Petrin Funicular Railway (Lanová dráha na Petřín) runs from Ujezd street in the Lesser Town to the top of Petrin Hill. It makes a halfway stop at Nebozizek Restaurant, both on the way up and on the return journey. The trip is a pleasant one, rising through park and woodland at a fairly rapid pace. At the summit there are several attractions to explore, set in landscaped gardens: the Petrin Tower, a mirror maze, St Lawrence Church, and the Štefánik Observatory. Purchase tickets at the base, halfway stop, and top of the funicular. Price: 60 CZK one-way. Alternatively, the funicular forms part of the Prague public transport network, so holders of 24 hours, 72 hours and 1-Month tickets can travel for free. To get to the base of the Petrin Funicular, take a tram to Ujezd tram stop then walk a short distance. If you prefer to walk the whole way to the funicular, as a guide it is located 10-15 minutes walk from Charles Bridge in one direction, and the same from the National Theatre in the other. A trip on the Petrin Funicular Railway makes a nice excursion away from the hustle and bustle of the city at any time of the year (unless the weather is really poor). Tip: If you enjoy walking, we recommend taking the funicular to the summit of Petrin, stroll around for a couple of hours, visit the attractions (including climbing Petrin Tower), then walk back down to the city centre via the pathways on Petrin Hill (leads you through woods and parkland). If you need a rest on your way down, stop off at Nebozizek Restaurant or Petrinske Terasy Pub for a drink or a bite to eat. Technical Details of Petrin Funicular Track length: 510 m Number of stops: 3 (the terminals at either end and the halfway point) Number of wagons: 2 Vertical rise: 130m Steepest grade: 29.8% Speed: 4 m/s. History of Petrin Funicular The funicular opened on 25 July 1891, operating with a water-balance drive system. It ceased running in 1916 due to World War I, then resumed operations in 1932, following its conversion to an electrical drive system. The funicular was forced to close again in 1965 after a landslide on Petrin Hill destroyed the tracks, and did not reopen until 1985. Since then it has been more or less in continuous operation, aside from temporary closures for maintenance and repair works. The funicular passes through the Hunger Wall, which was commissioned by Emperor Charles IV in 1360-1362. The Hunger Wall gained its name because it was built in hard times to provide employment for the residents of Prague. The wall forms part of the city's medieval fortifications. |