Building an express railway route between the Masarykovo train station in Prague 1 to the Prague airport in Ruzyně will cost CZK 31bn, according to the latest feasibility study, up CZK 10bn from earlier estimates. The national railway manager, SŽDC, says construction prices have gone up. The increased project costs also include the price of building a tunnel along the Dejvice-Veleslavín section in Prague 6. SŽDC signed a contract with Metroprojekt to prepare planning documentation before the end of the year and hopes the project could be completed in 2020.
The modernized railway route will later be extended to Kladno to the west of Prague. SŽDC hopes express trains will increase the number of people commuting to Prague by train instead of car from the current 6,000 to 24,000. An additional 20,000 passengers would potentially use the connection from the airport to the Prague city center.
