A fast line from Prague via Ústí to Dresden is looming. The plans are a step further
The approved feasibility study of the new high-speed line Prague – Dresden confirmed the creation of new terminals on the outskirts of Roudnice nad Labem and in the center of Ústí. On the contrary, the branch to Most and Louny is not planned in the current project yet, it will be processed separately.
The study was approved by the Central Commission of the Ministry of Transport in recent days, so they can continue further preparation. “For the new railway connection, it is necessary to ensure an updated route in the principles of territorial development of the affected regions. A request for an update in the Ústí nad Labem Region is being prepared, “Nela Friebová, a spokeswoman for the Railway Administration (SŽ), outlined the next steps.
In the Ústí nad Labem region, several variants are still in play for specific sections. Currently, SŽ is preparing survey contracts for the needs of further preparation and selection of a suitable solution. “This year we are waiting for a contract for the preparation of documentation for land management and environmental impact assessment for the pilot section Prague – Roudnice nad Labem – Lovosice exit and for the section Ústí nad Labem west – Ore Mountains Tunnel. In the cross-border section, joint tenders are also underway between the Railway Administration and DB Netz, ”Friebová explained.
The original project was also to include a branch line to Louny and Most. In the future, the line should serve as the basis for the connection of Prague with Karlovy Vary. However, the approved feasibility study does not yet include a branch, it has been dropped from the current project. “A separate feasibility study will be created for the branch to Most,” said a spokeswoman for SŽ.
A question mark now hangs over the turnoff. The region believes that it will happen. “We would like this turn to be. We are sorry that she dropped out of the study, rail transport makes sense. We will definitely use the implementation, we will discuss with colleagues from other cities how we will proceed, “said the mayor of Louny Pavel Janda.
The approved route from Prague to Germany will also lead in two tunnels – Středohorský should be 18 kilometers long, Krušnohorský will be at least 26 kilometers long. The section from Prague to Litoměřice should be exclusively for passenger transport with a maximum speed of up to 320 km / h. Freight trains are also to use the part through the Bohemian Central Mountains and further to Germany. In the tunnel under the Bohemian Central Mountains, trains are to run at speeds of up to 250 km / h and in the Krušné hory tunnel 200 km / h. In addition to trains with passengers, there should also be up to 150 freight trains a day. The first part, the section from Prague to the Litoměřice region, is to be implemented by 2030 according to railway workers’ plans. The project will swallow tens of billions of crowns, and the Czech Republic is applying for subsidies from the European Union.
According to the study, a new terminal is to be built in Ústí nad Labem right in the center, near the current Ústí západ railway station. Thus, the original plans changed, according to which the track was to be near Chabařovice. An architectural competition will be announced for the new terminal, as well as for the one in Roudnice nad Labem.
Some municipalities in the Litoměřice region do not like the expressway route. According to critics, the track should narrowly pass some villages and significantly affect their lives, even dividing some. According to SŽ, however, these are still variants. The railway workers promise to listen to the municipalities, taking their views into account. “We take the connection from the region seriously and try to respond to it. In practice, this will be reflected in the processing of documentation for land management, which deepens the technical detail of the project, “says a spokesman for the Railway Administration. Municipalities will also be involved in land management and environmental impact assessment of buildings.