New train line S61 starts on April 1st with new trains
Naposledy aktualizováno: 30. 04. 2025 | Publikováno 30. 04. 2025
From April 1, 2025, a new train line S61 will operate on the route Prague-Vršovice – Prague hl. n. – Prague-Libeň – Prague-Běchovice – Úvaly. The new line and the existing line S49 from Prague Hostivař to Roztok u Prahy will be equipped with new electric low-floor units Pesa Elf.eu operated by the newly tendered carrier RegioJet.
The train line S61 will operate on the route Prague hlavní nádraží – Prague-Libeň – Prague-Kyje – Prague-Dolní Počernice – Prague-Běchovice – Prague-Běchovice střed – Prague-Klánovice – Úvaly. The line will operate on weekdays at intervals of 30 minutes, on weekends it will run every hour and will run from the main station to Vršovice. Due to the introduction of the S61 line, some connecting bus lines departing from Klánovice and Úvaly will also be adjusted.
„Modern barrier-free electric units on city lines will bring a further significant increase in quality for rail passengers in Prague and the surrounding area. We are currently examining other options for rail connections on city lines in Prague, in order to offer passengers fast, capacious and attractive connections to other parts of the capital without the need for transfers. In cooperation with the Railway Administration, the Prague 14 city district and city organizations, we are also intensively addressing the construction of the designed stops in Prague 14 for the S61 train line. Their construction has been suspended for the time being due to the examination of related investment plans in the Prague railway hub. The possible construction of railway stops will of course be in coordination with the planned modernization of the affected line and the recently approved ‘metro S’ plan, i.e. new underground lines and stations, which are very important for the further development of the capital,” says Zdeněk Hřib, 1st Deputy Mayor of Prague for Transport.
„This new S61 line will once again provide residents of Úval with a direct connection to Prague’s main railway station, making it easier for them to travel to work or study,” said Petr Borecký, councilor of the Central Bohemian Region for public transport.
Alternative route will help busy lines between Prague and Úvaly
The new S61 train line was originally supposed to run on the route Prague-Vršovice – Prague-Zahradní Město – Prague-Běchovice, including the new stops Jahodnice, Hostavice and Jiráskova čtvrť. The project preparation of the new stops, which is now nearing completion, was carried out by the Prague 14 district. Their implementation is currently suspended because it could clash with the current plan for the reconstruction of the Prague railway junction and the planned capacity expansion of the line on which the new stops were to be located. „However, since the new S61 line makes no sense without the new stops, an alternative route was chosen that will help relieve the busy lines between the center of Prague, Libení, Běchovice and Úvaly. The alternative route will also replace the missing direct connection of the line to Úvaly with Prague’s Main Station after the S7 line in the direction from Beroun was shortened,” says ROPID director Petr Tomčík.
„I welcome the increase in capacity on the connection between Prague and Úvaly, which is currently one of the busiest in the PID system network,” said Zdeněk Šponar, director of IDSK.
New modern trains for lines S61 and S49
New three-car electric units from the Polish manufacturer Pesa will also run on the existing urban train line S49 from Prague-Hostivař via Libeň and Holešovice to Roztok u Prahy from 1 April 2025. Lines S49 and S61 will be operated by RegioJet, which won the competition to operate these lines in 2021. The new units were originally scheduled to start operating in December 2024, but there were delays due to delayed delivery of vehicles from the manufacturer.
The new trains, with a capacity of 231 seated passengers, are barrier-free accessible, air-conditioned, equipped with electrical outlets and wifi, with large-capacity spaces for bicycles and strollers, and in a uniform grey-red PID paint. The internal digital information system in the new Readable Prague graphics will offer, in addition to standard route information, online information about possible transfers to other PID lines at the current stop. There will also be a 1st class compartment on the trains, where it will be possible to buy a one-time supplement directly from the train crew. On lines S49 and S61, only the PID tariff and the state-wide One Ticket tariff will apply.