Travel Around Prague: Public Transport

Public transport in Prague is cheap, efficient and highly integrated.

The easiest way to travel into Prague from Prague Airport is by taxi. But once in the city and checked into your hotel, it is simple to travel around by metro and tram.

Travel into Prague from the Airport

There is no metro station at Prague Airport, so to travel into Prague by public transport requires taking a bus then a metro. If you have luggage or prefer a smoother journey, we advise booking an airport transfer.

To travel by public transport into the city, there are two main routes. Both take around one hour:

Route 1: Bus 119 from all terminals at Prague Airport to Nádraží Veleslavín metro station (line A), then take a metro to your destination.

Route 2: Bus 100 from all terminals at Prague Airport to Zlicin metro station (line B), then take a metro to your destination.

Prague Airport

Fare: 32 CZK if you board the bus with a ticket (tickets can be purchased from the Public Transport Information Centre at the airport, from the orange/yellow ticket machines by the airport exit doors, and at the bus stop).
40 CZK if you buy a ticket onboard the bus (exact change is required).

Travel around Prague by Public Transport - Tickets and Passes

Prague's city centre is compact. Once you have dropped your bags at your hotel it is simple to travel around on foot or by public transport (use taxis with caution - taxis hailed on the street can overcharge).

A ticket for the Prague public transport network permits travel on the Prague Metro, trams and buses for a set period of time: 30 minutes or 90 minutes.

There are also 1-Day, 3-Day and 1-Month passes.

All tickets and passes permit unlimited switching between the three modes of transport.

Tickets are on sale at metro stations, newsagents, Public Transport Information Centres, and from orange/yellow ticket machines at major tram and bus stops.

Public Transport Ticket Machine

Tickets can also be purchased from ticket machines inside trams with a contactless card.

Public Transport Information Centres are open daily 07:00/08:00-20:00/21:00 at Prague Airport (T1 and T2), Můstek metro station (bottom of Wenceslas Square, near the exit for 28. října street) and Praha hlavní nádraží (Main Train Station).
The centres provide information, maps and tickets.

The full fares structure is complicated by reductions for holders of Czech issued ID. Below is a summary of the public transport tickets readily available to tourists:

PUBLIC TRANSPORT TICKETS (valid on Metro, trams & buses)	ADULT & STUDENT	SENIOR 70+ YRS (must carry passport or photo ID with DOB)	CHILD 10-14 YRS (must carry passport or photo ID with DOB)	CHILD 0-9 YRS (6yrs+ must carry passport or photo ID with DOB)
Ticket for 30 minutes travel	24 CZK	free	12 CZK	free
Ticket for 90 minutes travel	32 CZK	free	16 CZK	free
1-Day Pass (24 hours)	110 CZK	free	55 CZK	free
3-Day Pass (72 hours)	310 CZK	free	310 CZK	free
1-Month Pass	670 CZK	free	670 CZK	free

Ticket Validation: Once you have purchased a ticket, it must be validated at the time of travel. Punch your ticket in one of the orange or yellow machines located at the entrance to the metro, or inside trams and buses.

Free Travel: Seniors 70+ and children 0-9 years are eligible for free travel, and do not require a ticket. But they must carry a passport or a photo ID with date of birth (DOB), and present it for inspection if requested by a transport official.

METRO (underground/subway)
The Prague Metro covers all areas of the city centre, and extends some distance into the suburbs.

The Metro operates 05:00-24:00.

Metro lines run a service every 2-3 minutes during peak times, every 4-9 minutes after 19:00.

There are 3 metro lines: A (green), B (yellow), C (red).

The Prague Metro is safe and reliable, with trains running at high speed from one side of the city to the other.

Prague Metro map | Prague Metro information.

Prague Metro

Prague Tram

TRAMS
The Prague tram network covers all areas of the city centre, and extends some distance into the suburbs.

Daytime trams operate 04:30-24:00.

The most popular trams run every 4 minutes.
Other trams run every 8-10 minutes during the week, every 8-15 minutes at weekends.

Night trams operate 24:00-04:30 and run every 30 minutes.

Most useful trams for tourists:
-tram 9 runs from Wenceslas Square to the National Theatre, then over the river to the Lesser Town;
-trams 22 and 23 run from the National Theatre over the river to the Lesser Town, then up to Prague Castle.

Prague tram map.

BUSES
The Prague bus network primarily serves the outskirts of Prague, areas where the Metro and trams do not reach.

Buses generally terminate at metro stations or tram stops, to facilitate onward travel by tram or metro to city centre destinations. One such journey is Prague Airport into the city (see above).

Daytime buses operate 04:30-24:00: every 6-8 minutes during peak times, every 10-20 minutes off-peak, and every 15-30 minutes at weekends.

Night buses operate 24:00-04:30: every 30-60 minutes.

Prague bus map.

Prague Bus

Funicular Railway

FUNICULAR RAILWAY
The funicular railway runs from Újezd (Tram stop Ujezd) in the Lesser Town to the top of Petrin Hill, with a stop half way at Nebozizek Restaurant.

At the top of Petrin are landscaped gardens, the Petrin Observation Tower, a mirror maze and an observatory.

There are two funiculars, which depart at the same time; as one funicular goes up the other comes down.

The funicular operates 09:00-23:30: every 10 minutes in summer, every 15 minutes in winter.

The funicular forms part of the Prague public transport network, so the same tickets and passes used to ride the Metro, trams and buses can also be used on the funicular (see public transport tickets).

TRAINS
Praha hlavní nádraží train station
The main train station in Prague is Praha hlavní nádraží, which is near Wenceslas Square.
Metro: Hlavní nádraží - metro map (line C).

Nádraží Praha-Holešovice train station
A second railway station is located just outside the city centre, Nádraží Praha-Holešovice.
Metro: Nádraží Holešovice - metro map (line C).

Train Times & Ticket Reservations
Check train times and book tickets at České dráhy (Czech Railways). Information is in Czech, English and German (select 'en' or 'de' on the top right-hand corner of the website). Or, buy tickets from any train station.