Since very old times, the Vltava river had influenced the life of Prague. Here, steam navigation had been a very important episode, changing not only the character of the Vltava river-sides but also the way of living of the city´s inhabitants. Steamers and passenger ship transport have belonged to Prague since the forties of the 19th century, and till nowadays they are an historic component of the city´s colours.

Steam navigation tradition began in Prague with the experiments of Joseph Božek on a steam boat at Stromovka, in 1817. The first steamer \„Bohemia\“ was built here by John Joseph Ruston of England, and together with John Andrew, the ship holder, they presented it to the Prague citizens in May 1841. After that the \„Bohemia\“ served in the route to Dresden on the Elbe river. To Prague it could only go exceptionally under very favourable navigation conditions.

The beginning of the passenger-ship-transport with its navigation restricted only through Prague and to Štěchovice, later expanded to Mělník, and then down the Elbe to Hřensko and up the Elbe to Kostelec and Nymburk. It attracted a considerable interest, its summit achievement was at the end of the 19th century and in the twenties and forties of the 20th century. After financial difficulties that the company had in the thirties, the State had gained a share and later it belonged directly to the Transport Enterprise of the city of Prague. Since 1992 it has been transformed into a private company and this change brought a marked investment into the development of the ship´s park in order to improve the quality of the client service.

History of the steamboat

1937 The construction of the boat was ordered at the shipyard of Ustí nad Labem, according to the project of Mr. Huss, Eng.

1938 May, 1st it was baptised with the name of " A.Švehla". Its name changed many times, and today it sails under the name "Vyšehrad". The ship is 64 m long with a hull wide of 6,2 m. The propulsion is given by a steam engine produced at the ČKD (Českomoravska Kolben Daněk) in Prague. It´s an horizontal two cylinder engine with an output of 165 kW (220 hp) close to 42 rev/min. The steam boiler, also a ČKD product, dates from 1937.

1961 It was brought up to date at the ČSPLO (Československa plavba labsko oderska) shipyard at Boletice.

1992 It went under reconstruction and was almost rebuilt as a restaurant-boat and the cauldron was exchanged.

• restaurant service: 3 restaurants, bar, little salon, sundeck
• food service: cold and hot dishes, big selection of beverages
• lenght: 62 m
• wide: 6,2 m
• max. number of covered sitting places: 199
• max. places capacity: 300

  
  

Prices in USD, EUR and GBP will be calculated on the basis of the actual exchange rate (calculated rates are USD - 20 CZK, EUR - 27 CZK, GBP - 30 CZK) or use our currency converter.

...photos