Prague tram

Getting Around Prague

Check out our useful guide for traversing the atmospheric streets of Prague!
By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak

Whether on foot, by bike or by tram, get all the info on how to get around the beautiful city of Prague to ensure you're getting to your sightseeing on time!

As is the case with many Eastern European cities, Prague’s fairly compact medieval center is best enjoyed on the hoof, with major attractions like the Old Town Square, the Jewish Museum, Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral all huddled relatively closely around the mighty Vltava River. But there are many other ways of getting around Prague, from the fun to the functional. Read on for our whistle stop guide to getting around the Golden City.

Arriving in Prague

Prague's Mala Strana district

Václav Havel Airport Prague lies around 13 kilometers west of the city center. That’s around a 25-minute cab ride to the Old Town or Wenceslas Square outside of rush hour. During busy times (7AM-10AM and 4PM-7PM) that time can almost double in length. Airport cabs and privately booked cars will both cost around 750 CZK (about 30 USD) for a one-way trip into town, but cabs can be a little hit and miss so it’s often worth planning ahead and pre-booking a reliable private service. Traveling solo? The airport shuttle might be a better option for you, costing around half what you’d pay for a taxi or private car. Obviously, if there are two or more in your party, the car is the better choice. Uber and other cab hire apps also operate in Prague.

Budget travelers can opt for the far cheaper public transport system. You’ll find a bus station right outside terminal 2, from where services run to central Prague every few minutes. Best is to take the 59 or 119 and transfer to metro line A for onward services to downtown. Tickets are priced at 40 CZK (less than 2 USD) for 90 minutes, which covers travel on buses, trams and subway trains.

You can read our full guide to getting into town from Prague Airport here.

Getting Around Prague on Foot

Woman walking across Charles Bridge

Pack your comfiest shoes: you’re about to experience some of the planet’s most atmospheric strolls, from fiery autumn sunsets over medieval Charles Bridge to glute-straining hikes up Petřín Hill to its Eiffel Tower-esque lookout tower (fear not: those 360-degree views across the whole of Prague will make all your efforts worthwhile). Both the Old Town and historic Malá Strana district in the castle foothills are closed to most vehicles. And the old town’s fairytale square, complete with soaring gothic spires, baroque palaces and a quite extraordinary 15th-century astronomical clock, is an absolute joy to explore on foot. There are also plenty of cute cafés, cavernous beer halls, and authentic Czech restaurants scattered around its lanes and on bustling Wenceslas Square, ensuring you’re never far from an life-giving goulash, kobliha (donut) sugar fix, or refreshing local pilsner.

You can get in and out of the center quickly thanks to the efficient tram and metro system, and it’s these you’ll want to rely on for exploring attractions further afield, like Prague Zoo, medieval Vyšehrad Castle, the hip MeetFactory arts hub, and, if you don’t fancy the hike uphill, Prague Castle.

Getting Around Prague by Public Transport

Woman consulting a map beside a Prague tram

Regular, reliable and cheap to use, Prague’s indispensable tram system connects all extremities of the city. The service runs 24/7, with increased frequency during peak times, and just a few rattling around here and there between midnight and 5AM. Don’t be put off by the rather complicated-looking tram map – once you get used to it, it’s fairly straightforward to use and will save you a heck of a lot of shoe leather if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing (as you most certainly should).

It’s also a very scenic way to traverse the city; tram 22’s route, which weaves through Malá Strana, past Prague Castle and across the Vltava to the Old Town and beyond, is particularly picturesque. Buy tickets on platforms, on the trams and in Tabák shops across the city. Or get yours online here. Short-term tickets that are valid for 30 minutes, 90 minutes, 24 hours or 72 hours are probably the most convenient for tourists. These can also be used on buses and the metro. Note that if you buy your ticket anywhere but on board, you’ll need to validate it before commencing your first trip. This is done at yellow stamping machines located on buses and trams, and at the entrances to subway platforms – this should be done only once, effectively time-stamping your ticket and commencing the countdown on your chosen duration.

Validating a ticket on Prague's public transport system

Pro-tip: while far less fun than the tram, the metro is certainly the fastest way to hop between attractions, especially over longer distances. Buses are largely used for reaching suburban areas that most tourists will have little call to visit. 

Getting Around Prague: Best of the Rest

Prague river cruise

Touristy it may be, but a hop-on hop-off bus tour is as good an introduction as any to a city like Prague, allowing you to tick off a number of big-hitting attractions in a relatively short time. There’s also the convenience of disembarking at the sites you want to see and cruising on past the ones you don’t. Speaking of cruising, boat tours are also a thriving mini industry here. Less a means of getting from A to B and more a way to get a fresh perspective on some of the city’s beautiful bridges and riverside highlights, they're definitely worth considering for some effortless and, let’s face it, pretty romantic sightseeing.

You can also get around Prague by bike, though the narrow lanes, cobbled surfaces and relatively limited cycling infrastructure aren’t always conducive to comfortable riding. You’ll find a few bike rental shops around the city, as well as pink Rekola bikes at dedicated stands around town. You’ll need to download the app to rent these, but rides start at an affordable 35 CZK (1.50 USD) for half an hour’s use.

The funicular railway in Prague

Perhaps the most fun way to travel in Prague, the Petřín funicular railway connects Malá Strana to the lookout tower and castle district and, most importantly, spares you a frankly arduous climb. The cost? A relatively steep (pun intended) 60 CZK one-way. But savvy travelers toting one- or three-day transport passes ride free.

Save on Prague’s Most Popular Attractions

Save money on Prague attractions, tours and activities with a pass from Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.

Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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Colorful houses along Golden Lane at Prague Castle
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Jewish Museum vs Prague Castle: Which is Better?

Prague Castle and the Jewish Museum are two of the biggest, best and most popular attractions in the Golden City, with each deserving of *at least* half a day of your sightseeing time. The very first thing you need to know about these bucket list must-sees are that the terms ‘Prague Castle’ and ‘Jewish Museum’ are actually catch-alls for expansive historic complexes – located at the top of the hill overlooking Malá Strana, and in the former Jewish ghetto across the Vltava respectively. We’re talking Gothic cathedrals and royal palaces up at the castle and spectacular synagogues galore in the Jewish Quarter. But which is better: the Jewish Museum or Prague Castle? We took a deep dive into these two essential Prague attractions to find out. Jewish Museum: The Lowdown The Jewish Museum is composed of six historical locations around the tiny Josefov district, the former Jewish ghetto that has been located at the heart of Prague’s Old Town for nearly a thousand years. Once a flourishing part of the city, said to have been home to around 18,000 inhabitants, the district was largely demolished in the early 20th Century as part of an initiative to remodel the city on Paris. It’s fortunate then that a number of its most impressive buildings and monuments were preserved, including the 15th-century cemetery, old town hall, and several impressive synagogues. The museum was established in 1906 and has itself had a very turbulent history, only regaining its independence in 1994, following many years of Nazi and Communist interference. Its magnificent buildings now play host to permanent exhibitions about Jewish life, culture and tradition through the ages, and boast a collection of some 40,000 Jewish artifacts, including prints, paintings, textiles and jewelry. There’s also an extensive library of books from Bohemia and Moravia, some of which date as far back as the 15th Century. No wonder then that the museum is one of Prague’s most-visited attractions, welcoming around one million visitors every year. Jewish Museum: Key Highlights The Old Jewish Cemetery. One of the largest (and oldest) preserved Jewish burial sites in Europe, this 15th-century cemetery is deeply moving and atmospheric. Wander its leafy lanes, where thousands of crumbling memorial stones lean against one another, including those of important Jewish figures including Mordecai Maisel, Rabbi Loew, and Avigdor Karo, a chief rabbi and court poet to King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia. The Spanish Synagogue. The domed exterior of this 19th-century gem hints at the Moorish Revival style within, but little can prepare visitors for the eye-popping grandeur, all intricate stucco arabesques, floral motifs, and colorful geometric tiling.  The Pinkas Synagogue. This grand Gothic confection is the second-oldest preserved synagogue in the city, dating way back to 1535. Inside, memorial walls are inscribed with the names and personal information of nearly 80,000 Bohemian and Moravian Jews murdered during the Nazi occupation, and there’s a very moving exhibition of drawings by children held in the notorious Terezín Ghetto.  The Klausen Synagogue. Prague’s largest synagogue is a monumental building in the early Baroque style, big enough to comfortably house an extraordinary three-tiered Torah Ark. Prague Castle: The Lowdown The fairytale spires and turrets of Prague Castle are one of the most distinctive features of the city skyline. This vast complex, perched high on a hill overlooking Malá Strana, the Vltava river, and the Old Town beyond, is home to several important buildings, gardens and lanes across its 17-or-so acres. These include the mighty St Vitus Cathedral, a stunning royal palace, and the rows of colorful shops and houses huddled along Golden Lane. The castle complex began life as a hilltop fortress way back in the 9th Century and has served as the Czech seat of power for many centuries. Its mixture of early Romanesque ruins and picture-perfect Gothic edifices have made it one of Prague’s most enduring attractions, pulling in something in the order of two million punters every year. Its huge size means you can easily make a whole day of it. Indeed, so large is the complex that it has even earned itself the accolade of biggest preserved ancient castle in the Guinness Book of Records! Prague Castle: Key Highlights St Vitus Cathedral. The crowning glory of Prague Castle, this huge 14th-century Gothic confection is one of Prague’s greatest treasures, with its photogenic flying buttresses, Art Nouveau stained glass windows, mosaiced Golden Gate and, of course, those trademark twin spires. Pop inside to ogle the massive pipe organ, hushed gothic chapels, and the sacred tomb of St Wenceslas himself. St George’s Basilica. It must be hell playing second fiddle to St Vitus Cathedral, especially when you’re the older brother by far, but 12th-century St George’s puts up a pretty good fight. That’s largely thanks to its picturesque Romanesque towers (nicknamed Adam and Eve) and decorative features that include a bas-relief of St George giving the dragon what-for and, um, a nightmarish statue of a rotting corpse with a coiled snake hanging out in its decaying gut. Golden Lane. The colorful rows of painted houses along Golden Lane will have Insta addicts jumping for joy. These pretty historic houses, once home to the goldsmiths who gave it its name, are now largely occupied by souvenir shops. So don’t forget to snag your St Vitus Cathedral keyring or rotting-corpse-statue postcard while you’re there. Garden on the Ramparts. Here’s where to get some of the best views in towne, whether looking out over the rust-red Malá Strana rooftops to the Vltava beyond, or gazing back up at the grand Old Royal Palace behind. Jewish Museum vs Prague Castle: Which is Better? It’s near-impossible to choose between these old-school Prague attractions. Both have huge appeal for history buffs and incurable Instagrammers alike, and both provide a real insight into the storied past of this great city. So here’s the good news: both the Jewish Museum and Prague Castle are included with a Prague pass from Go City. And that’s just for starters. The pass also includes access to Old Town tours and breweries, plus Museum Kampa, the Žižkov TV Tower Observatory and much more. In short, It’s a great way to save up to 50% on entry fees if you plan to visit a number of attractions during your Prague vacation. Find out more and get your pass here. Save on Prague’s Most Popular Attractions Save money on Prague attractions, tours and activities with a pass from Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Statue of Dvorak in front of St Vitus Cathedral
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The many treasures of Prague’s compact old town – the medieval main square, Jewish Quarter and Charles Bridge among them – are easily explored on foot. Our guide visits all of these before taking us beyond the old town’s boundaries, where attractions including Prague Castle, the Petřín Lookout Tower and the atmospheric streets of Malá Strana await.
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Sometimes birthdays are better abroad. Here are our suggestions to ensure the celebrations will stay with you forever when you spend the special day in Prague!
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