Two new 10.6km tunnels are the centrepiece of the preferred $US 7.66bn proposal to redevelop the city centre station.

The existing station is entirely at-grade and served by both mainline and regional services.

CZECH infrastructure manager SŽ has presented the results of a feasibility study into the potential redevelopment of Prague’s main station. Of three possible options, the Ministry of Transport says it favours the construction of a two-storey underground station beneath the existing site that will be served by two new 10.6km double-track tunnels.

The tunnels will run from Prague-Vršovice to Negrelliho viaduct and Prague-Smíchov - Prague-Libeň, intersecting on separate levels at the redeveloped main station. Each tunnel will have capacity for 16 trains per hour, and will separate local from long-distance services. New underground stations will be built along the route at Karlín, Wenceslas Square and Karlovo Square as well as a partially underground station at Florenc.