From the airport to the city centre Czech Republic

The fastest solution, but also the most expensive, is to take an Uber cab, a company with which Prague airport has signed an exclusive partnership contract. If you order your vehicle in advance, you'll save some money: to get to the city center, expect to pay 600 to 700 Kč, compared with 700 to 800 Kč if you board directly on arrival, depending on traffic.

Public transport is obviously the cheapest option (40 Kč). The journey is quick and easy. At the exit of the arrivals terminal (1 and 2), bus 59 will take you from the airport to the new Nádraží Veleslavín metro station (approx. 15 minutes), where you can catch the metro (line A), which will take you quickly into the center (via the castle and Old Town Square). Total journey time airport-center: approx. 50 minutes. The bus runs from 4.20 a.m. to 12.10 a.m., departing every 10 to 15 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at a ticket counter in the arrivals hall or at a vending machine near the bus stop (please note! ATMs only accept coins or international credit cards). If you arrive at night, bus 510 will take you to the Divoká Šárka streetcar station (departures every 30 minutes). From there, again at night, streetcar 51 will take you to the center of Prague.

There's also an intermediate solution with the CEDAZ agency minibuses, which leave every 30 minutes between 7.30 a.m. and 7 p.m. and stop on rue V Celnici in the city center. The cost is 120 Kč per person (https://cedaz.czech-trade.fr).

Arrival by train Czech Republic

Prague Central Station (hlavní nádraží) is a major national and European rail hub. You'll find fairly inexpensive tickets here for the whole of Europe, and very cheap ones for the various towns in the Czech Republic. Train travel is well worth it if you're not in a hurry and want to enjoy the beautiful Czech countryside. If you really enjoy taking the train, don't miss the unique rail: the narrow-gauge line from Jindřichův Hradecà Nova Bystrice (in the south of the country). Rail fares are roughly comparable to bus fares. Trains are comfortable and cheap, and tickets can be bought in advance and stored on your smartphone.

www.cd.cz. The national agency, equivalent to our SNCF.

www.studentagency.eu. A private agency with yellow buses and a few trains. Low fares but less convenient timetables.

You can get to Prague by train from Gare de l'Est in Paris. The journey takes between 12 and 15 hours (sometimes more, but never less) and includes two changes, in Frankfurt and in Berlin or Dresden. Arrival is at Prague Holešovice station, from where it's easy to reach any part of the city by metro. There are daily departures from Paris, as the first stop is Frankfurt. But be sure to check the waiting time at subsequent connections, as departures may be less frequent.

Public transport Czech Republic

The Czech capital has a dense, efficient, clear, modern and inexpensive (at least for tourists) public transport system (Dopravní Podnik). There are 3 modern metro lines, 27 streetcar lines and countless bus routes. All modes of transport arrive on time, and streetcars and subway trains run at 2-minute, 5-minute or 10-minute intervals. The Prague Transport Company operates the metro, bus, streetcar, trolley and funicular networks. The same ticket applies to all these services. The only drawback is that these services are not easily accessible for the disabled. At night, streetcar service is reduced, but continues on the main lines at a slightly lower frequency.

Tickets(jízdenky) are the same for all public transport. They can be purchased at tobacconists(tabák), newspaper stands or ticket offices and machines located inside metro stations. They cannot be purchased on buses or streetcars. Tickets must be punched (once only, at the start of the journey) at the orange kiosks at metro station entrances, or inside the bus, trolley or streetcar. They must be kept until the end of the journey, as there are numerous checks. You can take your bike into the metro during off-peak hours only.

Fares. Single tickets. There are two ticket variations. Those at 30 Kč are valid for a maximum of 30 minutes. Those at 40 Kč are valid for 90 minutes. If you hesitate, buy the 40 Kč tickets to avoid being checked at the 31st minute of travel. Children under 6 travel free.

Package deals. These are advantageous only for longer stays and only if you plan to visit sites far from the center. If you're only going to visit the old town, you might as well do it on foot. A day pass costs 120 Kč and 330 Kč for 72h. Passes must be redeemed on the first trip after purchase, and only then.

Further information at www.dpp.cz

Bike, scooters & co Czech Republic

New urban mobility is not really well developed in Prague. Segways, bicycle tours, electric scooters and other electric scooters have developed around tourism. But putting all this on cobblestones in a small area obviously exposes you to repeated accidents. Most of them have therefore been banned in the city center, and the same applies to bicycles, which are prohibited in many tourist areas between 10am and 5pm. Cycle paths are developing, but slowly. By contrast, cycling is a popular mode of transport in the rest of the country, where there are numerous signposted cycle routes.

With a driver Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, you'll find the same apps for booking VTCs. The services work very well in Prague, but are more random in the rest of the country. Connecting to the various Uber or Bolt services works in the same way as in other countries, and you know before you board what price you'll be charged.

By car Czech Republic

The 60,000 km of roads are not always in good condition, but the situation has greatly improved, and the main roads are smooth. Be careful, though: Czechs drive very fast, and it's not uncommon for drivers to call out their headlights to get you to let them overtake, even on small roads! When it comes to slipping and braking, beware in Prague: wet or icy streetcar tracks can be dangerous. On mountain roads, the utmost caution is called for. The state of the roads is part of the folklore, and Czechs love to challenge hairpin bends: it's not uncommon to find yourself face to face with a truck or a car. Drive slowly and remember that the biggest car always has the right of way.

Parking. In every tourist town and village, and in front of every castle, there are parking lots. Most charge a fee (30 to 50 Kč per hour in the provinces), much more in central Prague. They are always well signposted.

Freeways. The country has two major motorway routes: Prague-Plzeň-Germany and Prague-Brno-Bratislava or Olomouc. These are complemented by the Prague-Dresden freeway (currently being completed), Prague-Turnov-Liberec and Prague-Poděbrady (which will continue to Hradec Králové). When entering the Czech Republic, to use the freeway, you need to buy a vignette at the border or online, before you arrive: €10 for 10 days, €21.80 for 1 month and €106.80 for 1 year (half price for environmentally-friendly vehicles). Full information and purchase details on the official website www.cze-vignette.com/fr.

Driving. You need to have your driving license with you, of course, and be at least 21 years old (25 for some agencies). In principle, you have two options: local or international. The advantage of Czech agencies is that they're cheap, but you have to book in advance and you'll only get a second-to-last model. But this is not a rule. Never rent a car if, for linguistic or other reasons, you don't clearly understand all the terms, insurance issues, etc., involved.

Accessibility Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, there's still a long way to go to accommodate people with reduced mobility, but the trend is becoming apparent in all new or recently renovated buildings. The efforts of a few towns that are beginning to implement real policies in this area are to be applauded. This is the case in the most touristic cities such as Prague, Český Krumlov and Karlovy Vary. In the Czech capital, all new metro stations are equipped with elevators, but in the older ones (those in the city center, which serve the tourist spots), there are often only Escalators, or even a simple staircase. Many stores have a few steps, and it's best to find out about hotels in advance. Some establishments offer adapted rooms. Many restaurants and cafés are located in basements. Art galleries and museums in particular have recently undergone major renovations, most of which are now easily accessible (they state this on their websites).

Tourist traps Czech Republic

Tourists were a big part of the Prague cab trade for many years. Even today, although the situation has greatly improved, it's better to use reputable agencies, even if it means overpaying a little for the journey, but at least you're sure to get where you're going and won't have to empty your wallet. Another option: Uber or Bolt. Both companies are well established in Prague and the country's secondary cities. In the provinces, the service is a little more limited, but if you go through your hotel reception, you'll have no trouble booking a cab you don't have to worry about like in downtown Prague.