with steam operation. Even in 1863, reason to open this railway was: busy streets on surface - London had 2.000.000 inhibitans at this moment.
There is used to say, that first metroline on continental Europe was opened in Budapest in 1896 - this is one of most spreaded mistakes of urban transport world. Between 1863 and 1896 there was opened also line in Athenai, Greece (same system as in London), and also legendary shortest metro of Europe, 570 m long funicular under Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey. After these two cities, metro in Budapest was opened, in 1900 followed Paris, and many others.
At this time, Praha was relatively small city, so there was no chance to built these tracks immediately. At this time, canalisation was built under town, and so V.J.Rott's idea appeared. There are not exact details known, but there is clear that this should be an electric serviced track, if there were planned normal tramways, or special vehicles like in Budapest is not known. Known is, that these lines never were built...

Another project was shown 20 years later. In 1926, study by Mr.Belada and Mr.List, first real project was introduced. There were planned 4 lines of electric metro, equipped with (20's] latest technologies. There is shocking, that (except 4th line), we can see exactly same system as today!

Following lines were planned:

There was planned, that light 3-car unit (with possibility of adding 4th car) will be in service here. This plan was rejected, but city started to develop this idea. Even in 20's, new design by Skoda Works was introduced, there was planned to built again separate tracks with connection on railway on their ends. Also, idea of Kolben-Danek Works, with two lines A and B was introduced. City was not satisfied with these project, so they introduced in 30's new project of three underground tramways (A: Špejchar - Nám. Míru, B: Karlov - Florenc a C: Florenc . Moráň). This plan was finished in 1939, so there was no chance to finish it.
Even during war, another project, made by Consorcium for Construction Of Underground Tramways was introduced, it was very similar to former List's design introduced 1926.
After war, only few studies was introduced, nothing however was built. There is interesting, that these plans were designed for underground railway, with normal railway vehicles.

Streets, however, were filled rapidly, and even in 50's amount of cars in Praha grown up. In end of 50's, project made by Státní ústav pro projektování výstavby Prahy was introduced (there was plan to built underground tramway, and to abandon most of surface tramway lines). Also, "Planning Comission" designed another project, that expected to - suprisingly - not to built any metro, and even to withdrawn all tramways until 1975 and serve city with buses only.

There was need to find solution quickly. In 1962, there was decided by government, to built short section of underground tramway under city centre, and to eventually replace it with metro later. This project was confirmed again in 1964.

At this year, definitely serious projects are started here. Serious construction started - there was still lot of decision...
 
 

This page (c) 1998 Richard A.Bílek. All photos and articles by Richard A.Bílek, except where noted. Feel free to spread all information, but do not forget to mention your source.