Useful info

Transport in Prague

How much does it cost?

There are two types of tickets for public transportation in Prague –metro, bus, tram, funicular.

  • 26 CZK tickets: valid for all means, with changes, for a period of 75 minutes;
  • 18 CZK tickets: valid only for trams, buses and metro. No changes allowed.
    Tram and bus: 20 minutes
    Metro: 5 stations, not exceeding 30 minutes

There is also another system of ticketing available through SMS. By sending “dpt” to 902 06 26, you will receive an SMS ticket for 90 minutes. This will cost you 26 CZK. However, this service is only available if you – or one of your friends – have a SIM card from a Czech operator.
>> More information here

There are also tickets for one, three or five days, if you think this might be a better deal for you: 100 CZK for one day, 300 CZK for three days; 500 CZK for 5 days. However, Prague is a walking town and you might find you do not need such tickets.

You will need to buy an extra 13 CZK ticket if you are carrying a big case (larger than carry-on luggage).

Do not forget to validate your ticket! – For SMS tickets, validation is not required.

If you do not show a validated ticket for your journey, you might get a fine of 700 CZK... Controllers will always stand in the most touristy metro and tram stations, usually on the platforms. They are pretty tough, meaning that they will not let you go until you pay. They are easy to recognise with their dark blue uniform and, most importantly, they need to show you their golden ID badges – similar to sheriffs. Beware of fake controllers!

Where to buy them?

You can buy tickets in the main metro stations, either at the yellow ticket machines (you will need coins), or at the window. Our advice is that you buy a few there, as you will not be able to buy any at tram stations or on buses.

You can buy SMS tickets anywhere, provided you have a phone with a Czech SIM card.

Transportation maps and systems

The Metro system is simple in Prague: there are three lines, with three different colours and three different letters:

  • Line A is green, it goes from North-West to South-East, from Dejvicka to Depo Hostivar;
  • Line B is yellow, going through the city from East to West, from Černý Most to Zličín;
  • Line C is red, it goes from the North to South-East, from Ládví to Háje.

The maps are simple to understand:

  • The lines are indicated with a coloured stripe;
  • Metro stations are indicated with a point on the line;
  • When two lines cross (at Muzeum, Můstek and Florenc) it is a transfer point, and you can go from one line to the other.

Downloadable maps (pdf, 1MB)

For more information, check out the site of the public transportation in Prague: http://www.dpp.cz/en/

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How much is it? (prices in CZK)

Cheap meal: 70 main meal / 100 entry + main meal
Normal price meal: usually soup + main dish 120
Expensive: 170 – 200
And much more expensive meals: from 300 onwards
Beer: 25 – 35
Pack of milk: 15
Loaf of bread: 20
Roll (rohlik): 2 – 3
Bottle of water (500 ml): 12
Tea: 25 – 30
Coffee: 25 – 30
Metro ticket: 18 or 26
T-shirt: 300
Pair of jeans: 1,000
Tour of the old town: 300 to 400
Taxi from your hotel to the Old Town: around 250

Average prices for:

A room in a 3-star hotel: Single 1,700 Double 2,000
A room in a 4-star hotel: Single 2,200 Double 2,500
A room in a 5-star hotel: Single 3,500 Double 4,500

(depends on the quarter: in the Old Town, prices can be much higher)

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Traditional food and drinks

There are not many traditional dishes in the Czech Republic. We have listed the main ones which we think you should try as part of your “Czech Experience”.

Savoury dishes

  • Goulash with dumplings: the most traditional is done with deer meat, but others are just as good!
  • Svičkova: very good pork meat served in sauce with dumplings. It is different from goulash! The meat in Svičkova is served as a big chunk and is of much higher quality than goulash. The sauce is also much richer in Svičkova, with vegetables and spices.
  • Roasted duck with dumplings and cabbage
  • Pork ribs: usually large chunks of meat with the bone in, served on a wooden board.
  • Soups: onion soup, bean soup, lentil soup, tripe soup...

Desserts

  • Palačinka: thin pancake, usually stuffed with fruit or jam and whipped cream.
  • Livance: small yeast pancakes, usually served in four, with jam or chocolate sauce and whipped cream on top.
  • Strůdl: the Czech version of the German apple Strudel.
  • Ovocný Knedliky: These are little potato dumplings, stuffed with fruit or jam. They are usually served with tvaroh (sweet cottage cheese) or cinnamon. Delicious.

Beverage

The Czech Republic is the country of beer, with the best breweries which deliver the most amazing drink. This beer also happens to be the cheapest in Europe, sometimes even cheaper than water in bars!

There are many types of beers and every small town, or even village has its own brewery. Famous beers in Prague include Pilsner Urquell, Cambrinus, Staropramen, Krušovice, Bernard… A “pivo” (beer) is 0.5L; to get 0.3L, ask for a “malé pivo” (small beer). Don’t be surprised by the huge head of foam, this is normal! And the more the foam lasts, the more this proves it is good beer that’s well pressurized.

Same goes for liqueurs, the most famous of which are Becherovka (herb liqueur), Slivovice (Moravian plum liqueur) and Fernet (liqueur with many herbs).

Be careful though: do not drink and drive! Czechs are very respectful of this rule. Zero tolerance - not even one beer will be accepted.

Useful to know: bottles of water will have a red lid if they are bubbly (perlivá voda) and a blue lid if they are still (neperlivá voda).

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What to buy – Czech specialities

Here is a list of typical Czech things and famous Czech shops:

  • Wooden Czech toy
  • Small decorative wooden objects
    If you come in April, the painted Easter eggs are a gorgeous gift to bring back to friends and/or to keep as a souvenir from your trip
  • Cristal – Bohemian crystal is world famous
  • Vltavin: green stone which can be found only in the Vltava River. It is sold in jewellery shops, on rings, pendants, or earrings
  • Botanicus: the name of a shop which sells Czech natural cosmetics. Very famous in the Czech Republic.
  • Manufaktura: sells wooden toys, hand made objects and Czech cosmetics.

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Weather statistics

Climate: continental, with warm to hot summers, and cold, cloudy and snowy winters.

Month Min °C Max °C Min °F Max °F Average Humidity Average number of rainy days
January -10 0 14 32 70 6.8
February -8 1 17.6 33.8 70 5.6
March -1 7 30 44.6 65 6.2
April 3 12 37.4 53.6 58 7.3
May 8 19 46.4 66.2 56 9.8
June 11 24 51.8 75.2 55 10.3
July 13 25 55.4 77 60 9.1
August 13 28 55.4 82.4 62 8.8
September 9 18 48.2 64.4 63 7.0
October 5 12 41 53.6 76 9.1
November 1 5 33.8 41 81 7.0
December -5 1 23 33.8 86 6.8

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Dictionary

Czech is a difficult language to learn, there is no doubt about that. This small dictionary will give you the basics to find your way in and around Prague and be relatively independent.

Download dictionary.

Simple logic

Whenever you want to express a verb in the negative form, you take the positive form and put “ne” in front.
For instance: I understand: rozumím - I do not understand nerozumím

We suggest you learn the words in bold – there are only a few. Other words will be useful for you, but might be difficult to learn. We suggest you print out this dictionary, and take it with you!

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Currency rate

Central bank exchange rate fixing

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Other info

Pickpockets

Your friends, your guidebook and signs on doors of trams and metros warn “Beware of pickpockets.” However unpopular they are, pickpockets are part of the picture in Prague. What guidebooks do not mention though is that a major network of pickpockets was found and arrested in summer 2008, reducing a significant degree of the threat of getting your wallet stolen. In August 2008, the Association of Tour Operators and Travel Agents issued a statement saying the “Czech Republic is among the safest countries in the world” (August 21st, 2008). Do keep an eye on your belongings though, especially when you put a bag down to take a picture.

Taxis

Up to 2008, tourists in Prague used to be ripped off by taxis – and what’s worse is that because of the currency exchange, tourists did not even notice it. Although all guidebooks around the world warn about this dishonest behaviour, this problem was systematically underestimated by the local government. Only in 2006 did the government decide upon strict measures of control; Taxis developed and now respect a set of fair practices. The number of rip-off taxi drivers has fallen dramatically since.

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Opening hours:

Gallery: 8 am – 10 pm
Shops: 9 am – 8 pm
(10 am – 7 pm on Sundays)

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