Prague has approved a new version of the Smíchov Terminal. The roof has changed
Contrary to the original plans, the roof structure changed, and the headquarters of the Railway Administration (SŽ), for which a special architectural competition was announced, also disappeared from the project.
It should be possible to switch between metro, trams, trains and suburban connections. The terminal will be roofed, the current bus station Na Knížecí is to be relocated to the floor above the train station. Repair yourself with the station building, the central central part will be part of the terminal, and a fourth train platform will be added. Part of the project is the construction of a P + R parking house for 1000 cars.
Two to three years of preparation, opening in 2026
The designers were selected by the municipality in the competition last March, before the start of work on the documentation for the zoning decision, the final form had to be approved once again by the council according to the contract with the suppliers. According to the approved document, the construction of the terminal roof was slightly redesigned, which should have a darker color in addition to design changes.
From an urban point of view, according to the document, the biggest change is the separation of the current southern wing of the railway station, where the new seat of SŽ and possibly other state companies or institutions will be located.
Deputy Mayor Petr Hlaváček (TOP 09 and STAN – United Forces for Prague) said that the city expects to open the terminal in 2026. “We expect two to three years of construction preparation and about two years of construction,” he said. He added that the cost of the city, which will mainly include the construction of a new bus terminal and a P + R car park, is estimated at more than two billion crowns.
Another deputy mayor, Adam Scheinherr (Prague Sobě), added that the project envisages the use of modern methods, for example in water management or the use of renewable energy sources.
“In the past, different types of stations were built in different places, buses in one, trains in elsewhere. On the contrary, in Smíchov, passengers will be able to use long-distance, regional and city trains and buses, metro, trams at one terminal and previously park their car in a large P + R car park with one thousand spaces. What’s more, everything will be simple, safe and clear thanks to modern building solutions, ”said Scheinherr.
Prototype of part of the roof in an existing building
The capital city of Prague has decided to install a prototype of a part of the roof in another existing railway station. This is intended both to test new technologies and to make the public aware of similar ones. The prototype should appear at the station this year. “The public can now look forward to a sample of the roof, which we want to implement as soon as possible,” added Hlaváček.
The terminal will have several levels according to the city’s plans. From Nádražní Street, the railway underpasses lead to the platforms. In the second level, there will be a mandatory station, which will be on the same level as today. Above it, a terminal for suburban and long-distance buses is planned. Beneath it all will be the subway. All levels and modes of transport will be interconnected.
The city coordinates the work with the Railway Administration, which will be in charge of the reconstruction of the station and railway station building, including the repair of platforms, the creation of a new one and the repair of underpasses. There will also be a footbridge over the railway that will connect Smíchov, Radlice and the Smíchov City district under construction between the railway station and Na Knížecí.
Originally, the Railway Administration wanted to repair the existing station in Smíchov earlier, but in the end it decided to wait for the municipality and coordinate the procedure with it. It was also expected to start the transformation of the surroundings of the future terminal under the direction of Sekyra Group.
The developer is building a new neighborhood in the neighborhood. The building with two hundred apartments, which are already for sale, will be the first to be built near the bus station. The northern part of Smíchov City will connect to the existing development. In the first stage, two building blocks and the Na Knížecí office building will be built.
At the same time, Sekyra Group is requesting an environmental impact assessment for the second phase, called Smíchov City Jih. One day, North will be mostly residential, over half of the southern part will be occupied by Česká spořitelna’s campaign, which includes four office buildings. It was the second phase that fundamentally changed the face of the current brownfield. In the words of the developer, a multifunctional modern district with an emphasis on living public space will be created. The almost kilometer pedestrian zone will connect Na Knížecí Square and the new train station terminal.