Getting to Prague

The Czech Republic is located in Central Europe, and its capital Prague can be accessed by plane, train or bus, while the last two possibilities are available only for European tourists.

Getting to Prague by Flight

Prague Ruzyne (Ruzyně) International Airport is situated about 12 miles northwest of the city. Ruzyne Airport serves dozens of international air companies from more than 100 destinations around the world, including most major cities in Europe, and also from some North American, African and Asian destinations.

There are many ways to get to Prague from the airport:

1. Regular shuttle. Shuttle minibuses leave from Ruzyne Airport to Prague (V Celnici street) every half an hour from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. The price tariffs are as follows:

a. 90 CZK for one-way ticket to V Celnici Street or back.

b. 60 CZK for one-way ticket to Dejvická metro station or back.

c. Free of charge for children under the age of 10 accompanied by adults.

The trip takes about 30 minutes. Tickets are available on board.

2. Taxi. Taxicabs can be found across following arrival halls: Terminal North 1 (exit D) and Terminal North 2 (exit E). The price tariffs are as follows: 34 CZK as a starting rate, 25 CZK per 1 kilometer and 5 CZK for 1 minute waiting.

3. Special Minibus 24-hour Service – private minibus to any destination in Prague and outside of Prague. The basic price tariffs are as follows:

a. 480 CZK for group up to 4 people to one destination in Prague’s center.

b. 960 CZK for group up to 8 people to one destination in Prague’s center.

c. 960 CZK for group of 1-8 people to one destination outside Prague’s center.

4. Public Transportation. Routes 100 and 119 are the quickest way to get to Prague’s center. Bus № 100 leaves from Terminal North 1 and Terminal North 2 and arrives at Zličín (metro line B) within approx. 15-25 minutes. Bus № 119 leaves from Terminal North 1 and Terminal North 2 and arrives at Dejvická (metro line A) within approx. 20-30 minutes. The buses depart every 10 minutes from 4:30 am to 11:30 pm. The tickets cost 12 CZK and are available at the newsstand or at the yellow apparatus at the bus stop.

5. Night bus. If you arrive in the airport at night, you can use the Bus 510, which can be changed to night tram 51 at Divoká Šárka stop. The night tram 51 will take you to various spots in the city, including Staroměstská, Národní třída(M) etc.

Getting to Prague by Train

Trains operate on a daily basis between Prague and most major European cities, including Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Vienna, Moscow and more. Trains from outside the country arrive and depart from the main railway and metro station in Prague (Hlavní nádraží), next to the Museum metro station on the Wenceslas Square.

The trains arrive at 3rd level of Hlavní nádraží station, whereas Prague’s tourist information (PIS) booth is situated at level 2 and left-luggage area and showers are situated at level 1. Other services, including exchange office, accommodation agency, day-use lockers and fast food stands are available as well.

Some of the international trains stop at Praha Smíchov (connected to Prague’s metro system via Smíchovské nádraží metro station) or Praha Holešovice (connected to Prague’s metro system via Nádraží Holešovice metro station).

Getting to Prague by train is usually cheaper than getting by plane, although a good advice is to conduct a thorough research of air companies prices just to be sure. In case your departure location is relatively close to Prague, such as Berlin, Vienna or Bratislava – the time of journey could be almost the same, considering the fact that the airport arrangements tend to be time consuming. For example, reaching Prague by train from Berlin and Munich takes 5 hours, and from Vienna and Bratislava it supposed to be about 4.5 hours. The estimated one-way ticket’s price is about $50. Getting to Prague from Paris takes about 10 hours. The estimated round trip price is about $300 (first class) or 200$ (second class).

It is important to know that during the high season it is highly recommended that international train tickets be booked a couple of weeks ahead since the trains could be full.

Getting to Prague by Bus

The bus is probably the cheapest way to get Prague from inside of Europe. The two most frequently used Prague bus stations are Florenc and Roztyly, while most international buses arrive to Florenc (Main Station). Both stations have metro stops and are easily accessible.

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