The Bratislava Transport Company (DPB) continues to improve public transport by renovating a part of the Vajnorska radial route

The Bratislava Transport Company (DPB) has announced another major project that will improve travelling by tram from Zlaté Piesky to the city centre and vice versa. The renovation of a two-way section of the Vajnorska tram line and the reconstruction of platforms from Kuchajda Lake to the final Zlaté piesky station will begin in October 2023. When completed, travel time will be reduced, comfort at the stops will be improved, the quality of tram operation will be upgraded, maintenance costs will be reduced and, lastly, the safety and reliability of tram operation will be increased.

The Vajnorska radial route connecting Trnavské mýto with the industrial zone in the city district Bratislava - Nové Mesto, part of Jurajov dvor and the Zlaté piesky recreational area was built in stages starting in the 1950s, followed by the line from the Jurajov dvor depot. The final tram-line was completed in 1989. In more than thirty years the tram line has undergone only one section repair in 1993, and the technical condition of the tramway has long been unsatisfactory. The DPB has therefore been working in recent years to prepare for the necessary repairs.

"I am happy to announce another important project of our Transport Company, which once again significantly improves tram travel. It is a further significant step towards making our public transport more reliable, safer and faster. I am proud that we have succeeded in obtaining money from the European funds and can get on with making the Vajnorska radial route a modern, safer, faster and quieter line. Improving public transport has long been one of our top priorities, and this project demonstrates that," says Mayor Vallo.

"The Vajnorska radial route suffers from a major lack of investment. It has received no investment for the last thirty years, so I am glad that we have managed to obtain external funding from EU funds for a project to repair a significant part of it. This is a challenging project in terms of developing and providing substitute transport services for the area. However, I am convinced that our passengers will appreciate the results of the works and that their waiting for a connection or a ride on the new line will be much more comfortable once it is completed. Our drivers, who have had to drive along the line at reduced speeds up to now, will also appreciate the changes," underlines Martin Rybanský, DPB’s Chair of the Board.

New rail track surface and modern stops The section from Kuchajda to Zlaté piesky will undergo reconstruction in two stages. The first will include the shell construction, the second mainly completion works. The repairs will start with the dismantling of the existing track, removal of the railway track bed and dismantling of the stops. A new open track surface will be laid in the tram corridor area. The stop islands will be raised to meet the needs of passengers with reduced mobility and mothers with strollers, following the design of stops implemented on the Račianska radial route. Their surface will consist of Bratislava paving, which is in line with the city's new principles. Each platform will be equipped with a new shelter, a marker and an electronic information board displaying the departures of connections so that the stops meet all the standards of modern public transport. The poles will also be reconstructed, with their surfaces renewed and a new anthracite paint applied. The traction power cables will also be reinforced to suit modern vehicles.

The repair works will commence on 5 October 2023 and will last until the end of June 2024. During the works on the first part of the line, passenger tram transport will be cancelled, with bus replacement services in the section from Nové Mesto Station to Zlaté piesky. The substitute bus line X4 will serve the stops near the tram stops during the reconstruction works following a similar schedule to the trams. Buses with a higher capacity will also be dispatched on line 53 offering an alternative connection between Zlaté Piesky and Trnava Mýto. As the renovated sections are connected to the adjacent road, the works will also require some partial traffic restrictions. A bus lane will be marked in some sections to ensure the continuity of the replacement bus service. In other parts, the machinery reconstructing the line will be positioned in one lane and traffic will accordingly have to be reduced to a single lane. This is also why bus line 57 will operate along the circular route Zlaté piesky - Vajnorská - Jurajov dvor - Žabí majer - Stavivá - Zlaté piesky. Once the first part is put into operation and during the works on the second part, tram transport will be restored.

The DPB signed contracts with TSS Grade for modernisation of the track section of the line during the summer and with Elza for the connecting section during September. The project, worth almost €25 million, will be financed through EU funds from the Operational Programme Integrated Infrastructure, for which the DPB has already received approval for a non-repayable financial contribution.