From the airport to the city centre Prague
The quickest, but also most expensive, solution is to take a cab. Uber has an exclusive agreement with Prague Airport, and black livery cabs wait outside the arrivals hall in Terminal 2. It costs around 750 Kč to reach the city center, depending on how busy and congested it is at the time of your arrival. You can also simply book your Uber via the mobile app, which will cost you 100 to 200 Kč less.
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. from Terminal 1 (exit F) or 2 (exit E) and stop on rue V Celnici, in the city center. The fare is 150 Kč for one person with luggage (https://cedaz.czech-trade.fr).
Arrival by train Prague
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 cities of the Czech Republic. Train travel is well worth it if you're not in a hurry and want to enjoy the beautiful Czech countryside. Rail fares are roughly comparable to bus fares.
Given Prague's "central" location, the major capitals of Central and Eastern Europe are all very well served: Berlin (4 hours 40), Hamburg (7 hours 30), Moscow (30 hours), Budapest (6 hours 30), Vienna (4 hours 30), Warsaw (9 hours), Krakow (7 hours), Košice (9 hours), Budapest (7 to 9 hours). Transport in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is generally very inexpensive, making destinations such as Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest easily accessible. A high-speed tilting train, similar to our TGVs, runs between Prague and Ostrava. It also runs on the Berlin-Prague-Vienna route (Prague-Berlin in 4 hours 40 and Prague-Vienna in 5 hours 50).
You can travel 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. As far as fares are concerned, there's no advantage over air travel, since tickets start at €300 out of season and can double or triple during peak tourist periods, particularly on the last leg of the journey between Germany and the Czech Republic. An option to exclude for a weekend only, and reserved for rail aficionados.
Timetable and fares: www.cd.cz.
Public transport Prague
Prague is a city that's easy to discover on foot. Once you're in the city center, the cobblestones and stairs of the "Little Side" will be your only adversaries, but distances are short. To cross the city or get to the outlying districts, an excellent metro and streetcar system gets you everywhere in a very short time.
The Czech capital has a dense, efficient, clear, modern and inexpensive (at least for tourists) public transport system (Dopravní Podnik, www.dpp.cz). 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 really accessible to 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 yellow kiosks at metro station entrances or inside the bus, trolley or streetcar. There are two ticket variations. 30 Kč tickets are valid for 30 minutes or a maximum of 5 metro stations. 40 Kč tickets are valid for 90 minutes. If you're unsure, buy the 40 Kč tickets to avoid being checked at the 31stminute of travel. Children under 6 travel free of charge. Please note! Transporting large pieces of luggage, strollers without children and dogs is theoretically charged at 6 Kč. You can bring your bike on the metro, during off-peak hours only. 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.
Here are the rates we found during our visit (which change regularly). 24-hour package: 120 Kč. 3-day package: 330 Kč. One-month pass: 550 Kč. Passes must be redeemed on the first trip after purchase, and then only.
Bike, scooters & co Prague
There are few cycle paths in Prague, and those that are marked are often shared with cars or streetcars. Nevertheless, road markings and the creation of a few fully-fledged lanes in newly-developed urban areas prove that the idea is gaining ground, and that getting around Prague by bike may not be so incongruous in a few years' time. Please note that bicycles, like electric scooters, are not allowed in the city center, especially in areas frequented by tourists during the day. To cross Old Town Square, for example, or Charles Bridge, you'll have to get out of the saddle to avoid a fine! This is only logical, given the dense crowds in high season. The Old Town is cobbled, and you'll have to watch out for the streetcars, as well as the steep gradients in places. Nevertheless, there are some quiet areas, and long walks from park to park (Stromovka, Letná...) or along the Vltava. Numbered, signposted routes have recently been introduced. Yellow signs (with a bicycle drawn on them) indicate the route number, the direction, the next tourist attraction and the distance left to cover. It's well signposted and easy to follow. A list of routes is available from tourist offices. And in Prague, you can take your bike on the metro outside rush hour.
There are a number of bike rental companies in the city center, some of which even offer guided tours (www.citybike-prague.com; www.prahabike.cz). In recent years, a number of circles have even been set up for group and family tours.
With a driver Prague
Don't feel like walking? No problem: a tour of Prague in an old Škoda convertible is a safe (but expensive) way to cross the city without getting tired. There's a choice of models to suit your taste, but be warned: these are not collector's items. At a glance, you'll notice the Mercedes steering wheels, the patched-up headlamps and a host of other details that betray the car's tourist appeal. Some time ago, this type of tour was quite original. Nowadays, however, there's a wide range on offer, and this means of transport has become almost commonplace. Expect to pay from 1,900 Kč for a 45-minute tour of the Old Town and an additional charge to go as far as the castle. Metro Staromĕstská (line A). Departures are from the small Malé Namĕsti square on the Old Town side, and from Mostecká Street, just past Charles Bridge, on the Malá Strana side.
Uber and Bolt also operate in Prague, saving you money on shopping: www.uber.com/fr/cities/prague and www.bolt.eu.
By car Prague
Getting to or from Prague. It's easy enough from France, since you can get there on free German and Czech freeways once you've crossed the French border. To continue using them in the Czech Republic, you'll need to buy a vignette at the border (€15 for 10 days, €23.5 for a month or €112 for a year, half price for electric vehicles, www.cze-vignette.com). The journey from Paris to Prague takes just over 1,000 km and a little over nine hours (respecting speed limits and excluding breaks).
In the city , streetcars share the road with cars and, importantly, have priority in all situations. In the event of a fender-bender, no amicable settlement. Just call and wait for the police. They will draw up the report, but if you don't speak the language, you'll have a hard time winning your case. As for good and bad local habits, until 1939, Czechs drove on the left! In the center of the capital in particular, traffic jams abound: the structure of the city was not designed for this. The number of vehicles circulating in Prague has multiplied, creating major problems. Some people would rather be stuck in traffic for half an hour than take the much faster metro. And then there's parking, which is often complicated in the center and always expensive. Parking on the streets is a headache (many spaces are reserved) and it's not uncommon to have to reserve in the big parking lots to be sure of getting a space. The easiest way is to find a hotel with a parking lot, even if it means paying a little more, so you don't have to drive around endlessly looking for a space.
To rent a car, you need to have your driving license with you, of course, and be at least 21 years old (25 for some agencies). Many international car rental agencies have counters at the airport or at Prague's main railway station. Czech agencies are inexpensive, but reservations are required. Seatbelts are compulsory in both front and rear seats, in town and country. Maximum speed limit on roads: 90 km/h, on freeways 130 km/h and in town 50 km/h. You must keep your headlights on at all times, otherwise the penalty can be up to 2,000 Kč.
Accessibility Prague
People with reduced mobility unfortunately have a hard time of it in the Czech capital and elsewhere. Even though the city is making more and more efforts, a cruel lack of facilities to make life easier can be felt at every step. All new metro stations are equipped with elevators, but in the older ones (those in the city center, serving tourist attractions), there are often only escalators, or even a single staircase. Many stores have a few steps, and for hotels, it's best to find out in advance. Some establishments offer adapted rooms (Bellagio Hotel, for example). Many restaurants and cafés are located in basements. Art galleries and museums in particular have recently undergone major renovations, and most are now easily accessible. Finally, the cobbled, often sloping streets of Malá Straná and the country's historic towns are not really ideal for wheelchairs.
Tourist traps Prague
Cabs are ubiquitous in Prague, but unfortunately they don't have a good reputation - tourists are their business. Avoid those who solicit you in the city center. The easiest way is to rely on reputable and reliable companies (such as www.aaataxi.cz), which you can order by telephone. Every cab must be equipped with a yellow "lantern" fixed to the roof and marked "cab" in black. The company's contact details and fares (price per km, etc.) must be displayed on the front door. A trip within the city center should not exceed 350 to 500 Kč. For the airport, count 600 to 750 Kč. Otherwise, on the meter, the fare shouldn't start at more than 50 Kč, then theoretically add 25 Kč to 32 Kč per kilometer depending on the cab company. If the driver refuses to turn on his taximeter, or if it doesn't "work", this is usually a bad sign. Don't hesitate to leave the vehicle. If you have any complaints, call +420 224 916 666 to lodge a complaint. The massive arrival of Uber or Bolt vehicles has simplified things considerably: you can order a cab and know in advance the fare for your journey, which will be guaranteed whatever the conditions.
