Prague Transport: Time, Money, and Fitbit Steps

Planning a trip to Prague is full of decisions. “Where should we stay?” Our travel guide can help. “What should we eat?” Our Prague food tour is a good start! “And what are the must-see destinations?” We’ve got an itinerary for 24 hours or 48 hours in Prague.

But one question that can be trickier than expected is this: “How do we get there?”

Prague has a variety of transportation options, so we tested some popular attractions using 3 alternatives:
1. Walking
2. Public transport (e.g. trams, buses and the metro)
3. Liftago, a local taxi app because Prague taxis are notoriously unfriendly to tourists.

A few notes before we begin:

• Tickets for public transportation in Prague are valid for all forms – buses, trams and the metro – including transfers, for as long as the time period is valid. A 90-minute ticket costs 32 CZK (about €1.18) and a 30-minute ticket is 24 CZK (about €0.90). The time period begins when you validate the ticket. Keep your ticket with you because a ticket inspector may ask for it during the ride.
• Liftago is a mobile app, which requires data to order the cab, but it doesn’t need to be active throughout the whole ride. You can order the taxi from somewhere with wifi and then pay either through your Liftago account or in cash at your destination. Also, we never waited more than 5 minutes for a driver at any location or time of day.
• Prague is filled with cobblestoned streets so leave your heels at home and put on your most comfortable walking shoes. We tracked the number of steps using a Fitbit to give you an idea of the physical effort involved.
• Each of these routes were tested on both a weekday and weekend to account for transport schedules and traffic, but of course individual experiences may vary due to time of year, construction on routes, walking speed, etc.

1. Vaclav Havel Airport to Old Town Square

Walking: No one in their right mind would want to walk 2.5 hours and more than 13 kilometers (roughly 8 miles) while dragging a suitcase. Since we believe our readers to be sane, we skipped this option.

Public Transport:
Price: 32 CZK (about €1.18)
Time: approx. 45 minutes
FitBit Steps: about 650*
*including 30 stairs with no escalator or lift at the metro station

You’ll want to purchase a 32 CZK ticket and take bus 119 to Nádraží Veleslavín where it connects to the green Metro line A. From there, the closest stops to Old Town Square are Staroměstská or Můstek. Transfer is possible to the yellow Metro line B at Můstek or the red Metro line C at Muzeum, depending on where you are staying.

Alternatively, there is an Airport Express (AE) bus from Vaclav Havel Airport that stops at the main train station, Hlavní nádraží (where you can transfer to the red Metro line C), at Masaryk train station, and at Náměstí Republiky (where you can transfer to the yellow metro line B). The price is 60 CZK (about €2.20).

Liftago:
Price: 477 CZK (about €18)
Time: approx. 30 minutes
FitBit Steps: N/A

We like this option for the convenience of being dropped off at your doorstep when dealing with luggage. Prices will vary depending on the area of your accommodation.

2. Old Town Square to Prague Castle Gates

Walking:
Price: FREE!
Time: approx. 40 minutes
FitBit Steps: about 4,000

On a nice day, a walk to the Prague Castle can be a great boost of exercise, but is also largely uphill. We prefer to ride up and walk down to get the best of both worlds.

Public Transport:
Price: 24 CZK (about €0.90)
Time: 20-30 minutes (depending on transfer times)
FitBit Steps: about 400

From Old Town, take the green Metro line A to Malostranská. From there, transfer to tram 22 and get off at Pražský hrad (Prague Castle). Because the Prague castle grounds are the largest in Europe, there are also other entrance routes available here.

Liftago:
Price: 170 CZK (about €6)
Time: 6 minutes
FitBit Steps: N/A

This option saves time and energy for travelers who are short on either at a reasonable price.

3. The Dancing House to Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí)

Walking:
Price: FREE!
Time: 15-20 minutes
FitBit Steps: about 1900

A walk anywhere along the river is a must-do in our opinion, and the streets of Old Town are full of charm.

Public Transport:
Price: 24 CZK (about €0.90)
Time: about 10 minutes
FitBit Steps: about 150

Public transport saves a little time for tired feet or in bad weather. Take the 14 tram from Jiráskovo náměstí to Václavské náměstí, which will put you in the center of Wenceslas Square.

Liftago:
Price: 90 CZK (about €3.30)
Time: 10 minutes
FitBit Steps: N/A

No need to spend extra crowns when traveling throughout Old Town. Walking and public transport are easy options for this area of town.

4. Wenceslas Square to Jiřího z Poděbrad

Many visitors want to experience Prague off-the-beaten-path, and this square between Prague’s Vinohrady and Žižkov neighborhoods is a great place to start.

Walking:
Price: FREE!
Time: approx. 25 minutes
FitBit Steps: about 3,150

We recommend skipping the walk and saving your steps for exploring the neighborhoods themselves.

Public Transport:
Price: 24 CZK (about €0.90)
Time: 10-15 minutes
FitBit Steps: about 500

From Wenceslas Square, take the green Metro line A from Můstek or Muzeum to the Jiřího z Poděbrad stop. From there, get lost in the streets filled with pubs, restaurants and boutique shops.

Liftago:
Price: 90 CZK (about €3.30)
Time: 13 minutes
FitBit Steps: N/A

Have you wandered your way off of public transport lines? We like this option to return from Prague’s outer neighborhoods to the center of Prague. Your taxi will come to you based on location services, saving you the search for how to get home.

Have you got any other routes you’d like us to test for you? Any other questions about making your stay in Prague easier that we can answer? Let us know in the comments below!