Prague Price Increases: Passengers Will Pay More for Metro, Trams, and Buses, and Drivers for Parking

The average driver in Prague loses 151 hours a year stuck in traffic jams, and spends additional hours searching for a free parking spot. Some central tram lines are also experiencing regular delays. The city has to subsidize both public transport and parking. Prague’s Deputy Mayor for Transport, Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates), aims to solve the dire situation through reforms, including raising parking fees or charging for entry into the city center. His coalition partners from the ODS party, on the other hand, would like to increase public transport fares. As a result, it is likely that, in the end, everything will simply become more expensive.

The parking reform that the City Hall sent to city districts for comments in December included, for example, city-wide parking cards for visitors, the option for residents to pay less for smaller permitted parking zones, the possibility of monthly payments, and special permits for deliveries. It also abolishes transferable parking permits and free parking for electric vehicles. “What is on the table is a proposal from the transport department, not a politically approved final draft. It will still be subject to comments from city districts and expert institutions,” said Martin Sedeke (ODS), head of the transport committee, at a Tuesday debate on parking organized by the Prague Chamber of Commerce.

Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib is currently addressing a large number of comments on the proposal, coming not only from individual city districts but also from his coalition partners in Spolu, namely ODS, TOP 09, and KDU-ČSL, as well as the STAN movement. At the coalition level, the main discussion concerns a possible increase in residential parking fees from the current basic rate of 1200 CZK. “No one knows the exact amount yet. We only have a methodology on how to reach it,” says Sedeke. “If we were to base it on the historical ratio of the monthly parking price to wages, the current parking price would be approximately 6800 CZK,” explains Aleš Rod from the Centre for Economic and Market Analyses (CETA).

Dispute Over Visitor Parking and Delivery Permits

Among city districts, there is also a heated dispute over a proposal to limit visitor parking in blue zones to solve the shortage of parking spots for residents in the immediate vicinity. Residents would newly receive 120 hours per year for visitor parking. Some city districts support this, while others find it too complicated and would rather keep the current system. Central districts also oppose the proposal to introduce special parking permits for delivery vehicles.

“Parking zones should not be seen as a source of income for the city district. We should rather treat them as a necessary regulation,” says Zdeněk Lokaj from the Transport Faculty of the Czech Technical University (ČVUT). According to him, ideally three zones should be created, plus one additional zone for residents of busy locations near sports and cultural institutions.

Restrictions on Transit Through the City Center

A major dispute among city districts and within the coalition also concerns restrictions on entry into the city center, where car traffic causes tram delays. This would affect Smetanovo embankment and its surroundings, as well as parallel parts of Malá Strana. Hřib previously proposed charging a one-time fee of 200 CZK for entry, with exceptions for residents, deliveries, and local businesses. The proposal is naturally mainly supported by Prague 1, while neighboring Prague 2 is the biggest opponent, fearing traffic will shift into its streets.

Hřib now admits other solutions are possible. “Charging is obviously not the only tool to reduce unnecessary transit on Smetanovo embankment and Malá Strana, which we committed to in the city council’s program statement,” says the deputy mayor. “Personally, I am not opposed to other ways of restriction if a more feasible option is available.”

Charging is also legally complicated. “Other solutions are of course possible; what matters is to start somehow. And this is really not only about Prague 1, but everyone should be proud of Charles Bridge and its surroundings,” says Ryvola. “A potential improvement in calming traffic in Prague 1 could come from changes in parking control and restrictions because if it becomes known that parking in the center will truly become more expensive, people will prefer excellent public transport services and leave their cars at home,” suggests the councilor.

Park & Ride Facilities to Relieve Central Traffic

According to Sedeke, parking lots could relieve busy traffic in the center. Construction of a Park & Ride lot at Opatov should begin within three months; three years ago, the city completed a parking house at Prague 14 near the Černý Most metro station. “We are preparing the construction of a terminal at Zličín, which, in cooperation with a shopping center, should provide about a thousand spaces,” says Prague Sobě councilor Adam Scheinherr. Currently, Prague has about 4300 P+R parking spaces, but even these are insufficient for commuters.

Businesses Demand More Parking Spaces

Companies operating in Prague’s center consider the parking situation a severe problem. This is according to a recent survey by the Centre for Economic and Market Analyses, which e15 has access to. Analysts asked over sixty local business owners about their experience with parking in the city center. Although 9 out of 10 entrepreneurs actively park near their office or workplace, only eight percent own parking spaces. Most use public parking or rent spaces. Two-fifths of respondents consider the parking supply near their workplace completely inadequate.

Most entrepreneurs also complain about a lack of space for deliveries. About two-thirds consider the parking fees reasonable, but one-third find parking too expensive. Craftsmen especially face problems, as they often need to park for several hours at the customer’s place rather than just a few minutes.

According to entrepreneurs, the situation would improve mainly through the construction of large-capacity parking garages, system digitization, occupancy monitoring, and more efficient and flexible enforcement of violations.

The full article can be found on e15.cz (March 26).