{"id":3931,"date":"2018-02-08T19:21:43","date_gmt":"2018-02-08T18:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/?page_id=3931"},"modified":"2023-03-24T16:46:13","modified_gmt":"2023-03-24T15:46:13","slug":"getting-around-prague","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/getting-around-prague\/","title":{"rendered":"Comment se d\u00e9placer \u00e0 Prague"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"fw-main-row\"  >\n\t<div class=\"fw-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"fw-row\">\n\t<div class=\"fw-col-xs-12\" style=\"\">\n\t\t\t\n\n<div class=\"base tac\"  style=''>\n\t\t<h1>Getting Around Prague<\/h1>\n<\/div><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">Prague Public Transport<\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Czech Republic has a surprisingly well-organized public transport system. It was named the 4th best system in Europe by the FIA  in 2010, following Helsinki, Munich and Vienna. There is nothing to fear from Prague transport, quite the opposite. Enjoy a venture into the underground labyrinth of Prague\u2019s metro (one of the deepest and most modern in Europe) or hop on a tram - the iconic vehicle that defines the streets of the Czech capital.<\/p><p>Public transport in Prague includes:<\/p><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">three subway lines: A (green), B (yellow) and C (red)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">a dense network of tram lines<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">a network of bus lines, especially on the outskirts<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">a funicular that takes you to the top of Pet\u0159\u00edn Hill near the Castle and<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">a funicular within the zoo<\/li><\/ul><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When traveling to Prague, also consider its traffic jams. The city suffers considerably due to its historic narrow streets as well as the many construction projects that can make traffic tie-ups quite unpredictable. Many Praguers use their cars exclusively to travel to the countryside on weekends and wouldn\u2019t even consider driving downtown. Metros and trams are the most efficient, fastest and most environmentally friendly choice. Taxis are a good option to save yourself the hassle with luggage upon arrival or if you get tired at night. Other than that, public transport is your best bet.<\/p><p>&nbsp;<\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">Schedules<\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The longest waiting time for a metro is about 10 minutes (late evenings, weekends and national holidays), but at peak times they arrive literally every minute or two. The same is true for the busiest tram lines that weave through the center. Buses downtown are considered only supplementary during temporary tram re-routings, so they may not go as often.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first subway leaves from the end of each line every day at 4:45 in the morning. At night, the last metro departs its depo station at midnight, so you can still catch it from downtown a little after midnight. Same with trams. After that, the system switches to night-trams and buses running approximately every 10-20 minutes. At the stops, they are shown in the schedules as white-on-black, as opposed to the daytime black-on-white timesheets. The night-tram routes have their own numbers, but generally copy similar routes as those during the day. All night-trams cross one another at the Lazarsk\u00e1 crossing, so you can always switch a route there.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Each tram or bus stop shows a schedule that you can expect to be precise and unless something unusual occurs, you can set your watch by it. <em>Stops along the entire route are shown on the schedule, with your current stop highlighted. The following stops are below your current stop and have a number next to them, indicating how many minutes it will take to get there.<\/em> This may be important if you have a time-limited ticket. It\u2019s also the best way to make sure you\u2019re not going the wrong direction, in which case simply cross over to the opposite side.<\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">Safety and Etiquette on Public Transport<\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As with all public places with crowds, public transport is an easy target for pickpockets. The Czech Republic is generally very safe, with personal crime almost non-existent, but property crime is considerable. Watch your belongings carefully. We recommend wearing purses across your body and sliding them in front of you as you approach crowded areas. Don\u2019t keep your backpack on your back \u2013 it\u2019s both inconsiderate to fellow passengers and a target for pickpockets. Don\u2019t put your wallet or phone in your back pocket or loose coat. Make no mistake: the Czech Republic is one of the safest countries worldwide, but a confused tourist is an easy target.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\u2019s a customary courtesy for younger riders to give their seats to the elderly, disabled, pregnant or mothers with little children. This is particularly true near the doors, where some seats are actually but not exclusively assigned for it. Just because you feel tired yourself, it doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s your seat. The unspoken rule is that if someone has gray hair, they should sit. If you happen to have gray hair and someone offers their seat, please acknowledge and accept it. We hope to keep this custom alive and younger generations are often less attentive.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you are not accustomed to riding on public transport, you may be surprised by sudden braking. The trick is to stabilize your position as soon as you board the vehicle \u2013 stand as if you would look out a window, place your feet slightly apart and hold on to one of the many handles, straps or bars. If you wish to talk to your companion, still keep your feet in that position and just turn your upper body to face them. This may sound silly, but we\u2019ve picked many a tourist off the floor, just because the driver had to hit the brakes.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">On public transport, a little awareness goes a long way. Even if you\u2019re tired or excited from your sightseeing, pay attention \u2013 to yourself, your belongings, your luggage and other passengers.<\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">Buying Tickets or a Pass: How It Works<\/span><\/h2><h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #cca817;\"><br \/>A Ticket or a Pass?<\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>In Prague, you use the same ticket or pass for all types of transportation - metro, trams or buses. You can also switch between them with that same ticket, as long as you fit into the time limit you purchased. Tickets or passes must be bought ahead<\/em> of boarding buses and trams or entering the metro platforms and are not available on board. Most Praguers carry a monthly or annual pass, so you won\u2019t see them buying or marking any tickets, which can be confusing to tourists because there is a yellow ticket-timer on board. On metros, a ticket must be purchased before entering the second escalators (from the vestibule to the platform), because you may be checked at any point beyond the metal barriers.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prague doesn\u2019t offer a bulk discount on tickets, but if you are staying for a while, it\u2019s best to get a pass for a specific time-period. It will make you think differently about our public transport, because you won\u2019t hesitate to just catch a tram for a stop or two to save your legs. With a valid pass you can go anytime and anywhere - on a metro, bus or a tram. No worries.<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #cca817;\"><br \/>Which ticket to buy?<\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Tickets are distinguished by only two criteria: the duration of their validity and the child \/ adult category. <\/em>However, when you find yourself dealing with a distributor who offers a dozen different tickets, and where everything is written exclusively in Czech, you may well feel a little lost.<\/p><p>The following is a summary of those two choices for you as a tourist ready to discover the city:<\/p><p><em style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-4040\" style=\"font-style: normal;\" src=\"http:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/metro_automat_small-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"304\" \/><\/em><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Adult :<\/em><\/p><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Ticket at 32 CZK - valid up to 90 minutes from its validation<\/em><\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Ticket at 24 CZK - valid up to 30 minutes from its validation<\/em><\/li><\/ul><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Child from 10 to 15 years old (below ten years, no ticket required):<\/p><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ticket at 16 CZK \u2013 valid up to 90 minutes from its validation<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ticket at 12 CZK - valid up to 30 minutes from its validation<\/li><\/ul><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Don\u2019t forget to validate your ticket the first time you board a tram or bus or enter a subway station by entering it to the orange timestamp machine at the top of the stairs or escalator. Merely having a ticket in your pocket is not sufficient. After a split second, you will hear a beep, and the machine will print the date and time on your ticket and you then have 30 or 90 minutes to use public transport. You may change as many times as you wish (you can of course combine the different means of transport: from tram to metro, subway to bus, etc.). You never stamp the same ticket twice, even if you are changing to another mode of transportation. The important thing to remember is the 30\/90 minutes for which your ticket is valid!<\/em><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #00b050;\"><span style=\"color: #cca817;\"><br \/>Which Public Transport Pass Should You Purchase?<\/span><\/span><\/h3><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>There are currently two passes for adults:<\/em><\/p><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>1-day pass (24 hours since stamping), at the price of 110 CZK <\/em><\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>3-day pass (72 hours since stamping), at the price of 310 CZK<\/em><\/li><\/ul><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">1-day pass for children from 10 to 15 years old (24 hours), priced at 55 CZK<\/li><\/ul><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>1-day passes are available from vending machines located at stops and in metro stations \u2013 prepare sufficient amount in coins and locate the button with the appropriate price.<\/em> For a longer stay, consider a transferrable (any holder can use it) 1-month pass for 670 CZK, which does not require any ID or registration. Passes for 3 days and longer are only available from the official information centers of the Prague public transport service (see below).<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To validate your pass, simply use the timestamp machine as for a regular ticket that prints the date and hour on it. Then forget any further stamping for a month. That\u2019s it, you\u2019re done. Always keep it with you when using public transport. Never re-stamp a monthly pass or any other ticket, as that would make it unreadable and invalid!<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>The only time you will need it again is in case you are subject to a random check. Controllers (typically down on metro platforms or unexpectedly on a tram or bus) will show you a badge and ask to see your ticket or pass. They are not uniformed (so as to blend in with riders) but tend to speak English. In English or not, you will know what they want by their badge and simply show them your pass.<\/em><\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #cca817;\"><br \/>Where to Buy Tickets and Passes?<\/span><\/h3><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">The reception of your hotel - a frequent service, which is not offered by all hotels; the simplest solution (usually tickets only)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">The orange-colored vending machines in <em>upper<\/em> area of the subway (these accept only coins, and give change) (Tickets or 24-hour passes)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Direct sales at subway counters - in some stations only (tickets and all passes)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Orange-colored vending machines at bus and tram stops (these only accept coins, and give change) - at certain stops only (tickets and 24-hour passes)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Tab\u00e1k<\/em> or <em>Trafika<\/em> shops \u2013 selected, but numerous, shops or stands offering cigarettes and newspapers (usually just tickets only)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the information centers of the Prague public transport company (PID\/MHD) located at the following locations:<ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Muzeum metro station (Wenceslas Square) (every day from 7 am to 9 pm)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hlavn\u00ed n\u00e1dra\u017e\u00ed (Main Train Station) glass booth in the Metro Station vestibule (daily from 7 am to 9 pm)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Leti\u0161t\u011b V\u00e1clava HavlaAirport Terminal 1 (daily from 7 am to 9 pm)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Leti\u0161t\u011b V\u00e1clava Havla Airport Terminal 2 (daily from 7 am to 9 pm)<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><p>Tip: Even if you are catching a taxi from the airport, you may first want to get your public transport pass and then stamp it later, once you need it.<\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">Getting around Prague by Metro<\/span><\/h2><p><em>Lines: Prague has three metro lines: green (A), yellow (B) and red (C). Metro stations are modern, clean and offer excellent levels of security.<\/em><\/p><p>Green Line (A) - the primary tourist line. This line that serves most Prague monuments. The following are the most useful examples:<\/p><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Muzeum station - exit at the top of V\u00e1clavsk\u00e9 n\u00e1m\u011bst\u00ed (Wenceslas Square)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">M\u016fstek station \u2013 has several exits to both the <em>middle<\/em> and <em>lower<\/em> part of Wenceslas Square (M\u016fstek is a <em>crossing station<\/em> with the B line, hence its multiple exits)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Starom\u011bstsk\u00e1 station - access to Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock and the Charles Bridge<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Malostransk\u00e1 station \u2013 reaches both the Mal\u00e1 Strana district and the Castle district (it is at this stop that you change to tram number 22 which takes you to the Castle)<\/li><\/ul><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To view the Prague metro map, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/metro_chuze.jpg\">click here<\/a>!<\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">Traveling by Tram in Prague<\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For decades, the old and now modern red trams were an integral part of Prague cityscape (and feature seats are heated in winter). Traveling by tram allows you to see the most of the streetscape; however, <em>no Prague tramway follows a circular route: they all cross the city with endpoints from which they reverse.<\/em><\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Tram number 22<\/em> - this line connects most of the key tourist sites. Here are some examples of its most interesting stops:<\/p><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Karlovo n\u00e1m\u011bst\u00ed stop - Charles Square (New Town), to see the \"Dancing House\"<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00dajezd stop  - Mal\u00e1 Strana district, near the funicular that goes up to Pet\u0159\u00edn Hill, access to Kampa Island<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hellichova stop - Mal\u00e1 Strana district, near the church which houses the famous statuette of the Infant Jesus of Prague (Church of Our Lady Victorious)<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Malostransk\u00e9 n\u00e1m\u011bst\u00ed stop - the main square of the Mal\u00e1 Strana district, the Malostransk\u00e9 square, near the Charles Bridge<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Malostransk\u00e1 stop - near the metro station of the same name, access to the Senate Garden<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pra\u017esk\u00fd hrad stop - to visit the Castle district; direct access to Prague Castle<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Poho\u0159elec stop - to visit the Castle district; access to the Strahov Library and to the Loretto Church<\/li><\/ul><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">Find your match!<\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Click below to go to a website that offers an instant search for your Prague route: just enter the departure stop, arrival stop, date and time. <a href=\"https:\/\/jizdnirady.idnes.cz\/praha\/spojeni\/\">The site is in English<\/a>.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">How do you know what your stop is, and what its name is in Czech? It's <em>easy<\/em>: find it and copy its name from the Google maps site; metro stops are marked with a blue \"M\" and tram stops by a small blue tram.<\/p><p><img class=\"aligncenter wp-image-4131 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/gap2-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1418\" height=\"423\" \/><\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">From Downtown to the Airport (and Vice Versa)<\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Airport transfers in Prague by taxi are not likely to break your budget and may save you some hassle. If you are arriving after a long flight, being greeted with a sign in the Arrivals terminal might be just the thing - a sense of luxury and comfort, especially if you have a lot of luggage. That said, public transport to and from the airport is convenient and it costs next to nothing.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">A 17-minute ride in on the 119 bus takes you to the brand-new metro stop N\u00e1dra\u017e\u00ed Veleslav\u00edn, where you can catch Green line (A) of the Metro arriving downtown in about 15 minutes. Our genius architects failed to build an escalator from the bus down to the metro vestibule. So, in the one station where all tourists are carrying heavy luggage, you are required to take the steps. But, if you glance across the bus terminal, you will notice a glass booth with an elevator for the disabled and baby carriages \u2013 feel free to use it.<\/p><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you are traveling with a large suitcase, consider an additional 16 CZK ticket to save yourself hassle in case you get randomly checked!<\/p><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">The airport has two terminals:<\/span><\/h2><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">the penultimate stop, Leti\u0161t\u011b V\u00e1clava Havla (Termin\u00e1l 1), is intended for flights to countries <em>outside<\/em> the Schengen area: United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Asia countries etc.<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">the last stop, Leti\u0161t\u011b V\u00e1clava Havla (Termin\u00e1l 2), is intended for flights to countries<em> in<\/em> the Schengen area: France, Germany, Holland, Switzerland etc.<\/li><\/ul><h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #47423c; font-size: 28px;\">Taking a Taxi in Prague<\/span><\/h2><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">After some research on the Internet or in the guide books, one would think that Prague is a dangerous jungle where it is better to avoid taking a taxi if you don\u2019t want to be a scammed. It\u2019s true that this bad reputation is not without foundation, but it ended up making the dimensions a bit exaggerated. Just a few simple steps should keep the problem from arising. Remember that there are many honest drivers in Prague who work for reliable companies!<\/p><h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #cca817;\"><br \/>Here are some tips to get around safely by taxi in economic peace:<\/span><\/h3><ul><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bear in mind that the local currency is the <em>crown<\/em> and taxi drivers are not obliged to accept foreign currency and if they do, they will convert your amount with an exchange rate that will likely be unfavorable for you.<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">If the situation allows, order your taxi by phone, if possible through your hotel or guide.<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Do <em>not<\/em> hail a cab to randomly in the street, but look for them at taxi-stands, ideally those marked Fair Place<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Taxi (guaranteed by the municipality), typically near Metro stations or busy transit areas.<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Take <em>only<\/em> those taxis whose rates are displayed on the doors of the vehicle.<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before you start out, <em>agree<\/em> on a maximum price of the trip and check that the driver starts his meter.<\/li><li style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ask for a <em>printed receipt<\/em> before you leave the vehicle and, if in doubt, copy down the driver's name and license number.<\/li><\/ul><p><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4100\" src=\"http:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/pdf.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/>\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Getting-Around-Prague.pdf\">Download a shorter version of this article as a PDF\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getting Around Prague Prague Public TransportThe Czech Republic has a surprisingly well-organized public transport system. It was named the 4th best system in Europe by the FIA in 2010, following Helsinki, Munich and Vienna. There is nothing to fear from Prague transport, quite the opposite. Enjoy a venture into the underground labyrinth of Prague\u2019s metro [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-landing.php","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3931"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3931"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3931\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8235,"href":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3931\/revisions\/8235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pragueartstour.com\/fra\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}