Emergency services in Prague spent the early afternoon of 14 February sealing a ruptured gas pipe beneath Nádražní Street in Smíchov, one of the capital’s key north-south arteries. Four fire-brigade units were dispatched after sensors in the adjacent metro station detected elevated gas levels around 13:00. Although no evacuation was ordered, police cordoned off several blocks while a specialist team from distributor Pražská Plynárenská excavated the roadway to clamp the damaged main.
The incident forced Prague Integrated Transport (PID) to divert tram lines 4, 5 and 12 and suspend several bus stops serving Smíchovské nádraží, the city’s second-busiest rail hub. Commuters faced delays of up to 30 minutes as replacement buses were routed via the Barrandov bridge. Rail services on the cross-city corridor were unaffected, but taxi and ride-hail operators reported surge pricing as traffic backed up along the Vltava river embankment.
![Gas Leak Shuts Prague’s Nádražní Street, Diverts Trams & Buses]()
For international visitors suddenly rerouting their travels, VisaHQ can help smooth the process by expediting Czech visa applications or extensions entirely online, sparing travellers extra cross-town trips when transport networks are strained. Their dedicated Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) also consolidates real-time entry regulations, health advisories and emergency contacts—handy resources when unexpected incidents like the Smíchov gas leak disrupt normal mobility.
Utility engineers said the pipe—installed in the late 1970s—had suffered a stress fracture, probably exacerbated by recent freeze-thaw cycles. Permanent repairs are expected to keep at least one lane closed through Monday morning; PID is urging travellers to use Metro B or regional rail instead of surface transport when crossing the river.
For companies shuttling staff between Prague’s two main business districts (Anděl and Pankrác), the closure underscores the value of updated contingency travel policies. Employers are advised to allow extra travel time, re-book client meetings virtually where possible, and remind foreign assignees of PID’s English-language alert feed for real-time disruption notices.
The incident forced Prague Integrated Transport (PID) to divert tram lines 4, 5 and 12 and suspend several bus stops serving Smíchovské nádraží, the city’s second-busiest rail hub. Commuters faced delays of up to 30 minutes as replacement buses were routed via the Barrandov bridge. Rail services on the cross-city corridor were unaffected, but taxi and ride-hail operators reported surge pricing as traffic backed up along the Vltava river embankment.
For international visitors suddenly rerouting their travels, VisaHQ can help smooth the process by expediting Czech visa applications or extensions entirely online, sparing travellers extra cross-town trips when transport networks are strained. Their dedicated Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) also consolidates real-time entry regulations, health advisories and emergency contacts—handy resources when unexpected incidents like the Smíchov gas leak disrupt normal mobility.
Utility engineers said the pipe—installed in the late 1970s—had suffered a stress fracture, probably exacerbated by recent freeze-thaw cycles. Permanent repairs are expected to keep at least one lane closed through Monday morning; PID is urging travellers to use Metro B or regional rail instead of surface transport when crossing the river.
For companies shuttling staff between Prague’s two main business districts (Anděl and Pankrác), the closure underscores the value of updated contingency travel policies. Employers are advised to allow extra travel time, re-book client meetings virtually where possible, and remind foreign assignees of PID’s English-language alert feed for real-time disruption notices.
