Location Prague
Czech Republic Rebuilt 1901–1909
1972–1979 Opened 14 December 1871 Platforms in use 8 | Owned by České dráhy
SŽDC Electrified 1926–1928 Phone +420 840 112 113 Architect Josef Fanta | |
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Address Wilsonova 8, 110 00 Praha 2, Czechia Owners České dráhy, Správa železniční dopravní cesty Similar Praha Masarykovo nádraží, Praha‑Smíchov railway station, Praha‑Vršovice railway station, Brno hlavní nádraží, Pardubice hlavní nádraží | ||
Vlaky praha hlavn n dra 22 4 2016
Praha hlavní nádraží (English: Prague main railway station, abbreviated Praha hl.n) is the largest and most important railway station in Prague in the Czech Republic. Located in Vinohrady, it was originally opened in 1871 and named Franz Josef Station after Franz Joseph I of Austria. During the First Republic and from 1945 to 1953 the station was called Wilson Station (Czech: 'Wilsonovo nádraží') after former President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson. His statue stood in the park in front of the station before being torn down by German authorities when the U.S. entered the war in 1941. A new statue of Wilson was installed in 2012. In 2010, the station served 132,560 trains and 22 million passengers.
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Overview
The Art Nouveau station building and station hall were built between 1901 and 1909, designed by Czech architect, Josef Fanta, on the site of the old dismantled Neo-Renaissance station designed by Czech architects Antonín Viktor Barvitius and Vojtěch Ignác Ullmann. The station was extended by a new terminal building, built between 1972 and 1979, including an underground metro station and a main road on the roof of the terminal. The new terminal building claimed a large part of the park, and the construction of the road cut off the neo-renaissance station hall from the town. In 2011 a partial refurbishment of the station was completed by Italian company Grandi Stazioni, which has leased retail space for 30 years from 2002. In 2016 Grandi Stazioni has lost the concession after failing to complete the renovation of the historic building by the extended contractual deadline.
The station was the embarkation point for the children evacuated by Nicholas Winton who were evacuated to London Liverpool Street station via the Port of Harwich. In 2009 a statue was unveiled on platform 1 commemorating this.
Long-distance services
The station is an international transport hub, handling services to Germany (Munich, Bavaria-Bohemia RE (Regio-Express) services, and EuroCity/EuroNight services to Berlin, Dresden and Hamburg), Poland, Slovakia, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Serbia, and Croatia in summer. Services are operated by express trains, and also by ČD Class 680 Pendolino. Services to Moravia, Silesia, Slovakia and Poland are also operated by open-access train operators LEO Express, RegioJet and Arriva.
Regional services
In addition to the international services, trains serve most of the larger Czech cities, such as Brno, Plzeň, České Budějovice and Olomouc.
Suburban services
The station is served by most of the Esko Prague lines which are not dispatched from the nearby Masaryk Railway station.
Bus services
In front of the main station building are situated bus stops towards Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, Tábor and other Czech cities. Also Airport Express bus service to Václav Havel Airport Prague maintained by České dráhy departs from Wilsonova street in front of the historical building.
Local transport
The station is served by the Prague Metro's Line C, and numerous tram routes call outside the station.