Getting around Prague

Especially if you are going to Prague for work, you will probably wonder how to move around the city. Like most European capital cities, Prague also has a developed transportation network, including buses, tramways, underground, etc., which can take you anywhere. Take the time to inquire about each of these options before choosing the one which best suits your needs. Use route planner of DPP (provider of public transportation in Prague) to help find the best option.

Prague's integrated transport network

Prague hosts an integrated transport network, known as Pražská integrovaná doprava (PID). It includes several means of transports, namely the underground, tramway, buses, cable car, and ferries.

Fees are determined according to different zones and the travel duration. For tourists and occasional users, there are single tickets for 30 minutes, 90 minutes, one day, or three days. If you use public transportation often, buy a time ticket for a period of one month, three months, five months, or one year. The last-mentioned costs 3,650 CZK for the whole year. The actual fares are published on the DPP official website. Students, kids between six and fifteen years and seniors over sixty are entitled to special discounts. To be able to purchase a time ticket, you need to have a card called Lítačka.

Tickets need to be validated at the beginning of travel and are valid in all means of transport. For example, with one 90 minutes ticket, you can take a bus, switch to underground, and even take a cable car to Petřín hill.

Ticket inspectors are quite common; you can meet them in the underground, but also in the trams. Some of them wear uniforms, but it is not mandatory, especially those in trams wear civilian clothes. The fines start at 800 CZK. 

Subway, cable car, and tramway in Prague

Subway is available every day as from 5 am until midnight. On Friday and Saturday, it is available until 1 am the next day. Prague hosts three subway lines, namely A (green), B (yellow) and C (red) line.

Petřín's cable car network has a single line which goes up the hill. It is available every day as of 9 am until 11.30 pm, every 10 minutes in summer and every 15 minutes in winter.

The city is crossed from North to South and from East to West by not fewer than 26 tramway lines. Tramway is available as from 4.30 am, and last trams leave at midnight. Many night trams are available during the night; you can recognise them easily – all of them starting by the number five. 

Usually, tickets are sold in tobacco shops and machines placed at the entrance of metro stations. Nowadays, the new types of trams have a machine with the possibility to pay by card. In old trams and buses, the tickets can be purchased via SMS.

Taxis in Prague

You can find several taxi companies in Prague as well as taxi apps like Uber and Liftago. However, there are also the so-called grey taxis, which you can often find by the airports and railways stations. These typically prey on newly arriving tourists and would overcharge you. Note that official taxis in the country come with a yellow lamp on the roof and a taxi sign on the side of the car. When getting into the taxi, make sure that the taxi meter is on and ask for a receipt at the end of your trip.

Car and parking in Prague

Cars are probably more comfortable, but not faster than public transportation. Many people own cars, but use them usually only for the weekends, when they want to go out of the city. Besides the traffic, you may also have problems with parking. Most of Prague's districts have parking zones. If you are not a resident and do not have citizenship, it can be difficult to get a parking card. Of course, you can pay for a parking space, but even with the monthly rental, it can be quite expensive.

In case you use a car sporadically, carsharing could be a good option. It is quite popular, and there are several companies like Car4way, or Anytime. Also, HoppyGo is an interesting application where owners share cars directly with the clients. You can try it; it is probably the cheapest way of renting a car. 

Cycling in Prague

The idea of going to work on a bike is fantastic, but in fact, it can be quite hard in Prague. You can find many cycling routes heading out of the city or passing the parks, but in the city centre, they are not so common. Unfortunately, Prague is not like Amsterdam, and riding a bike between trams and cars can be very stressful and dangerous. Cycling is a perfect way to relax after work or do some exercise, but not an ideal option for work commute.

There is an application for bike-sharing called Rekola. You can easily recognise them thanks to their pink colour. Especially during the summer, there are many of them around the city. You can get a yearly subscription if you enjoy cycling. If you have a Multisport card, two 60 minutes rides per day are free of charge.