Getting There and Around
By Plane
Václav Havel Airport Prague
Václav Havel Airport is located 17km west of the centre of Prague. It is the busiest airport in the Czech Republic, servicing more than 16 million passengers each year from over 170 destinations.
Get to the city centre by train:
There is no train line connecting Prague Airport to the Metro or train network. It is not possible to get a train directly to or from Prague Airport.
Get to the city centre by bus:
Airport Express Bus
The Airport Express bus provides a direct connection to Prague Main Railway Station. Departing every 20 minutes, the bus journey takes approximately 45 minutes. The Airport Express service operates between 5:30am and 9:00pm with low-floor buses and plenty of space to store your luggage. Tickets can be purchased from the Visitor Centre in the Arrivals Hall for CZK 44, or from the bus driver directly for CZK 60. The Airport Express bus stop is located just outside Terminal 1.
RegioJet Coach
RegioJet coaches can take you from Prague Airport to Prague Florenc Central bus station. Coaches depart once an hour, at 35 minutes past the hour (e.g. 8:35am) and have a journey time of approximately 40 minutes. Tickets are €2.50 and can be purchased in advance, online from Regiojet, from the Arrivals Halls or directly from the driver. The RegioJet bus stop is located near Terminal 1, under the footbridge leading to Terminal 2.
Get to the city centre by bus and metro:
Using public transport (bus and metro) is the cheapest method for reaching the city centre, although you will need to change from bus to metro. From the bus stops located outside Terminal 1 or 2 you can choose to catch bus 119 or 100.
Line 119: Take the bus to stop Nádraží Veleslavín (approximately 20 minutes) and then change to Metro Line A for your journey into the city centre (approximately 15 minutes).
Line 100: Take the bus to stop Zličín (approximately 18 minutes) and then change to Metro Line B for your journey into the city centre (approximately 18 minutes).
The public buses operate between 4:23am and 11:42pm each day. Purchase a ticket from the Visitor Centre in the Arrivals Hall or from the ticket vending machines found at the bus stops. You will need to purchase a 90 minute ticket which will cost CZK 32. Ensure you validate your ticket as you board the bus by inserting the ticket into the yellow validation machine.
Get to the city centre by taxi:
Two taxi companies have exclusive licence to operate out of Prague Airport: FIX Taxi and Taxi Praha (trading as Tick Tack). Taxi stands are located outside the Arrival Halls or Terminals 1 & 2. Taxis will charge a Boarding Rate (CZK 60), Mileage Rate (CZK 36) and Time Rate (CZK 7 per minute). A journey from the airport to the city centre will take approximately 45 minutes and will cost approximately CZK 700-800.
By Train
Prague Main Railway Station (locally Praha hlavní nádraží or abbreviated to Praha hl.n.) is located in the heart of the city, within easy walking distance of many attractions and hotels. Designed by Czech architect Josef Fanta in Art Nouveau style, though with considerable later modern additions, Prague Main Station is the main entry point for those arriving in Prague by train. From Prague Main Station you can travel by train to many cities and towns in the Czech Republic as well as enjoy direct routes to many European cities. Prague Main Station is connected to Metro Line C and there is a tram stop a short walk away.
Long distance domestic and international train tickets can be purchased from the yellow ticket machines found throughout the station. These machines can be accessed in English and accept cash and credit cards. Alternatively, you can purchase tickets from the ticket counters found on the -2 level. Ticket offices are available for CD (Czech Railways), RegioJet and Leo Express. International tickets are best purchased online and in advance to save on booking fees and guarantee a seat (with the additional purchase of a seat reservation).
From the station, travellers can walk into the heart of the Old Town (approximately 15 minutes), take a metro train or catch a taxi to wherever they need to go.
By Car
Driving in Prague is not recommended due to the heavy traffic, aggressive drivers, a complicated road layout and high parking fees. If you are travelling throughout the Czech Republic or Europe with a car and decide to drive into Prague please note: street parking is not allowed in a Resident Area, look out for the blue Reserve sign and blue line painted on the road. You can find parking garages and two-hour parking spaces throughout the city.
P+R (Park & Ride):
If you are travelling throughout Europe or the Czech Republic with a car, an option is to park at a P+R (Park & Ride) location out of the centre of the city and take public transport into the centre. There are 17 P+R locations located on the outskirts of the city and each has easy public transport options into the centre of Prague.
The Park & Ride car parks are open each day between 4:00am and 1:00am and you pay a flat rate of CZK 20 for a day. You can leave your car parked overnight for a further fee of CZK 100 + the cost for the following day CZK 20 (total CZK 140 overnight). You need to purchase a parking ticket and display the ticket on your windscreen. A discounted public transport ticket is available for CZK 40, valid for 60 minutes (90 minutes on weekends) of travel, that you validate as you take public transport into the city and then again as you return to pick up your vehicle.
Moving Around the City
Prague is a large city, though many of the main sights are clustered in the Old Town, meaning once you have arrived you’ll find most of the sights to see will be an easy and flat walk away. As you explore the city, be careful of the cobblestone and sometimes uneven streets. To help you get around and explore areas further afield, the city features a useful public transport network, including tram, bus and train. Follow the guide below to learn all you need to know about using the public transport network.
Public Transport Tickets
Public transport tickets can be purchased at numerous locations throughout the city including: at ticket offices at metro stations, ticket machines at metro stations and the Main Train Station (these machines often only accept coins though newer machines now accept credit cards), newsagencies, ticket machines on trams, directly from bus drivers (for an additional charge) and online using the PID Lítačka App.
The public transport network of Prague is fully integrated and all public transport options including metro, trams, buses, funicular, ferries and train lines use the same ticket. Public transport tickets are limited by time and you can transfer between any transport option with the one ticket. Tickets are sold in the following time periods:
30 minutes: 24 CZK
90 minutes: 32 CZK
24 hours: 110 CZK
72 hours: 310 CZK
Validating your Public Transport Tickets
You need to validate your ticket before travelling, by inserting your ticket into the yellow validating machines. Validating machines can be found at the entrances to metro and funicular stations, on train platforms and inside every tram and bus. These machines will stamp the time and date on to your ticket. You only need to validate it once.
Metro
The Prague Metro consists of three lines (A, B & C) and 61 stations covering the Prague city area. The metro operates between 5:00am and 12:00am each day with metro trains arriving every 2-3 minutes during peak periods and every 5-10 minutes off peak.
Tram
The Prague tram network consists of 25 day tram lines and 9 night tram lines encompassing 600 stations covering the entire city area. Trams are red and white and are an easy and popular method of transportation in the city. The daytime tram lines operate between approximately 5:00am and 12:00am each day and trams will arrive approximately every 8-10 minutes. Night trams operate every 30 minutes between approximately 12:00am and 5:00am each night.
Bus
Prague has a large bus network, consisting of 126 lines (and 15 night lines), covering all of the city including destinations not covered by other public transport options. The red and white buses are a great way to see more of the city as you travel from A to B and some bus lines operate 24 hours a day. The bus line operates between 4:30am and 12:00am each day and buses will arrive approximately every 10-15 minutes. Nightline buses operate on 15 lines overnight between 12:00am and 5:00am.
Train
The Prague train network (Esko Prague) consists of 30 lines and is designed to connect the outlying suburbs and regions around Prague with the city. It is unlikely you will need to use the train network while in Prague.
