This post provides information about the public transportation system in Prague, including trams, metro, and buses as well as ticket options.
OVERVIEW
Prague has one of the best public transportation systems in all of Europe, and it includes four main services: metro, trams, buses, and funiculars.
Tickets and passes are valid on all four services, which means you don’t need to purchase one to get on a bus and another to use the metro.
While the trams are a great way to reach many popular sites and landmarks in the city centre, the buses are intended to be used mainly for travel around the outskirts of Prague.
Vintage Prague Trams Are Still in Use
The Metro, like trams, focuses on the city centre but offers fewer stops.
The funiculars in Prague are exclusively for climbing Petrin Hill to reach the top and see all of the sites in that area.
It’s worth noting that while the metro and funiculars do not provide service after midnight, buses and trams both offer night service which you can use to get around the city after 12 am.
Although it’s not part of the public transportation system, there is also a traditional train service in Prague which will connect you with many other cities in the Czech Republic.
Although tickets and passes are reasonably priced, you can actually save some money on public transportation in Prague by using a tourist attraction discount pass.
Check our discounts section for more details.
TICKETS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
As mentioned above, all tickets and passes can be used for metro, trams, buses, and funiculars.
Here are the ticket prices you can expect to pay (as of April 2020):
30 Minute Ticket: 24 CZK
- Perfect for one-way travel.
90 Minute Ticket: 32 CZK
- Great for short-round trips within the city.
1-Day Pass: 110 CZK
- Avoid the guesswork and simply pay for a full day’s service.
3-Day Pass: 310 CZK
- Excellent for visitors who plan to be in Prague for a few days.
- Included with at least one major Prague tourist pass.
1-Month Pass: 670 CZK
- Best for people who are staying in Prague for a week or more and plan to use public transportation at least once a day.
You’ll find ticket machines at every metro station, tram, and bus stop, as well as some newsagents and Public Transport Information Centres.
Ticket machines are usually easy to spot, as they are orange/yellow and stand out from everything else.
You’ll find Public Transport Information Centres at Prague Airport, Wenceslas Square, and the Praha hlavní nádraží train station.
These locations also provide maps to help you figure out how to reach your destination.
Alternatively, you can also get a 3-Day Pass by using one of the most popular tourist attraction discount passes in the city.
We’ll cover this service in greater detail under our discounts section.
PRAGUE METRO
Like most big cities, Prague has a metro system that you can use to get around the city quickly and it covers most of the city centre in addition to some suburban areas.
This service runs from 5 am - 12 am each day, providing service every 2-3 minutes during peak hours and roughly once every 5-10 minutes during off-peak hours.
There are a total of 3 metro lines that provide transportation throughout Prague:
A (GREEN LINE)
This line goes from East-West and includes stops like Prague Castle, Wenceslas Square, and Old Town Square.
B (YELLOW LINE)
This line also runs from East-West, crossing with both the A and C metro trains near the city centre and making stops at sites such as Republic Square, Charles Square and more.
C (RED LINE)
Running from North-South, this line intersects with both the A and B metro trains at Wenceslas Square, and it includes stops at Vyšehrad, Strossmayer Square, I.P. Pavlov Square, and more.
PRAGUE TRAMS
The trams focus more on all the areas that neither other service covers very well.
Trams will take you even further out than metro lines, and they include more stops in the city centre as well and are great to reach Old Town and Prague Castle.
If you really want to explore the city and see some of the sites that aren’t along the main metro lines, this is an excellent way to do it.
Daytime service runs from 4:30 am - 12 am while nighttime service is of course from 12 am - 4:30 am.
During the day, trams make stops every 4-10 minutes, while at night there are stops every 30 minutes.
Modern Trams in Prague
There are far too many trams to list here, but if you’re looking for the most useful lines, keep in mind that line 9 will take you from Wenceslas Square to the National Theatre.
You can also take tram lines 22/23 from the National Theatre to Prague Castle!
Visit the official website for more details.
BUSES IN PRAGUE
If you need help reaching locations on the outskirts of the city centre, the public bus service is going to be one of your best bets.
This service focuses on the areas that the metro and trams cannot reach.
Most buses stop at metro stations, so if you need to travel outside of the city centre, chances are you’ll find a bus waiting to take you there at one of these locations.
One of the main services provided by these buses is a line from the Prague Airport to a metro station which can then take you into the city.
Daytime bus services run from 4:30 am - 12 am and you can expect stops every 6-8 minutes during peak times and every 10-20 minutes for off-peak hours.
Nighttime bus service is from 12 am - 4:30 am with stops every 30-60 minutes.
FUNICULAR
These are essentially cable cars, and they will take you from Lesser Town (near Prague Castle) to the top of Petrin Hill.
This is one of the more popular landmarks in Prague, so it’s definitely worth taking the Funicular!
Thankfully, this service is part of the public transportation network, so the same ticket you use for the metro, trams, and buses will also be valid for the funiculars.
This service runs from 9 am - 11:30 pm each day, every 10 minutes in the summer and every 15 minutes in winter, with funiculars departing from both the top and bottom of the hill at the same time.
There is also a stop halfway up the hill at the Nebozizek Restaurant if you want to step off and grab something to eat or drink.
TRAINS
The traditional train lines in Prague are not tied to the public transportation service, as they are intended to take you out of the city.
These trains are perfect for day trips, but if you’re planning to stay in the city centre, you probably won’t need them.
That all said, it’s worth noting that you can reach both the Praha hlavní nádraží train station (the main station in Prague) and the Nádraží Praha-Holešovice train station using the metro line C (RED LINE).
These trains will take you to many other cities and municipalities in the Czech Republic, including locations like Brno, České Budějovice, and Přerov.
Ticket prices range from 250 CZK - 400 CZK on average ($10-$15).
DISCOUNTS AND PASSES
There is at least one great way to save money on public transportation in Prague, especially if you’re planning to visit more than a few attractions while you’re exploring the city.
Prague Tourist Passes
There is currently just one tourist attraction discount pass in this city which includes access to public transportation, and it’s the Prague Welcome Card.
This service includes a 3-day public transport pass at no additional cost, and it also provides admission to dozens of popular attractions and activities such as the following:
- Vyšehrad
- Troja Chateau
- New Town Hall
- The Franz Kafka Museum
- Astronomical Clock Tower
- The Aeronautical Museum
- Basilica of St. Peter & St. Paul
- The Museum of Decorative Arts
- And more!
Depending on how you use the pass, you should be able to save at least 20% - 40% off general admission prices for all the activities you choose to enjoy.
This pass is €45 per person. In comparison, a 3-day pass for public transportation is 310 CZK (about €11).
As a result, you’d basically be paying €34 (€11.33 per day) for everything else included with the Prague Welcome Card.
Since most of the included attractions cost about €5 - €10 for admission, you’d only need to use the card for an additional 2-3 activities in order to start saving money with this tourist pass.
For more information, please read our post covering Prague tourist passes.
RELEVANT POSTS
