From the airport to the city centre Prague
The quickest solution, but also the most expensive, is to take a cab. Prague Airport Transfer (www.prague-airport-transfers.co.uk; +420 777 777 237) charges around 750 Kč to reach the city center in a classic sedan (up to 4 people and luggage). The service operates from 8am to 10pm.
Public transport is obviously the cheapest solution (40 Kč). The journey is quick and easy. At the exit of the arrivals terminal (1 and 2), bus 119 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. 45 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! Vending machines only accept coins, so make sure you have enough change). If you arrive at night, the 510 bus 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 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 cost 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 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. 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 can be discovered very easily on foot. Once you are in the city center, the cobblestones and stairs of the "Lesser Town" will be your only adversaries, but the distances are short. If you want to cross the city or go to the outlying areas, an excellent subway and streetcar system will get you everywhere in a very short time.
The Czech capital has a dense, efficient, clear, modern and cheap (at least for tourists) public transport system (Dopravní Podnik, www.dpp.cz). There are three modern subway lines, 27 streetcar lines and countless bus lines. All modes of transport arrive on time and streetcars and subways run at 2 minute, 5 minute or 10 minute intervals. The Prague Transport Company is the umbrella company for the metro, bus, streetcar, trolley and funicular network. The same type of ticket is used for all these transports. The only drawback is that these transports are not really accessible to disabled people. The streetcar service is reduced at night, but still operates on the main lines at a slightly lower frequency.
Tickets(jízdenky) are the same for all public transport. They can be purchased at tobacco shops(tabák), newspaper stands, or at ticket offices and vending machines located inside the metro stations. They cannot be taken on the bus or streetcar. Tickets must be punched (once only, at the beginning of the trip) at the yellow terminals at the entrance to the metro stations or inside the bus, trolley or streetcar. There are two variations of tickets. The 30 Kč tickets are valid for 30 minutes or up to 5 metro stations. The 40 Kč tickets are valid for 90 minutes. If you are hesitant, buy the 40 Kč tickets to avoid being checked at the 31st minute of travel. Children under 6 years old travel free of charge. Warning Transporting large luggage, strollers without children and dogs is theoretically charged 6 Kč. You can bring your bike on the metro, during off-peak hours only. Packages. They are advantageous only for long stays and only if you plan to visit sites far from the center. If you are only going to visit the Old City, you might as well do it on foot.
Here are the rates we found when we visited (but they change regularly). 24 hours package: 120 Kč. 3-day package: 330 Kč. One month pass: 550 Kč. Packages must be stamped on the first trip after purchase, and only.
Bike, scooters & co Prague
There are no bike lanes in Prague, and electric scooters, already banned on the sidewalks, are about to be banned altogether given the compact crowds in the city center in high season. The Old Town is paved and indeed very "busy" with pedestrians, and the new neighborhoods are often not very pleasant to walk through because of the traffic. In addition, you have to be very careful with the streetcars and count on steep hills in some places. Nevertheless, there are quiet areas, and long walks from park to park (Stromovka, Letná...) or along the Vltava river. Recently, there have even been numbered and signposted routes. Yellow signs (with a bicycle drawn on them) indicate the number of the route, the direction, the next tourist attraction and the distance left to go. It is well marked and easy to follow. A list of the routes can be found in the tourist offices. In addition, in Prague you can take your bike on the subway during off-peak hours.
There are a few bike rental companies in the city center, some of which offer guided tours (www.citybike-prague.com; www.prahabike.cz). For the past few years, there have been several bicycle circles for groups and families to ride together.
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 all tastes, but be warned: these are not collector's vehicles. 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 1,800 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 (270 Kč for 10 days, 430 Kč for a month or 2,300 Kč 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 takes just 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.
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). In principle, you have two options: local (www.royalrent.cz) or international (www.europcar.cz; www.avis.cz). Czech agencies are inexpensive, but reservations are required. Seatbelts are compulsory in both front and back 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.
