The Prague funicular took an important step towards resuming operation. On Wednesday, April 22, two new cars, delivered from Switzerland, were officially placed on the tracks on Petřín hill. Using a massive crane, they were moved to the track section near the Abt switch, from where they went to their stations for final adjustments.
Transporting the cars through the narrow roads of Petřín was a real challenge for the engineers. Trucks with special trailers had to drive backward up steep slopes to deliver the valuable cargo to the installation site. The new cars, costing 137.7 million Czech crowns, were made by the Austrian-Swiss group Doppelmayr/Garaventa.
Currently, the equipment is still hidden under protective white covers. These will only be removed at the stations when specialists from Switzerland begin their work. They will be responsible for setting up all systems and preparing the funicular for the first test runs.
Thanks to folding seats, the car can now hold 120 people. The panoramic roof windows will offer passengers a stunning view of Prague, which will be especially impressive at night. Designers have added "emotions" to the cars – when meeting at the switch, one car will symbolically "wink" at the other with its headlights, and the other will "blush" in response (change its lighting).
When can we ride?
The schedule for launching the funicular is already set:
May – June. Intensive tests will be carried out without passengers. First, empty runs, then tests with a load of 7.5 tons (simulating full capacity).
July – August. Obtaining official permits and dealing with administrative procedures.
September 2026. Full launch of the funicular for residents and visitors of the capital.
We remind you that the Petřín funicular was closed in September 2024 after heavy rains damaged the track. The current reconstruction is the most extensive since the 1980s. In addition to updating the car fleet, builders have fully reinforced the unstable hillside.
