Cable theft on a key rail section in Prague caused widespread disruption to train services across the Czech Republic on Sunday, delaying dozens of connections and forcing some regional routes to be canceled.
Long-distance and international trains departing the capital were among the hardest hit, with delays exceeding three hours by early afternoon.
The incident occurred on the busy stretch between Prague-Vršovice and Prague Main Station, one of the most important rail corridors in the country.
Traffic on the line was reduced to a single track, significantly limiting capacity. According to the national carrier České dráhy, the disruption began at around 5:20 a.m. and was expected to last until approximately 3 p.m., when repairs were scheduled to be completed.
By midday, delays at Prague Main Station had reached more than 200 minutes on routes heading east and southeast, including services via Pardubice to Brno and Břeclav, as well as connections continuing to Olomouc and Ostrava.
Both local commuter trains and express services were affected, with some regional connections canceled altogether.
‼️ Praha ‼️
Kvůli krádeži kabelů zabezpečovacího zařízení je aktuálně výrazně omezen provoz vlaků v úseku Praha-Vršovice a Praha hl. n.
Vlaky projíždějící zmíněným úsekem mohou navýšit svá zpoždění až o 20 minut.
Vlaky regionální dopravy jsou v úseku Praha-Smíchov – Praha…
— České dráhy (@ceskedrahy_) December 21, 2025
The Railways Administration confirmed that roughly 70 meters of cables were stolen from the station’s security system. Martin Kavka, a spokesman for the authority, said the suspect was caught on site by railway staff and later handed over to the Czech police.
Officers noted on social media that, depending on the extent of the damage, the individual could face a prison sentence of up to eight years.
In response to the disruption, transport authorities advised passengers in Prague to use alternative public transport where possible. Train tickets were temporarily accepted on selected metro and tram routes, including parts of Metro lines B and C and several tram lines linking Prague Main Station, Vršovice and Smíchov.
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