Discovering the Thrills of Science and History: How Prague Mastered Public Transport

Public transport in Prague is far more than just a method of getting to work or home. It is also a fascinating showcase of technology, urban development, and human creativity. This includes contributions from figures like František Křižík and Jan Kotěra, as well as significant locations like Karlín, Letná, and Petřín, marking the inception of the metro and the routes leading to the airport. If you want to keep boredom at bay, don’t just visit the Public Transport Museum in Střešovice; also explore Prague’s historical technical sites or ride the Petřín Funicular. You can also embark on unique sightseeing trips and circular public transport tours, which turn a simple ride on a tram, bus, or subway into a delightful journey around the city.

1829: Omnibuses, or before Prague got its tramways

The official beginning of Prague’s public transport is acknowledged as 23 September, the date in 1875 when the first horse-drawn tram took to the streets. However, the history began much earlier, specifically in October 1829 when the coachman Jakub Chocenský was given permission to run two omnibus routes. Omnibuses were horse-drawn vehicles that didn’t require tracks, functioning like a mix between a stagecoach, a bus, and a route bus we see today. Thus, urban transport in Prague was already underway long before the presence of tram tracks.
Omnibuses had a key advantage: they didn’t rely on tracks. Only horses, a carriage, a chosen route, and passengers who were willing to pay were necessary. By the 1860s and 1870s, multiple omnibus companies were operating in Prague, but as the city expanded quickly, it became evident that horse-drawn vehicles were hitting their limits in regular usage. Prague required a transport solution that was more reliable, could carry more people, and was more efficient.
This led to the arrival of horse-drawn trams.
1875: the horse-drawn tram takes to the streets

The

The symbolic start of Prague’s public transport is celebrated on 23 September 1875. On this day, the first horse-drawn tram line, nicknamed the ‘koňka’, commenced its operation. It traveled from Invalidovna in Karlín, passed through Poříčí and Příkopy, and reached Emperor Franz’s Chain Bridge, close to where the National Theatre stands today. The route was 3.4 kilometers long, featuring a single track in the city center with passing places, while being double-tracked in the outskirts.
The inaugural depot was located in Karlín, remembered by the old building at the intersection of Sokolovská and Šaldova streets. Today, there are no trams or horses found there, but it remains crucial to the history of Prague’s transport: it was from this location that the trams commenced operations, profoundly altering daily travel within the city.
The horse-drawn tram quickly became essential, and by 1891, especially during the Jubilee Provincial Exhibition held in Holešovice, it transported over ten million passengers. Yet, even then, it was becoming evident that horses were not going to be the future of urban transport anymore.

1891: Křižík’s electric tram as both an attraction and an advertisement for the future

The year 1891

marked a remarkable chapter for transportation in Prague. In Letná, a funicular railway was introduced, while another funicular began operating at Petřín, and František Křižík brought the first Czech electric tram to the people of Prague. Although it wasn’t yet a regular city service as we know it today, it served more as a technological attraction, showcasing electricity’s potential and what modern advancements could accomplish.
The electric railway at Letná opened on 18 July 1891. It ran from the upper station of the Letná funicular close to Letná Castle, along Ovenecká Street towards the Royal Game Reserve of Stromovka, eventually extending to the Governor’s Summer Palace. The trams could cover the 1.4-kilometer route in just under five minutes.
Even though the Letná tram was small and ceased operations by 1900, its impact was significant. It proved that electric urban transport wasn’t merely a dream, but a reality waiting to happen, and that future arrived swiftly.

1896: the Prague–Libeň–Vysočany electric railway

In the latter part of the 19th century, Prague experienced tremendous growth. Areas like Karlín, Libeň, Vysočany, Vinohrady, Smíchov, and Žižkov transformed from mere suburbs into thriving neighborhoods where people needed efficient transport to work, shop, and travel into the city. Specifically, Libeň saw a remarkable population surge, tripling from 1869 to 1900. When representatives from Libeň approached the operator of Prague’s horse-drawn tram network, Edouard Otlet, asking for an extension of their line from Karlín, their request was declined. They thus allied with František Křižík, and this time, it was an electric tram system they introduced.
On 19 March 1896, Křižík launched the first line of the privately operated Prague–Libeň–Vysočany Electric Railway. The trams ran from the area of today’s Karlín Music Theatre along Křižíkova Street to present-day Šaldova Street, turning onto what used to be Královská Street, now Sokolovská, and continuing on to Balabenka. Eventually, the line was extended to Libeň and Vysočany.
This evolution marked the transition of electric trams from an exhibition novelty to a regular means of transport.

1897–1907: tram fever and the electrification of the city

As the 19th century came to a close, the transport scene in Prague witnessed a small technological competition. On 13 June 1897, the Electric Railways Smíchov–Košíře began services, initiated by Matěj Hlaváček, the mayor of Košíře. Shortly after, on 25 June 1897, Královské Vinohrady launched its own electric tramway. Then, on 18 September 1897, the Electricity Works initiated operations on their inaugural line. Together with Vinohrady, they operated the route covering Prague–Žižkov–Královské Vinohrady.
A pivotal moment occurred on 1 July 1898, when Electricity Works acquired the horse-drawn tramway and started the process of electrifying it. Over time, horse-drawn trams were phased out and replaced by electric ones. The final ceremonial horse-drawn tram run took place on 12 May 1905 along the route from Křižovnické náměstí across Charles Bridge to Malostranské náměstí. Less than two months later, a new type of tramcar designed by architect Jan Kotěra was introduced, which had a lasting influence on the design of Prague’s trams for many years.
In 1907, Křižík also sold his electric railway line from Prague–Libeň–Vysočany to the city and it became part of the electric tram system. That same year, 24 October 1907, tram routes received formal numbers, starting with route number 5.

1908: the first bus route and the return of buses in 1925

Buses made their initial appearance in Prague on 7 March 1908 with the launch of the first bus route from Malostranské náměstí to Pohořelec. However, the technology was not yet fully capable of handling Prague’s hilly landscape; operational issues arose, and the service was halted as early as 17 November 1909 without replacing it.
Buses didn’t make a return to Prague until 20 June 1925, when services were reintroduced. A day later, regular route A was inaugurated, travelling from Vršovice to Záběhlice, and during this time, bus routes were marked with letters instead of numbers.

Funiculars: Letná, Petřín and Prague’s love of hills

Prague is known for its hills, scenic views, and the constant question of how to reach the heights effortlessly. This is why cable cars are a part of Prague’s public transport. The Letná funicular commenced operations on 31 May 1891 but stopped running on 16 August 1916. Afterward, for some time, there was a moving walkway, reminiscent of a local escalator.
Meanwhile, the Petřín Funicular was operational as early as 25 July 1891. It faced interruptions due to technical difficulties and landslides, and after a twenty-year break, it reopened on 15 June 1985.

1936–1972: trolleybuses that disappeared and returned

Trolleybuses began their regular operations in Prague on 29 August 1936. The inaugural route ran from the Střešovice depot through Bořislavka to St Matthew’s Church. During the 1940s and 1950s, trolleybuses saw significant growth, but their popularity dwindled in the 1960s. By 29 November 1965, the trolleybus system began being dismantled in a systematic replacement with buses. The last original trolleybus route, number 51, operated from Strahov Stadium to Orionka until 16 October 1972, a moment now remembered by a commemorative trolleybus stop.
Yet, the story of trolleybuses wasn’t finished. On 15 October 2017, a trial trolleybus route opened on Prosecká Street, marking the return of electric traction to Prague’s public transport after a hiatus of 45 years. The next significant update is set for 6 March 2024, with the launch of trolleybus route number 59 from Veleslavín Station to Václav Havel Airport. The new Škoda-Solaris battery-powered trolleybuses measure 24 meters long, making them the longest trolleybuses in the Czech Republic.

1939: Prague switches to right-hand traffic

One of the most crucial shifts in city transport was the transition to right-hand driving, which occurred in Czechoslovakia on 26 March 1939. This change greatly influenced trams, buses, and trolleybuses, requiring many adaptations to the rail networks, vehicles, and the overall transport organization. Though it seems like a minor detail today, it was a major logistical effort at the time.

1942, 1951 and 1962: night-time services, a single fare and T3 trams

30 November 1942 marked the introduction of around-the-clock service on the tram network. Following this, on 31 December 1951, a single fare system was established, allowing for easy transfers among tram, trolleybus, and bus routes. This was a significant development that made Prague’s public transport more integrated for users.
A notable addition happened on 21 November 1962, when T3 trams were introduced to regular passenger service. These trams became iconic on Prague’s streets and played a vital role in shaping tram transport, not only in Prague but also in other cities around the globe.

1974: the metro transforms Prague

It was as early as 2 June 1898, when Ladislav Rott presented the first proposal for an underground railway in Prague, but the electricity companies rejected the idea, claiming there was no need for it. There was a long wait before the metro was finally built.
The groundwork for construction began in the 1960s, initially planning for a semi-underground tramway, but it eventually evolved into a full-scale underground railway system. On 9 May 1974, the first section of Line C became operational, connecting Kačerov to Sokolovská, now known as Florenc. Line A followed on 12 August 1978, running between Náměstí Míru and what is now Dejvická, and Line B began operations from Smíchov railway station to today’s Florenc on 2 November 1985.
Today, the metro serves as the backbone of Prague’s transport system and provides an endless source of location references like “let’s meet in the middle of the platform,” which means very different things to different people.

2002: the floods and a test of the metro’s resilience

In August 2002, a devastating flood hit Prague. Between 12 and 16 August, a large portion of the metro lines and stations were inundated. Reestablishing services proved to be quite challenging, with sections and stations gradually reopening until 22 March 2003. This flood is considered one of the most significant events in the recent history of Prague’s public transport.

Trams after 2000: Barrandov, low-floor trams and modernisation

A noteworthy expansion of the tram network came with the opening of the Hlubočepy–Barrandov line on 28 November 2003. Concurrently, low-floor trams started making appearances on the streets. The Škoda 14T trams were trialed with passengers for the first time on 28 January 2006, marking the introduction of Prague’s first mass-produced low-floor model. Then, on 5 October 2010, they were succeeded by Škoda 15T low-floor trams, which became the most common type of low-floor tram in Prague.
The history of Prague’s trams is not limited to new lines; it also includes the return of services to areas they had previously vacated. This includes Wenceslas Square, where trams ceased to operate at the end of 1980. After a gap of over forty years, they are set to return to its upper section. This development isn’t simply a transport project; instead, it represents a symbolic return of tram lines to one of the city’s most bustling areas.

Metro Line A to Motol and the new Line D

Recently, Metro Line A extended from Dejvice to Motol Hospital, which began operation on 6 April 2015. The forthcoming addition will be Metro Line D. Geological surveys for this fourth metro line in the Pankrác–Nové Dvory section kicked off on 19 June 2019, with the official construction launch for the first segment I.D1a Pankrác–Olbrachtova on 21 April 2022.
Metro D is projected to significantly benefit the southern area of Prague, easing traffic congestion. Still, for the moment, it belongs to future plans, while the existing public transport services continue to demonstrate that the city thrives not just in its squares and parks, but also in its vehicles, tunnels, stops, and along the tracks.

Where to go to explore the history of Prague’s public transport?

If you want to delve into the history of Prague’s public transport, head to the Public Transport Museum located in Střešovice. It’s situated in a historic tram depot and brings to life a period when trams boasted wooden benches, conductors were common, and public transport had a vastly different feel, sound, and rhythm compared to today.
Next time you board a tram, subway, bus, or trolleybus, take a moment to think beyond just the expected arrival time. Each route is steeped in history: from Jakub Chocenský’s omnibuses through horse-drawn vehicles, Křižík’s electric innovations, and the iconic T3 trams to the promising D metro line and the trolleybuses serving the airport. Prague didn’t develop its transport system overnight. The evolution took nearly two centuries, and the journey continues even today.