Imagine this a train stop. It is not just any stop. It is Praha-Smíchov severní nástupiště. This place held stories within its platforms.
Praha-Smíchov severní nástupiště was once a bustling railway stop. It was part of the larger Praha-Smíchov station. This separate area had its own tariff point.
The stop officially functioned as Praha-Smíchov společné nádraží. It was a distinct part of the Praha-Smíchov railway station complex.
Let’s journey back to 1872. The northern platform became part of the “Joint Station”. The Czech Western Railway built it. This served as Prague’s main freight station. Branches from other lines connected here. The Buštěhrad Railway from Hostivice joined in 1872. The Prague-Duchcov Railway from Slaný arrived in 1873.
Interestingly the Buštěhrad Railway envisioned a grand station. It would rival the Czech Western Railway’s station. Plans included a massive building. It was never realized. A smaller building was erected in 1872. It now houses offices for the Railway Infrastructure Administration.
Fast forward to recent times. Praha-Smíchov severní nástupiště had only two platforms. A signal box served as the dispatch building. It stood opposite the original Buštěhrad Railway building. The aging station building fell into disuse. Tickets were sold directly on the trains.
In 2010 a new stop opened. It was Praha-Smíchov Na Knížecí. Trains to this new stop did not stop at the northern platform. Only trains from Prague Main Station stopped here. The importance of Praha-Smíchov severní nástupiště declined.
However the Prague Semmering line experienced a revival. This line serves Praha-Smíchov severní nástupiště. From 2010 a regular service ran on workdays. It went between Praha-Smíchov Na Knížecí and Hostivice. Weekends saw trains running from Prague Main Station to Hostivice.
In December 2015 a special train was introduced. It ran from Prague-Vršovice to Středokluky. Amazon commissioned this service.
As of December 11 2016 the Praha-Smíchov Na Knížecí station closed. All S65 line trains originated from Prague Main Station again. They stopped at Praha-Smíchov severní nástupiště. Trains ran every one to two hours.
The area is slated for redevelopment. It will become a bus terminal. There will be a park-and-ride facility. Apartment buildings are planned too.
Sadly passenger transport ended here on October 1 2023. The station was demolished. The footbridge connecting Nádražní street with Radlická was also removed.
Praha-Smíchov severní nástupiště also lent its name to a band. This Prague-based country-folk group is called Severní nástupiště.
Though gone Praha-Smíchov severní nástupiště remains a piece of Prague’s railway history. It connected people and places for many years. Its story echoes in the sounds of passing trains.