Architect sought for high-speed rail hub in Czechia

Illustration of proposed high-speed rail terminal in Jihlava. Image: SZ

The terminal will provide connection to the fast rail services on the Prague – Brno route and will have a park and ride facility with connection to all public transport services.

The terminal will also be connected to the Jihlava – Havlíčkův Brod regional line and the adjacent D1 highway.

The competition calls for the design of a multi-storey terminal, in which the existing line will intersect with the future high-speed line.

The competition also includes a bridge over the D1 highway with a span of more than 160m and the development of an urban conceptual design which will offer a range of commercial opportunities around the terminal.

SZ says that the “experience from abroad shows that the vicinity of terminals on the outskirts of cities can experience rapid development in the coming years if there is a quality infrastructure connection.”

Phased design model

The terminal in the Jihlava-Pávov municipality is part of the new railway connection from Prague to Brno. It will be constructed on the prepared route Vysočina phase II section between Světla nad Sázavou and Velka Bíteš.

Vysočina high-speed line is divided into two phases. The first involves the construction of the Velká Bíteš – Brno section, the second then the construction of the Světlá nad Sázavou – Velká Bíteš section, thus, the entire Prague – Brno high-speed line will be completed.

Passenger trains will run at speeds of up to 320 km/h and will provide connections with the express and regional rail services. The 80-km Vysočina phase II section should be built between 2029 and 2034.

The future Prague – Brno high speed rail will be extended to Ostrava and provide cross-border connection with Poland towards Katowice, as well as to Břeclav (south of Brno) which will ensure the connection towards Austria (in Vienna) and Slovakia, in Bratislava.

The line between Prague and Brno will reduce travel time from three hours to 50 minutes and is expected to carry up to 60,000 passengers a day.

The high-speed rail terminal in Jihlava will be the third to be designed, after Prague East VRT and Roudnice nad Labem interchange hubs.

In August 2022, SZ awarded Rusina Frei architekti a contract for the design of Roudnice nad Labem interchange hub to be constructed on the Podřipsko high-speed rail section linking Prague and Lovosice. This 60 km rail section will be constructed from 2027 and is expected to be completed in 2030.