The New Liberec–Prague Railroad

Preparations for the high-speed rail line from Liberec to Prague are getting underway. Construction is expected to begin after 2035. This is an important step, as the design and permitting process for similar projects in the Czech Republic typically takes fifteen years or more, while the actual construction itself proceeds more quickly, taking only a few construction seasons.In the spring of 2023, the Central Commission of the Ministry of Transport approved a feasibility study for the modernization of the railway line from Liberec to Prague, which calls for a new route, double-track sections, and speeds of up to 200 km/h. Express trains from Liberec to Prague Main Station, with stops in Mladá Boleslav and Vysočany, are expected to cover the journey in approximately 65 minutes. The new line will also significantly speed up connections to the Turnov, Semily, and Česká Lípa regions, where express trains will run at hourly intervals.

The Liberec Region, in cooperation with representatives of the Railway Administration, has begun discussions this year with representatives of the towns and municipalities that will be affected by the construction of new railway sections between Prague and Liberec. Presentations and discussions are underway with mayors, council members, and residents at the outset of the project, covering not only the technical design itself but also issues such as noise pollution in the area, the use of abandoned sections of track, property rights settlements related to the construction, and the anticipated next steps in project preparation. All findings, suggestions, and comments regarding the proposed solution have been incorporated by the Railway Administration into the tender documentation so that they can be evaluated and incorporated during further design work. In selected cases, alternative solutions will be examined with the aim of minimizing the new line’s impact on residents. The public was most interested in the volume of traffic, the line’s design parameters, projected noise levels, future transportation services in the area, landscape accessibility and character, and new uses for abandoned sections of the tracks. The tender documentation prepared for the design competition is now awaiting approval of the state budget.

As early as 2024, the railway corridor from Prague via Liberec to Poland was included in the planned TEN-T network of high-quality European railways. In this context, preparations are also underway for the first electrified line in the Liberec Region on the route to the Frýdlant area, which is currently the most heavily used. In 2025, the Liberec Region updated its Spatial Development Principles, thereby securing land-use protection for the new route of the future high-quality railway.

Photo: Liberec near Makro and Rádelský Mill—proposal for new railway overpasses across Road I/35. Liberec Region, Railway Administration, Movisio.

Railway Administration, Movisio.