Prague Airport will be shutting down its main runway 06/24 for four and a half months beginning on 31 March 2025. This closure will take place during most of the summer season. The work being done will improve the area around the runway, and various essential construction and technical projects will be carried out. The main purpose of this work is to ensure that the runway meets regulatory standards and to enhance safety for all operations. While the main runway is closed, all air traffic will be rerouted to the secondary runway 12/30. However, this secondary runway directs aircraft over areas of Prague and the Central Bohemian Region that have a high population density. Additionally, the Road and Motorway Directorate will also take advantage of this closure to replace a bridge that is essential for air traffic navigation and to facilitate an increase in capacity for the D7 motorway in this area. The modernization process for the main runway area is also expected to continue into 2026.

“Renovating the space around the main runway is extremely important, and we cannot delay it any further,” said Eva Krejčí, the Director of Communications and Marketing at Prague Airport. She also mentioned: “During this time, we will divert all air traffic to the secondary runway. It’s crucial to note that this runway isn’t designed for take-offs and landings in low visibility conditions, which is why we’re scheduling the repairs for months when, according to past statistics, fog is least likely to occur. We have already informed local representatives about the upcoming work. We sincerely apologize to the residents who might be affected, but until the new parallel runway is operational, redirecting traffic to the secondary runway is our only option.” During this runway closure, incoming flights will primarily arrive in Prague, while departures will head toward Kladno.

The maintenance work near the main runway will involve a total of 15 construction and technology projects, aimed at maximizing the use of the closure period. Some of the major projects include fixing and building taxiways along with upgrading a section of the sewage system to improve water drainage from the airport’s paved areas. Since these projects are all located close to the main runway, they will prevent its use for landings and take-offs during the work. However, it is important to note that there will be no repairs on the main runway itself since it was completely rebuilt in 2012 and 2013.

The Road and Motorway Directorate (RSD) plans to utilize the runway closure period at Václav Havel Airport Prague to carry out construction work on the D7 motorway, which significantly impacts the main runway’s operations. Consequently, the various tasks are being carefully coordinated. “Near the Aviatická level crossing interchange on the D7 motorway, we are set to completely reconstruct a bridge that serves Václav Havel Airport Prague. This bridge isn’t open to the public and is dedicated to airport equipment. Our construction plans involve demolishing the old bridge structure and building a new one that will be 1.5 times longer, allowing for an expansion of the motorway in this section from two to three lanes in each direction. Initially, this reconstruction was part of the overall renovation of the level crossing interchange, but due to the coordination with air traffic, we have decided to execute it ahead of schedule as a separate project. During the demolition process, the motorway will be fully closed for one weekend. We aim to start the reconstruction, which should last no longer than 200 days, at the end of March. Currently, we are in the process of selecting a contractor,” stated Jan Rýdl, the Head of the Communications Department at the Road and Motorway Directorate.

In 2026, work will continue at approximately the same time of year, including more construction and technical work. “Regrettably, we cannot complete all the repairs in a single year because doing so would require extending the work into months that have higher chances of adverse weather conditions, particularly fog,” specified Eva Krejčí.

At the same time, Prague Airport is moving ahead with the construction project for the parallel runway. Once it becomes operational, any necessary repairs and changes to the runway system will take place away from the densely populated areas of Prague and Central Bohemia. The zoning process for this new construction is currently in progress.