At its meeting on 5 May 2025, the Prague City Council approved the conclusion of a Memorandum of cooperation between the City of Prague and Prague Airport, a.s. This strategic partnership aims to effectively use the potential of the land around Prague's Václav Havel Airport and set the framework for the future coordinated development of this key location.
Prague Airport, owned by the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic, is the operator of the most important international airport in the Czech Republic and the gateway to Central Europe. As part of its strategy, the company plans to develop sites in the immediate vicinity of the airport that are not directly used for air traffic.
"We are aware of the crucial role of the airport for the entire Prague region. The airport area and the adjacent surroundings will be more connected with the Prague intown in the future than before, and therefore it makes sense to coordinate the development of this area," said the Mayor of Prague doc. MUDr. Bohuslav Svoboda, CSc.
On the basis of the signed Memorandum, a working group consisting of representatives of both parties will be established to work on identifying common interests and specific projects until 31 July 2025. The group will focus in particular on:
- Identification of areas suitable for joint exploitation
- Formulating proposals for joint projects
- Developing a final list of projects and activities for further implementation
Prague Airport City as a key project
Prague Airport plans to pursue its interests through the ambitious Prague Airport City project. The aim of this project is to create new opportunities, activities and functions that will bring economic development not only for the airport itself, but also for the entire Prague Capital Region.
The main aspects that will be taken into account in the cooperation include:
- Supporting the economic development of the region
- Sustainability and environmental protection
- Promoting innovation and technological solutions
- Increasing the attractiveness of the whole area for passengers, visitors and local residents
Long-term vision and strategic development
Prague Airport has developed a long-term development plan (MASTERPLAN), which includes the completion of terminal capacities and an increase in the capacity of the runway system. This plan also includes the construction of a parallel runway, which will increase safety, reduce noise pollution and help optimise the airport's operational capacity.
Significant investments are also being made to improve the airport's transport accessibility. A key project is the upcoming rail link to the centre of Prague, which will reduce the journey to the airport to approximately 25 minutes. At the same time, the bus service is being modernised, with line 119 being replaced by trolleybus line 59 in 2024.
"This cooperation is another step towards fulfilling the strategic development goals of the airport and the capital city. We believe that joint projects will contribute to strengthening the region's economy and improving services for all airport users," said Councillor Mgr. Adam Zábranský, who presented the material.
Commitments from the Memorandum
The Memorandum is not a legally binding document, its purpose is to set the framework for mutual cooperation. It is concluded for an indefinite period of time and can be terminated by either party at any time. The HMP Council instructed the HOM Department of the MHMP to nominate representatives to the joint working group by 30 May 2025.
The results of the working group's activities should form the basis for the preparation of specific projects and contractual relations between Prague Airport and the Capital City of Prague, which will subsequently be submitted to the relevant authorities of both entities for discussion