Transportation in Prague

The first thing you will notice when you travel to Prague is that it has one of the best public transportation systems in Europe. The metro, trams and buses are used by two-thirds of Prague's population and cover the majority of the city and outskirts. 
          -  Prague Airport
          -  Prague Train Travel
          -  Getting to Prague by Bus
          -  Driving to Prague
          -  Around Prague on a Bicycle
          -  Prague Funicular
          -  Prague Public Transportation
          -  Prague Taxis

The traffic situation in the city centre has deteriorated in the past decade and not many good things can be said about Prague taxi drivers either. If you're going to be staying in Prague for a few days, you may want to buy a tourist pass that will enable you to use any type of mass transit as many times as you want within the time period for which your pass is valid.

      Prague Airport

Prague's Ruzyne Airport (PRG) lies northwest of its downtown area. Prague is well-connected by air and there are a number of flights flying directly to Prague from all over Europe and the world. The airport itself welcomes visitors with numerous facilities like its two restaurant areas, various retail outlets, banks and ATMs where currency can be exchanged. Visit our partner Air Valid for Airline Reviews and information about Czech Republic. Below we have listed a number of airlines that fly to and from Prague.

Flights to Prague

     Prague Train Travel

Prague is connected to more than 20 European cities by rail. Coming to Prague by train is quite convenient, as its main train station, the Hlavni Nadrazi, is directly connected to the metro which networks the entire city. The ‘rychlick' or express train connects the country's major urban cities. The ‘osobnyvlak', in contrast, seems to stop at every town on its route. The Ceske Drahy, or the ‘CD', manages the domestic train service.

     Getting to Prague by Bus

Bus travel to and from Prague is safe, comfortable and inexpensive. There are many bus lines connecting Prague to surrounding European cities. Most buses stop at Florenc Central Bus Station, which is conveniently located just east of the old Jewish quarter. From here, you can find an easy connection via the Metro into the city centre. Walking around the bus terminal after dark, especially in the surrounding park, is not advised.

     Driving to Prague

You can consider driving to Prague too. Though it does not have as many highways as other European cities to boast of, Prague is convenient to reach from every direction. But be warned - driving and parking are not easy in this city, which is essentially a walker's paradise.

If you do plan to drive, you can either take the E50, which goes west from Pizen before turning southeast towards Brno, or The E65 that approaches from the northeast, and starts just South of Liberac.

Cars are banned in most of the city's historic areas and it isn't very easy to find parking spaces either. Check with your hotel for help there, as they generally have their preferred car park and may help get special rates for you.

If you do plan to drive in Prague, make sure you park legally, for the authorities are quite vigilant in this matter. The best and most encouraged way to explore the city is on foot. Charles Bridge, where all except walkers are banned, is a fine symbol of the city's approval of pedestrianism.

     Prague Bicycle

This isn't a very bicycle friendly city - bike paths don't exist, and motorists view cyclists on the road as a nuisance they must get rid of. Bicycle thefts are pretty common too. With that said, it can be quite nice cycling around the historic centre of Prague, albeit a bit bumpy with the cobblestoned streets!

     Prague Funicular

For a bird's eye view of the city, you must take the funicular that runs to the top of Petrin hill. You can take trams 12, 22 or 23 to the Ujezd tram stop in Mala Strana. You will see the Funicular to your right after just a short walk up the stairs. The Funicular runs daily from 9 am to 11:30 pm at 10-15 minute intervals, costing you 18 czk.

     Prague Public Transportation

Prague's transport system is a delight for tourists. There is a single ticket type for all systems and fares are based on zone basis. This system (called the Dopravni Podnik) of some 2000 trains, trams and buses transports almost three million passengers every day.

The trams have about 25 lines criss-crossing the entire downtown area, with stops every 10-20 minutes. The most popular trams run on lines 22 and 23, and are known by names like ‘tourist trams' or the ‘pickpocket express', so be careful!

The metro or the subway system also networks the downtown area, but the stops aren't as frequent as the trams. Trains have a good frequency and are quite safe.

The Metro system here has three lines: Green (A), Yellow (B), and Red (C). The green line is crowded with tourists as it services the city's main attractions like Old Town, Prague Castle and Wenceslas Square. Subways run between 5am and midnight. Police keep patrolling the metro, so it's a safe option at any time of the day or night.

Public buses in Prague run along the outlying suburbs and are generally used to get to the nearest Metro stop. There are no buses in the downtown streets, which are too narrow to accommodate them; hence tourists hardly ever use the bus.Fares for all systems are based on a zone basis and all start at CZK18.

     Prague Taxis

Taxis have a reputation of overcharging the unsuspecting tourist, so make sure you negotiate before starting. Try to halve the price the taxi driver begins with, and slowly work up to the final rate. It is unfortunate that even the 'trusted' main stream taxi companies will over charge tourists and there is really not much you can do if you do not speak Czech. Please feel free to contact our local team for some information about the approximate price of a journey depending on your accommodaiton location.

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