Don’t Miss Prague Vintage Train Ride in Honor of 50 Years of the Metro This Wednesday

Vintage lovers will be treated to a ride in a 1974 train this Wednesday, May 8. According to the Public Transport Authority (DPP), this is the original launch vehicle. It will run on Line C to mark Prague’s metro turning 50 years old.

Prague’s metro was first launched on May 9, 1974. DPP in recent months has organized different activities celebrating the metro’s 50^th anniversary. Such as the replica of the original Ečs vehicle launched in February 2024. It was deployed as tram no. 23. The festivities have also seen a traveling exhibition held in April. It displayed the history of the metro service in Prague.

To culminate the 50-year celebration is the vintage rides on historic trains on Line C. Visitors will enjoy yesteryear charm as they journey aboard these iconic metros.

The rides kick off at 9:19 a.m. as per the DPP schedule. The 1974 vehicle will be the first to depart Kačerov for Florenc. Around 9:25 a.m. the first trip of the historic five-car 81–71 vehicle will set off. Nicknamed the ‘black mushroom’ (černá huba), this vehicle will operate from Kačerov to Nádraží Holešovice.

Additionally, at 9:30 a.m., the reconstructed 81–71M vehicle is set to depart from Kačerov to Ládví. The M1 vehicle will leave Kačerov for Letňany at 9:35 a.m. Passengers can expect a glimpse of the metro’s evolving history with these rides. It will also be a unique opportunity to relive the past. Not to forget, travelers will appreciate the progress made by Prague’s metro system, over the past five decades.

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Passengers will ride in these four historic vehicles throughout the day on May 8. They will operate on Prague’s Metro Line C, until around 4:00 p.m. Visitors will ride on the vehicles at the cost of normal public transport tickets or pass. The capacity of the 1974 train is limited, as it is shorter than the present-day sets.

Prague’s Metro System Has Come A Long Way

The city’s metro service was inaugurated in May 1974, with the first line serving Kačerov to Florenc (then Sokolovská). It featured nine stations at the time. Currently, the metro system is core to Prague’s transportation network. It has revolutionized urban mobility across the city.

Today, the original line is the city’s red Line C. It has expanded to green (A) and yellow (B) lines that serve destinations like Letňany to Háje. Plans are underway for Line D currently under construction with expectations to have it ready by 2030.

May 8 is Liberation Day or Victory Day, a public holiday in Czechia and Prague. It commemorates the end of WWII in the country. A detailed schedule of the metro festivities can be found on the DPP website.