Usti nad Labem is known as the “Gateway to Bohemia” thanks to its beautiful location in the deep valley of the Elbe River, surrounded by the Bohemian Massif. To the south, it neighbours the Bohemian Uplands, and to the north the Krušné Mountains. The western part of the city is bordered by the Podkrušnohorská Basin, featuring open-cast coal mines.
The city is situated about 20 km from the German border. It has an advantageous position at a railway junction, at the important international waterway Elbe, and in the near future, it will be fully connected to the D8 motorway, running from Prague to Dresden.
Usti nad Labem joined CIVITAS ARCHIMEDES in 2008 as a learning city with the main objective to develop an efficient transport organisation for the city. Based on results of numerous research studies, several public campaigns and experience of the leading cities of the project, the city aims to develop its Sustainable Urban Transport Plan. It corresponds with the Mater Plan of Ústí nad Labem, which was initiated in 2007 and adopted in its first form in 2011. The opportunity to integrate Sustainable Urban Transport Planning best practices into plan development during the project means an ideal match of timing between city policy frameworks and the ARCHIMEDES project.
