Getting Into Prague

Prague's Vaclav Havel Airport (pictured) handles all air traffic into the city. Photo: asirap.

How to get in from the airport

All flights into Prague land at Vaclav Havel Airport, formerly Ruzyne Airport, located 17km (about 10 miles) northwest of the city.

The super-Cheapo way into town is on local bus lines #119 or #100. TThe #119 leaves from the airport every 5-20 minutes and totes passengers to the Dejvicka metro station, a 20 minute journey. From there, the metro (line A) will take you to central Prague in just a few stops.

The #119, meanwhile, heads to the Zlicin station on metro line B, also about a 20 minute ride. It’s a bit further on the metro from here to center city, though, and this is a better option only if your hotel is close to a B line metro stop.

For both of these options, you’ll need to purchase a 90-minute bus ticket at a cost of CZK32.

Shuttle Service

Prague also runs a special airport bus, the Airport Express (line AE), that runs between the airport and Hlavní nádraží train station, stopping at the Dejvicka metro station (with additional stops by request at Masarykovo Nádraží and Náměstí Republiky).

Buses run every half hour between 5:45 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. and the journey in total takes 33 minutes. Tickets cost CZK60 (CZK40 for children) and can be purchased from the bus driver.

Another (more expensive) option is the CEDAZ shuttle service. It leaves every 30 minutes between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. and costs CZK150, dropping passengers off at the Náměstí Republiky metro station.

Taxis in Prague are more regulated now, but it will still cost a small fortune to get in from the airport. Photo: argasso.

Taxis

Once upon a time, fixed-price taxis were to be avoided. If you were lucky, the driver would charge you a mere CZK600., but otherwise, you could be trapped in a taxi looping endlessly around the city with a driver pretending not to understand directions. Drivers here are infamous for ripping off tourists.

Now, AAA radiotaxi s.r.o. has taxi stands in front of the arrival halls. But beware: though the drivers are honest, the fares are still a bit expensive. If you decide to bypass the cheaper modes of airport transportation in favor of the taxi, expect to pay between CZK600 and CZK700. It's a fixed rate with no meter, so confirm the complete price carefully before you hop in.

For more information, check out the Prague Airport online

Most trains in Prague come into Praha hlavni nadrazi, which is conveniently located near Wenceslas Square. Photo: Terrazzo.

How to get in from the main train station

The main train station is Praha hlavni nadrazi (which often appears in print as Praha h.n.). Located in the southeastern part of Prague, it is on the fringes of both the Nove Mesto and Stare Mesto neighborhoods.

Prague is a small enough place to get around on foot. For example, Wenceslas Square is 10 minutes away from the station on foot and the Old Town Square is about 20 minutes from the station. But if your hotel is a bit of a hike or you have heavy luggage, the metro is the best way to get where you need to go. The Hlavni nadrazi metro station is located at the main train station.

Flying into Prague

Visit our Prague budget flights section for more information on low-cost airlines flying into and out of Prague.