Prague City Break

Public transport

Operator. Prague's public transport is run by Dopravní podnik hlavního města Prahy, abbreviated DPP. It operates the three metro lines, the trams, the city buses and the trolleybuses. Layered on top of this is the Pražská integrovaná doprava network, abbreviated PID. The network additionally includes the suburban buses into the surrounding region, the regional trains run by České dráhy under the Esko brand, the funicular up Petřín hill, and six ferry lines across the Vltava numbered P1 to P6. For visitors this means a single ticket is valid for all these modes of transport, and changing between them costs nothing extra. The ferries carry bicycles free of charge. P1 and P2 run all year, while lines P3 to P6 only run from late March to late October, and not at all during flooding or heavy fog. The Petřín funicular is being repaired after flood damage and is expected to be out of service until September 2026. Check whether it's running before you travel.

Network. Three metro lines, a very dense tram network and buses.

Modes of transport. Metro · Tram · Bus · Trolleybus · S-Bahn (Esko) · Funicular (Petřín, under repair, expected out of service until September 2026) · Ferry

Operating hours. The metro runs every day of the week from 5am to midnight. During peak times a train comes every two to four minutes, outside peak times every five to ten minutes. There are three lines and 54 stations. Line A runs from Nemocnice Motol to Skalka and Depo Hostivař, Line B from Zličín to Černý Most, Line C from Letňany to Háje. You can change between A and B at Můstek, between A and C at Muzeum, and between B and C at Florenc. Because the metro runs completely independently of road traffic, it keeps to its schedule even in traffic jams. Trams and buses run alongside it during the day and cover the routes between the metro lines. The ferries keep their own, much shorter hours, P1 runs weekdays from 5.25am to 8pm, P2 weekdays from 5.25am to 10pm, with both starting later on weekends.

Night service. As soon as the metro closes at midnight, a continuous night network takes over until around 4.30am. Its backbone is the night trams numbered 90 to 99, running every 30 minutes. On top of that come night buses numbered 901 to 917 running every 30 or 60 minutes, plus regional lines 951 to 960 into the surrounding area. The central hub is the Lazarská stop near the National Theatre, where all night tram lines meet and departures are coordinated so you can continue your journey on one connection. No surcharge is charged, the ordinary ticket simply remains valid. Most night buses are low-floor, while among the night trams that's only true for some services. On the main lines of the Prague S-Bahn, night trains depart the main station at 12.30am.

Buying tickets. There are five ways to get a ticket. First, the machines at metro stations and at many surface stops. It's worth checking the type, the modern touchscreen machines accept coins, contactless cards and chip cards, while the older push-button machines take coins only. Second, the transport authority's information centres and sales points, including at the airport and in major metro stations. Third, terminals on board, found at certain doors on trams, buses and trolleybuses, which accept only contactless payment, no cash. Fourth, the PID Lítačka app. Fifth, from suburban bus drivers, who accept coins, notes up to 200 Kč and contactless cards. There's an important difference in validation. Paper tickets from a machine must be stamped once in one of the yellow validators before the first trip, only from that moment does validity begin. Tickets from the on-board terminal and from the app already carry printed validity and aren't validated separately. A contactless bank card works at machines and on-board terminals, but not as a ticket directly at the validator.

App and payment. The network's official app is called PID Lítačka and is available in Czech and English. Registration isn't required, most features also work anonymously, though unregistered users are assigned their own code so tickets can be linked to them. Payment is by bank card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and the first purchase usually requires confirmation in your banking app, after which it goes quickly. The card can be saved for future purchases. During an inspection you show a QR code. One detail with a practical consequence is the activation delay, a ticket bought right away only becomes valid two minutes after purchase. That stops people buying only once they spot an inspector, but it also means you have to buy before boarding, not just as you step through the door. Alternatively, activation can be scheduled for a future time. The app also shows maps, journey planning, real-time vehicle positions and service disruptions. On-board terminals generally don't take cash, only machines and suburban bus drivers do.

Which ticket. For short stays there are four ticket types, each priced differently depending on how you buy it. The 30-minute ticket costs 39 Kč on paper, 36 Kč in the PID Lítačka app and 42 Kč by SMS. The 90-minute ticket costs 50 Kč on paper, 46 Kč in the app and 55 Kč by SMS. The 24-hour card costs 150 Kč on paper and 140 Kč in the app. The 72-hour card costs 350 Kč on paper and 340 Kč in the app. All these prices have applied since 1 January 2026. The verifiable thresholds work out as follows. On paper, the 24-hour card at 150 Kč equals exactly three 90-minute tickets at 50 Kč each, and just under four 30-minute tickets at 39 Kč each. The 72-hour card at 350 Kč equals exactly seven 90-minute tickets. Three 24-hour cards bought separately, by contrast, cost 450 Kč, so the 72-hour card is 100 Kč cheaper than three day cards. In the app, every option is three to ten crowns cheaper than on paper. The 30- and 90-minute tickets allow unlimited transfers, but aren't valid on the Petřín funicular or on line AE. The 24- and 72-hour cards include the funicular. The Petřín funicular is being repaired after flood damage and is expected to be out of service until September 2026. Check whether it's running before you travel. Children aged 6 to 15 and seniors 65 and over pay a reduced fare, around 19 Kč on paper for the 30-minute ticket. One large piece of luggage travels free with a 24-hour card or a season pass, otherwise it costs 23 Kč electronically or 25 Kč on paper. Dogs travel free in Prague with a valid ticket.

Fare zones. Prague covers zones P, 0 and B. Every Prague ticket is valid across the whole city area, including the airport. The Petřín funicular is only included in the 24-hour and 72-hour cards, though it's currently being repaired and is expected to be out of service until September 2026. The Airport Express runs on its own fare, outside the network.

Tip. Tram line 22 passes the castle and saves the climb on foot.

Links

• Tickets and fares overview (PID)
• Full price list (Dopravní podnik)
• Where and how to buy tickets
• Network maps to download
• Interactive network map
• Night services in Prague
• PID Lítačka app
• Daytime airport lines
• Fare zones P, 0 and B
• Vltava ferries P1 to P6
• Network map

Getting there

Main station

Location. An art nouveau building with a preserved domed hall in the old section, ten minutes' walk to Wenceslas Square.

Long-distance trains. Praha hlavní nádraží is the city's central long-distance station and sits directly on metro Line C. The route officially documented is the one heading southeast. The EuroCity Metropolitan runs every two hours and reaches Budapest via Slovakia in six hours and thirty minutes, with prices starting at 526 Kč. It uses air-conditioned carriages with free WiFi and power sockets for laptops and phones, with both second and first class, some as six-seat compartments and some as open-plan seating, plus a dining car. For the other international directions, and for the first and last long-distance trains of the day, no official source is available, which is noted in the gap list.

Opening hours. Below the station is its own metro stop on Line C, served from 5am to midnight. On the main lines of the Prague S-Bahn, night trains depart at 12.30am. During the metro's overnight break, night trams and night buses connect to the central hub at Lazarská.

Airports

Local quirks

• Be careful with currency exchanges. Offers advertising zero percent commission make up for it with a bad rate. Better to withdraw cash from a bank ATM and decline the euro conversion.
• The funicular depends on your ticket. The railway up Petřín is a normal scheduled service within the network, but it isn't included in every ticket. The 24-hour and 72-hour cards are valid on it, the 30-minute and 90-minute tickets explicitly aren't. Anyone who only buys single tickets ends up at the bottom station without a valid one.
• Bus 59, not the old 119, goes to the airport. The old bus line 119 to the airport no longer exists, trolleybus 59 now runs the route to metro Line A at Nádraží Veleslavín. It takes 17 minutes and comes every three to ten minutes. Older signs, hotel notes and guidebooks still mention the 119.
• Stamp paper tickets, buy app tickets two minutes ahead. A ticket from the machine only becomes valid after being stamped in the yellow validator, and only once, at the start. A ticket from the PID Lítačka app, by contrast, only becomes valid two minutes after purchase. Both have to be sorted before boarding, not just as you step through the door.

Good to know

Currency

CZK Kč

Emergency number

112

Plug type

C · E

Time zone

Europe/Prague

Driving

right

Speed limits. built-up areas 50 km/h, outside towns 90 km/h, motorway 130 km/h

Alongside the motorway there's the expressway, where 110 km/h is allowed. On motorway sections with structurally separated carriageways, signs may permit up to 150 km/h. Where a motorway runs through a town, only 80 km/h applies there. Snow chains limit speed to 50 km/h everywhere.

Tipping. Ten percent, stating the total when you pay.

Tolls. Motorways and expressways require a vignette. Es gibt sie digital, gekauft wird online oder an Tankstellen.