Metropolitní Expres ended publication on April 7, as the Czech free daily's operations merged with Czech Metro, Newspaper Innovation reported Thursday.

Sixty percent of the Metro shares were purchased by Mafra, the publisher of Metropolitní Expres, in December 2007.

At that time, it was made public that the operations would be incorporated in 2008, Newspaper Innovation reported.

In April 2006, Metropolitní­ Expres launched with a circulation of 200,000. German publisher Rheinische Post owns the majority of Mafra, and also publishes Czech paid daily Dnes.

Three free dailies remain in the Czech Republic after Metropolitní­ Expres ceased publication.