Czech Beroun Railway Tunnel Project to Start 2032, Cost Rises to 76 bn CZK

The Czech Railway Infrastructure Administration (Správa železnic) plans to build a new dual‑track tunnel between Prague and Beroun. The project, overseen by General Director Tomáš Tóth and Deputy Director Michal Froněk, is estimated at 76 billion Czech korunas (CZK) in today’s prices, up from an earlier 47 bn CZK estimate in 2019. Further inflation adjustments could push the total to about 87.6 bn CZK.

Construction is slated to begin in 2032, with a 12‑year build period targeting completion in 2044. The roughly 25‑km tunnel will cut the Prague‑to‑Plzeň journey to around 45 minutes and shorten regional trips, such as Smíchov to Beroun, by more than half an hour. It will also speed international services toward Munich and Nuremberg. To lower costs, the design omits several previously planned underground links and ventilation shafts, and only TSI Category A rolling stock will be permitted. The project includes two dedicated evacuation trains and a fire‑fighting train to meet safety standards.