A survey carried out by the operators of Prague’s metro system last month found that almost one million people use it every day, about 150,000 fewer people than before the covid-19 pandemic.
The largest decrease in public transport passengers occurred at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, up to 80 percent. This year, the number of passengers is constantly increasing, yet it has not yet reached its original level.
“We oscillate around one million passengers a day, there has even been one day when we reached one million and 50,000 passengers,” said Ropid Deputy Director Martin Šubrt.
According to the official document, the largest decrease compared to the time before the pandemic is seen in the morning peak, with a decreaseof 15 to 20 percent. Around noon, the drop is about ten percent and in the afternoon between 10 and 15 percent of passengers.
Fewer people now also use surface transport, with approximately 9 percent fewer passengers traveling by tram and bus compared to 2019.
Due to the pandemic, public transport was restricted last year and in 2019. The biggest drop occurred during the first wave of the pandemic from March 11 to May 26, 2020.
Prague’s public transport system is often described as one of the best around the world. It was even rated as the 6th fastest in research made by the Polytechnic College of Turin.
