SLOVAKIA: Work is underway on the development of a new tram line to serve Bratislava’s largest housing estate, with opening anticipated by the end of 2023.
Located on the south side of the River Danube, Petržalka is home to more than 100 000 inhabitants. It is already linked to the centre of Bratislava by tram Route 3, which crosses the river to terminate at Jungmannova, around 1·4 km from the river.
The new 3·9 km branch will diverge from Route 3 at Bosákova and run south to Janíkov Dvor, serving five intermediate stops. Once completed, it will offer a journey time of 12 min to Šafárikovo Námestie in the heart of the city, with trams running every 2 or 3 min at peak times. The line is forecast to carry up to 30 000 passengers/day in each direction.
Bratislava municipality has awarded a €74·6m contract for construction of the extension to the NS MHD Petržalka consortium, bringing together Spanish company Aldesa, its Polish branch and Slovak firms Cedis and Hant BA. The project is being partially co-financed from EU funds.
The package includes the construction of four new bridges. One will be shared by car and tram traffic along Rusovská Cesta, while another will take the trams over the Chorvátske canal, where a separate bridge will be built for pedestrians and cyclists. The fourth bridge on ul Kutlíkova will carry diverted road traffic. An existing overpass over the Panónska Ceste trunk road will be rebuilt to improve connectivity and facilitate interchange between the tram route and feeder bus services.
As part of efforts to improve the urban environment, the city plans to plant more than 1 500 trees along the tram route and the adjacent bicycle and pedestrian paths. Island platforms at the stops will be spacious and fully accessible, with the shelters to be covered with vegetation.
