Start of the Petržalka tram

For Bratislava, the new tram line in Petržalka is the largest and also an extremely important transport project that which fully connects the city on both banks of the Danube and will make everyday life easier for tens of thousands of Bratislava residents.

Bratislava mayor Matúš Vallo said:

“The launch of the new tram line to Petržalka is a major event not only for the people of Petržalka, but for our entire city. And as the mayor, I am exceedingly happy to be there. I thank my colleagues, the contractor and the suppliers for their efforts. I also thank the European Union and the Ministry of Transport for financing this project. However, I would especially like to thank the people of Petržalka for the enormous amount of patience they have shown while enduring all the restrictions related to the construction of the line. Everyone who has been following this project from the start knows that we had to deal with several problems while carrying it out, which is why I am all the more pleased that the Petržalka tram is now a reality and, together with new public spaces, roads, pavements and the new cycling path, it will fundamentally improve the quality of life of the residents of our largest housing estate."

Minister of Transport of the Slovak Republic Jozef Ráž said:

“Thanks to EU funds, Bratislava is being transformed into a city with more modern, ecological and accessible public transport. The Ministry of Transport approved more than 86 million euros for the construction of the new tram line in Petržalka; 73 million euros came from European Union funds and 8.6 million euros from the state budget. We’re convinced that rail transport is the future of urban mobility – this is why we are also financing the modernising of other tram lines, the purchase of trams and trolleybuses, as well as the renovation of the technical infrastructure at the Krasňany depot and in Jurajov dvor. Bratislava has in its hands the tools and support needed to become a leader in sustainable urban mobility."

Juraj Droba, Governor of the Bratislava Self-governing Region said:

“The launch of the Petržalka tram line is an important step towards sustainable mobility for Bratislava and the Bratislava Region. It is a modern, ecological and, above all, functional alternative to the traffic jams that tens of thousands of people go through every day. Not to mention that transport adds significant air pollution to the capital. In the Bratislava Region, we are currently facing a significant predominance of individual transport – nearly three-quarters of people travel by car. Our strategic aim is to motivate drivers to use other modes of transport and to achieve a 50:50 ratio between public and individual transport. This is why we have prepared the Sustainable Mobility Plan for the Bratislava Region, in which projects such as the Petržalka tram are key pillars. I want to thank everyone who took part in this project – it is a real shift towards a better, healthier and more accessible city and region."

Iveta Jančoková, acting mayor of the Petržalka City Borough said:

“I believe that the tram extension not only contributes to the better connecting of Petržalka with the rest of the capital but will also encourage residents of other city districts to visit Petržalka for cultural, sports or leisure activities."

Martin Rybanský, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dopravný podnik Bratislava said:

“We’re prepared to provide Petržalka with what it deserves after decades of waiting – ecological, comfortable and fast tram transport. Tram line 3 will become the most frequently used tram line in Bratislava, with almost 500 connections to it daily. I believe that thanks to the modern vehicles, reliable operation and high-quality transfers, we’ll convince even more people that public transport in Bratislava is today a real and reliable alternative to individual car transport. I would also like to thank all partners and especially our colleagues who took part in this important project."

Radim Dvořák, Acting Head of the European Commission Representation in Slovakia:

“The opening of the new tram line in Petržalka is great news for anyone who travels for work, school or leisure every day. I’m pleased that, thanks to the financial support of the European Union, we can today open a project together that will improve the lives of tens of thousands of them. The new tram line is not just about tracks and stops – it is about better connections, better quality public transport and a more beautiful city. This is one of many examples of how Slovakia’s membership in the EU brings concrete benefits to citizens, in the form of a better city, greener transport and services that have a real impact on the daily lives of residents. It confirms that the European Union is not just about rules, but above all about people, their needs and their future. I thank everyone who took part in this project – the result is a modern, sustainable and inclusive city for all."

Construction of the Petržalka tram began in the fall of 2021. Carrying out the work was marked and greatly affected by several problems, from complicated relationships in the original consortium, COVID, and radical increase in energy and material prices because of the war in Ukraine, to objective obstacles, such as the discovery of an illegal hazardous waste dump, an anti-tank wall or ammunition from the Second World War. Despite these complications, this important project was saved and kept going, and today the trams were finally launched on the line.

A tram for everyone

The new Petržalka tram will improve transport in a major way and not only for those who live near it, but also for residents of Petržalka living outside the line’s corridor. The new transport system was designed to make the transfer from the bus stops to the tram as comfortable and short as possible while ensuring that the bus routes intersect with the line itself; thus, they will transport residents of the more peripheral parts of Petržalka to the modern and fast tram. Combined stops are located at almost all tram stops, and where their construction was not possible, the bus stop was moved as close to the tram as possible. Transfers are thereby safe and convenient, so that everyone can use the tram, which will run every 2.5 minutes during peak hours.

With the new tram comes a new cycling path, new crossings and new bridges

A new 6-kilometre separate cycling path was also built alongside the new tram line. Residents of Petržalka have thus gained a safe cycling infrastructure across the entire Petržalka area to the city centre, which they can use both when commuting to work by bike, but also as part of active recreation during cycling trips.

In addition to the new cycling route, the construction of the Petržalka tram also required the construction of new intersections and the alteration of old ones, since the line crosses several roads. A completely new intersection was built on the combined bridge on Rusovská cesta or on Pajštúnska ulica, which, together with Kutlíkova, was “straightened” and expanded to four lanes. The intersections on Jantárová cesta with Betliarska and Lietavská, Jasovská and Šintavská also underwent changes.

The project also includes four new bridges over the Chorvátske rameno canal. The first is the combined bridge on Rusovská cesta, which carries the tram line, road traffic and cycle and pedestrian walkways over Chorvátske rameno. The second and longest bridge is the 110-metre bridge near the Parish Church of the Holy Family, which is intended for trams, and which also has a cycling route and walkway on the sides. The next is a footbridge for pedestrians and cyclists under the bridge near the Parish Church of the Holy Family and the last one is the traffic bridge on Kutlíkova ulica, which is part of the straightening and widening of Kutlíkova and Pajštúnska. Along with the new bridge structures, the existing bridge on Panónska cesta was also modified so that mass transit buses could stop on it.

The tram line in Petržalka is green

During the construction of the line, great emphasis was also placed on greenery. In addition to more than 22 thousand square metres of green stonecrop, which covers the entire line with the exception of crossings and bridges, as many as 1,512 mature trees and 7,046 m² of shrubs are gradually being planted near the line. And this is not all. As part of the replacement planting for the trees that had to be removed due to the construction of the line, another 725 trees and 4,108 m² of shrubs are being planted around the line, for example on the median strips on Kutlíkova or Dolnozemská. The roofs of the shelters at the stops along the entire route will also be green.

And what next?

Some buildings and landscaping along the route will be completed after the launch of the Petržalka tram; however, they are no longer directly related to the operation of the tram. The city is also smoothly shifting all its capacities to the modernisation of the fourth of the five tram radials in the city, namely the Ružinovská radial, where a public procurement for a contractor is already underway.

This project is co-financed by the European Union within the Slovakia Programme.