The Czech Directorate of Roads and Motorways (ŘSD) will completely close a key section of the D0 Prague Ring Road tonight from 23:00 while crews install the final beam of a replacement bridge between the Ořech exit and Barrandov connector. The unscheduled shutdown follows technical complications that prevented completion during the previous night’s works. A second short full closure is planned before morning rush hour on Monday. The D0 is the primary orbital route channelling traffic to Václav Havel Airport as well as to the D5 and D1 motorways. During previous closures, detoured traffic added up to 45 minutes to journeys to the airport, causing some travellers to miss early-morning flights. Airport operator Letiště Praha says it has alerted airlines and ground-handling agents, advising passengers departing between 04:00 and 08:00 to allow an extra hour for road travel. Ride-share platforms have introduced dynamic-pricing caps to avoid fare spikes. Logistics firms warn of knock-on effects for overnight freight. Express-parcel carriers that rely on the ring road to reach cargo terminals have rerouted via city streets with lower weight limits and stricter noise regulations, risking police fines. The Czech Association of Forwarders estimates that each 30-minute delay costs hauliers about €80 in driver and fuel overheads. The bridge replacement is part of a wider project to widen the southwest arc of the ring to three lanes each way, a critical capacity upgrade ahead of the 2027 launch of the EU’s Entry/Exit System, which is expected to increase coach and hire-car traffic from non-Schengen markets. However, business groups are pressing ŘSD to schedule remaining works outside the peak autumn conference season, when Prague hosts multiple large events that depend on predictable airport-city transfers. Police have urged motorists to avoid the D0 altogether tonight, recommending the Jižní spojka urban motorway or public transport where feasible. Travellers catching early flights should monitor the ŘSD Twitter feed and the Waze community for live re-opening updates before setting out. With winter timetable changes only six weeks away, stakeholders are keen to ensure tonight’s disruption remains the last full closure for 2026.
Source: iDNES.cz
