Getting Around - Prague

Ruzyne International Airport

If you fly into Prague, you’ll arrive at Ruzyne International Airport, which is located more than 10 kilometres north-west of the city centre. Though the airport continues to be very busy, serving 10.8 million passengers in 2005, it offers most of the facilities you’d expect of a major European hub, including shops, cafés, 24-hour exchange facilities and a variety of accommodation agencies and car rental outlets. The first phase of a new terminal, “North 2”, opened in September 2005.
Easiest access to Prague itself is via a cheap, regular express bus service. Running daily from 08.30 to 19.00, it stops first at Dejvická metro station (the terminus of line A), and ends up at the Czech Airline offices, near Námesti Republiky (Republic Square), one of the city’s focal points. The journey time is approximately 30 minutes and costs CZK 45. To obtain a ticket, simply pay the driver.
You can also take public transport from the airport to Prague. Bus number 119 runs to Dejvická metro station, where you can transfer on to the green metro line (Line A) to access the city centre. This journey takes 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can catch bus number 100 to Zlicín metro station, farther from the city centre, where you can transfer on to the yellow metro line (Line B). This journey takes 20 minutes. You must buy your ticket from the orange machine just inside the airport exit, or from newsagents. If you arrive after midnight, you can catch a night bus #510 to Divoká Šárka, the terminus for night tram #51, which will take you to Národní in the centre of town.
You can find taxis at the stands, which are located directly in front of arrival halls Terminal North 1 (Exit D) and Terminal North 2 (Exit E). There are many stories of travellers getting ripped off by taxi drivers at the airport, so confirm the price with the driver before you get in. A ride from the Prague airport to a destination in the centre should cost around 600 CZK.

Prague: General Transport

The centre of Prague is very walkable, but if you need to cross the city quickly, Prague’s integrated public transport system is cheap and efficient, with a common ticketing system, which comprises three metro lines, trams, buses, a funicular to Petrín Hill and a chairlift at Prague Zoo. A ticket allowing transfer between two types of transport costs 20 CZK, while a non-transfer ticket is 14 CZK.

Metro

Carrying around 400 million passengers a year, the metro is Soviet built and only about 30 years old. It has three lines, comprising about 50 kilometres of track (running mostly underground) and some 50 stations. Line A (Green) runs east to west from Skalka to Dejvická. Line B (Yellow) runs east to west from Černý most to Zličín. Line C (Red) runs north to south from Ládví to Háje.
Trains run from 05.00 till midnight, in 2-3 minute intervals during peak hours and in 4-10 minute intervals during off-peak hours. The time elapsed from the moment when the previous train left the station can be seen on the clock at the head of the tracks. All stations are equipped with escalators, some allowing access for the disabled.

Trams

The city’s trams (tramvaje) cover a large area of Prague, with 500 kilometres of track, and are used by some 300 million people a year. Daytime trams run from 04:30 till midnight in 8-10 minute intervals. Night trams (numbers 51-58) run from 00:30 till 04:30 in 40 minute intervals. Trams 22 and 23 follow one of Prague's most scenic routes, passing by the National Theater to Staromestská and Malostranská metro stations, and continuing up to the Belveder, Prague Castle and Pohorelec, with some stunning views along the way.

Text written by David Cunningham, author of CloudWorld and CloudWorld At War