The Kolín railway station will transform into a modern center within five years

Prague/Kolin - The Kolín train station will gradually be transformed into a modern center with shops, restaurants, and services as part of the Czech Railways project Living Stations, completed by 2011. The tender for its reconstruction was won by the company AŽD Praha. According to preliminary studies, costs will not exceed 40 million crowns. Preparatory work will begin in the summer, said the media representative of the company, Petra Mahdalíková, today.
"The station will come alive significantly," added the financial director of AŽD Praha, Miroslav Kozák. The reconstruction will not only create new commercial spaces for rent but also, in the final phase, new buildings towards the city center will be constructed.
The project will have three phases. This year and next year, the overall situation at the passenger and freight station and their connections will be evaluated as part of the preparatory works. Then, the project documentation will start to be developed, which should be completed by 2008. After that, the actual reconstruction will begin in the form of building renovations and possibly the construction of new spaces.
The Kolín railway station is a hub of five transport directions. It is located in one of the railway corridors, and in the future, it will likely also host the corridor route Dresden - Budapest. The station covers an area of over 83 hectares. At least 10,000 passengers pass through it daily, with up to 950 people during the morning rush hour.
AŽD Praha, which has one of its branches located in Kolín, will gradually ensure the reconstruction of the station buildings and propose commercial uses for some of them. There will be 27 buildings available.
AŽD Praha, s.r.o., is the largest Czech company in the field of signaling, telecommunications, and information technology, particularly focused on rail and road transport. It employs over 2,000 people, and last year its revenue reached 3.1 billion crowns. The company is also involved in the revitalization of the Havlíčkův Brod railway station and is preparing project proposals for other stations.