Work on the tram extension in Petržalka. (source: TASR)
The 3.9-kilometre extension of the tramline in Bratislava's Petržalka borough is nearing completion. Mayor Matúš Vallo has pledged that trams will begin operating on the new section by the end of May.
The project, which traverses Petržalka, is expected to significantly enhance travel quality and public space. In addition to improved transport infrastructure, the city promises new greenery, sidewalks, roads, and cycling paths. The extension will also trigger broader changes in the city's public transport network in Bratislava’s largest borough.
"This project is not just about a new tramline – it represents the infrastructural completion of Petržalka," the municipality stated.
The route follows the corridor originally reserved for a metro system, a plan that was never realised.
Following the tramline's launch, the city plans a gradual reorganisation of other public transport lines in Petržalka.
Construction of the second phase of the tramline began in November 2021, amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The initial cost was estimated at nearly €90 million. However, due to inflation and rising construction material prices, the final figure is expected to be significantly higher.
Opening day operations
On the first day of service, only essential operational changes will take effect. Several bus lines will be cancelled, with their routes largely covered by the new tramline.
"A broader reorganisation of the network will follow in the months after the launch," the municipality said, adding that adjustments will be based on data about passenger behaviour and usage patterns.
Public transport changes triggered by the new line
The entire new tram segment through Petržalka, from Janíkov Dvor, to the current terminus in Rača will be served by line 3, which will operate at shorter intervals than before. During the morning rush hour, trams will arrive every 2.5 minutes (down from four), and every four minutes during the afternoon rush (down from five). On weekends and holidays, line 3 will run every five minutes instead of every 7.5. At other times, it will maintain its current frequency.
Planned changes to public transport
Bus lines 95 and 59 will be discontinued.
Line 192 will be shortened, operating only between Patrónka and the Jungmannova stop. Local service will be maintained by line 99.
Tram line 7 running from Rača to the Main Railway Station will be discontinued.
Passengers from Rača will be able to reach the Main Railway Station by transferring at Račianske Mýto to lines 61, 71, or 40.
A comprehensive reorganisation of the remaining lines will follow several months after the tram extension opens, based on data such as the utilisation of individual lines.
The extended tram line 3, running from Petržalka to Rača, will operate every 2.5 minutes during the morning rush hour (previously every 4 minutes) and every 4 minutes during the afternoon rush hour (previously every 5 minutes). On weekends and holidays, trams will run every 5 minutes, down from the current 7.5 minutes.
The denser schedule for line 3 will lead to the cancellation of line 7, which currently runs between Rača and the Main Railway Station during the morning rush.
"Maintaining another line at a four-minute interval is not operationally feasible alongside a 2.5-minute frequency," the city explained.
Passengers from Rača heading to the Main Station will be able to transfer at Račianske Mýto Square to bus lines 61, 71, or 40.
Bus lines 95 and 59 will also be discontinued. Line 95, introduced in 2005 as a temporary solution pending the tram extension, largely overlaps the new tram route. Line 59 primarily served students attending schools along Račianska Street and in the Pánty area. Since the last school in Pánty is set to close in summer 2024, and Račianska schools will be accessible via Line 3, the city deems line 59 redundant.
Bus Line 192 will be shortened to run from Patrónka only as far as Jungmannova, where passengers will be able to transfer directly to the tram. The remainder of the route is largely duplicated by the new tramline.
"Local service will be maintained by line 99, which intersects the tramline several times, offering seamless transfers to the faster tram service at multiple junctions," the city concluded.
