Trip Plan X

Prague Public Transport Guide: Bus, Metro, Tram

Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, offers many transportation options for travelers. Although the Old Town is small and most of Prague top attractions can be explored on foot, Prague public transport system can save you time and lower your accommodation costs by staying out of the main center.

Public transportation system in Prague is really efficient. Since metro, trams, buses and even ferries are all operated by the same transportation company, you can use them all without having to purchase separate tickets. That makes the process of traveling around Prague by public transport smooth and easy.

If you want to use public transportation in the capital of the Czech Republic, our guide to Prague public transport will be really useful. Find all the information you need below.

Prague Buses

Prague city bus routes normally are not entering the city center. Traveling by bus in the city center is not very convenient because the streets are narrow. Prague buses usually serve passengers between the suburbs and certain metro and tram stations.

Prague Public Transport Guide: Bus, Metro, Tram

Prague buses that serve passengers in the daytime are replaced by night buses at 24:00. The route numbers and destinations on the routes of Prague night buses are different from day buses. You can find this information on the boards at the bus stops.

If you have prepared an itinerary including the suburbs of the city and do not know which bus stop to use, you can find all the information you need by using the travel planner on the official website of DPP, which manages the Prague city transportation system.


You can see the best of Prague and enjoy panoramic views of all the most famous sights with the Historic City Center Open-Top Bus Tour. The trip starts at the Old Town Square, where you can find the famous Astronomical Clock, and continues through the oldest part of the city, letting you to admire the cobblestone streets that radiate in all directions. You will discover the bridges over the Vltava River, including the famous Charles Bridge, and stroll around the landmark monuments of the Prague Castle district. You will see national monuments, such as the State Opera House and New Town Hall as well as the sight of the Josefov district, the former Jewish Ghetto of Prague.

Historic City Center Open-Top Bus Tour


Prague Metro

Without a doubt, the fastest way to travel between places in the city is by using Prague Metro. More than a million people use the metro every day in Prague, making it one of the busiest underground systems in the world. Although Prague metro lines seem to be confusing at first, it is not difficult to use it even if there are no English signs in most places.

Prague Metro network is divided into three lines: green (Line A), yellow (Line B) and red (Line C). Different colors are used to describe each of these lines, with a total length of about 50 kilometers and 50 stations.

Metro Line A carries passengers between Skalka and Dejvická. Metro Line B runs between ČernýMost and Zličín, while Metro Line C runs from Ládví to Haje. There are 3 stations that can be used for switching between the lines. These stations are Muzeum (A - C), Můstek (B - A) and Florenc (C - B).

Prague Metro is operating between 05:30-24:00. During the weekdays, when the intensity of passenger flow increases, the frequency of the train trips decreases to 2-3 minutes, while during the rest of the day the vehicles stop at the stations every 4 to 10 minutes.

Here are the words that you will often see on signs in Prague Metro stations:

  • Vstup = Entrance
  • Výstup = Exit
  • Stanice metra = Metro station
  • Linka A = A line
  • Přestup = Transfer

However, if you will be traveling in the city center with just a few stops, it's not worth spending time going to the metro station. You can use tram instead.

Prague Trams

Prague tram network within the city center is excellent. We would recommend you to travel by tram among the attractions in the historical district, so you could see as many places as possible.

Prague Public Transport Guide: Bus, Metro, Tram

You can get the route information of Prague trams via the Google Maps application. The tram routes that can take you to the most important tourist spots of Prague are the Tram No. 9 and Tram No. 22 that usually work at 4-10 minute intervals.

Prague trams are normally operating between 04:30-24:00 but there are also night trams that run from 00:30 until 04:30. Remember, the night tram route numbers are different too. If you are going to use the tram at night, be sure to check the information about the tram going to your destination on the boards at the stops.

If you want to make your visit to Prague even more memorable, you can take the Prague Castle Tour with Local Guide & Admission. You will meet your guide in front of Malostranská metro station near the Mánes Bridge. From there, you will take the tram up to Prague Castle, built in the 9th century and once a seat of power for Bohemian kings and Roman emperors.

Prague Castle Tour with Local Guide & Admission

Those who want to have a special tram experience, can take the Nostalgic and Historical Tram No. 91 (nostalgická linka č. 91), which operates only on Sundays, Saturdays and public holidays between April and November. The tram route from Vozovna Střešovice stop takes about 30 minutes. You need to buy a separate ticket for this tram and the ticket fee is 35 CZK.

Prague Boats

Traveling by boat in Prague to reach one point from another is also possible. There are ferries frequently connecting both banks of the Vltava River and offering spectacular views of the city as well as unique experience.

Prague Public Transport Guide: Bus, Metro, Tram

There are 8 Prague ferry lines in operation as follows:

  • Ferry P1: Sedlec - Zámky
  • Ferry P2: V Podbabě - Podhoří
  • Ferry P3: Lihovar - Dvorce-Žluté lázně
  • Ferry P4: Císařská louka - Kotevní
  • Ferry P5: Císařská louka – Jiráskovo náměstí
  • Ferry P6: Lahovičky - Nádraží Modřany
  • Ferry P7: Pražská tržnice - Ostrov Štvanice - Rohanský ostrov
  • Ferry P8: Císařský ostrov - Troja

This Prague City Tour will bring you to visit some of Prague’s most fascinating monuments and neighborhoods by Bus, Boat, and on Foot. The famous Old Town makes up the first part of the tour, as an air-conditioned minibus takes you on a 30-minute journey past landmarks including the Dancing House, Wenceslas Square, and the National Gallery. After that you’ll be dropped at Prague Castle for a 75-minute walking tour and then enjoy panoramic views of the Charles Bridge and the city during a 1-hour river cruise.


Prague Funicular

Prague Funicular is a part of the city’s integrated public transport system. The Petrin funicular is also an important attraction for tourists and locals, because it offers beautiful views of Prague and fast connection between the city center and the top of the Petrin hill.

Funicular is located just next to the tram stop Ujezd (trams 12, 22, 23) in Mala Strana (Lesser Town). Funicular operates daily from 9:00 to 23:30 (23:20 from November to March) in 10-15 minutes intervals.

The downside of using this mean of Prague public transportation is that this line is overly popular with tourists, so you will have to wait a while in the queue before getting on the funicular.

Public Transportation Tickets & Passes

Prague public transport ticket permits traveling on any type of transportation belonging to the public transport network of the city such as metro, trams, buses, ferries and funicular for a set period of time and allows transfers between different transport modes.

Prague Public Transport Guide: Bus, Metro, Tram

Prague Public Transport Ticket Price

Although transportation is expensive in many cities of Europe, you can find affordable prices for public transport in Prague. Prague public transport tickets cost the following:

  • 30-minutes ticket: 24 CZK (Adults: 24 CZK, Children 6-15 years old: 12 CZK, Children under 6: free)
  • 90-minutes ticket: 32 CZK (Adults: 32 CZK, Children 6-15 years: 16 CZK, Children under 6: free)
  • 24-hour pass: 110 CZK (children 6-15 years: 55 CZK)
  • 72-hour pass: 310 CZK

Where to Buy Ticket?

Prague Public Transport Tickets are sold through orange/yellow ticket vending machines (managed also in English), at ticket offices found at major tram stations and bus stops, Tabák/Trafika shops, some news-stands, and tourist information centers.

Regardless of which ticket you buy, you need to validate the ticket in the stamping machine found at the entrance to the metro station or on the tram/bus. In case you have the ticket, but it has not been validated, you can get a fine of 800 CZK for the illegal use of Prague public transport.

It is possible to get on public transport without a ticket as there are no obstacles, but there are frequent ticket inspectors. Also, do not throw your ticket as you get off the transportation as sometimes you may encounter a surprise check at the station exit.

Prague City Card

If you are going to have a vacation in Prague for more than 2 days and want to visit all the most important attractions of the city, definitely consider the Prague City Card option as this card gives you free access to 50 attractions, including Prague Castle, Jewish Museum, Petrin Tower and Old Town Hall. You can also benefit from attractive discounts at the entrance to more than 30 attractions and up to 50% off for boat tours, concerts and restaurants.

Prague City Card

The price of Prague Card, offered to travelers in 2, 3 and 4 day options, depends on the number of days you want to use and the age of the buyer:

  • 2 days: 62 EUR for adults / 46 EUR for children and students
  • 3 days: 72 EUR for adults / 53 EUR for children and students
  • 4 days: 83 EUR for adults / 61 EUR for children and students

The most convenient for getting Prague Card is purchasing it online here: Prague City Card.

The most important issue with Prague Card to be considered is that it is valid on consecutive days, and you cannot take a break during the usage period. If your Prague Card is valid for 3 days, you must use it for 3 consecutive days.

Other Transportation in Prague

Prague Taxi

When taking a taxi in Prague, make sure that the taxi is equipped with a permanently installed yellow roof lamp with the TAXI sign in black letters. The registration number, company name and a price list including the base rate, rate per kilometer and one-minute-waiting rate must be displayed on both front doors of the car. These prices must correspond with the prices set on the meter in the taxi. It is recommended to make a reservation by calling the service operator instead of taking a taxi on the road.

Prague taxi companies such as Green Prague, AAA Radiotaxi and City Taxi can offer their customers lower prices per kilometer. In addition, some hotels in the city also offer affordable transportation for their guests.

You can also use mobile transportation applications such as Uber and Liftago to find the driver.

Prague Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

You can get to know the beauty of Prague and its surroundings by using the Prague Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with 2 lines and audio guiding in 15 languages. The beautiful city of Prague is home to many historical sights. With a ticket valid for 24 or 48 hours, you can jump on and off the bus as often as you like and soak in the rich history of the area.

Red Line

The Red Line, with the option of open top, takes you to those hard to reach by foot places in the city such as Prague Castle, Strahov Stadium and Strahov Monastery. On the red line you can choose to hop off at any of the designated City Sightseeing Bus stops where you can also find timetables so you can plan your return easily or head on to the next point of interest.

List of Red Line Bus Stops:

  • Stop 1 - Na Florenci
  • Stop 2 - Hilton Hotel
  • Stop 3 - Mala Strana
  • Stop 4 - Prague Castle
  • Stop 5 - Strahov Monastery
  • Stop 6 - Strahov Stadium
  • Stop 7 - Kampa Island
  • Stop 8 - Dancing House
  • Stop 9 - I.P. Pavlova (upon request only)
  • Stop 10 - Main Train Station

Blue Line

The Blue Line is a route that really penetrates the heart of the city and whisks you through the Old Town and historical center. These are the inner city buses that bring you to explore more central iconic landmarks such as he Rudolfinum, the Jewish quarter and St Nikolas Church. The buses are air conditioned for your comfort and you can also choose to hop off at any of the stops to see a point of interest or change to the red line.

List of Blue Line Bus Stops:

  • Stop 1 - Old Town Square
  • Stop 2 - Intercontinental Hotel
  • Stop 3 - Mala Strana
  • Stop 4 - St. Nicholas Church
  • Stop 5 - Kampa Island

In addition to the classic Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour, the ticket price also includes a 1-hour boat cruise on the Vltava River when you book this Prague Hop-on Hop-off Bus, Boat Tour.

Transportation from Prague Airport to City Center

Vaclav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), which is often referred to just Prague Airport, is the main airport in the Czech Republic. Prague Airport is located about 40-50 minutes from the city center. You can use Prague public transportation to reach the city center from the airport. The most affordable option is to take a public bus as bus ticket costs only 32 CZK per person. However, there is no direct bus service from the airport to the city center of Prague so you need to transfer and the entire journey can take almost an hour.

There are various other options available for transportation from Prague Airport to the city center such Airport Express bus, taxis, shuttle vans, and private transfer. To make your arrival in Prague city center a little easier, we have provided all the details in one place here: How to get from Prague Airport to City Center.

Tips

If you will be using online maps such as Google Maps, pay attention that it often translates the names of places and transportation stops from Czech to English and make sure to know the Czech name of your stop.

If you have more time in Prague, it is probably worth spending a day(s) on one of excursions from Prague.

In Prague, there are not only many things to see and do, but also to eat and drink! Prepare your stomach and take advantage of the walks through the Old Town to enjoy the traditional Czech cuisine in Prague.

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