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Voykit pocket guide · Czech Republic
Brno
Give Brno 2 nights: one for the centre and Špilberk, one for the Tugendhat Villa and the underground. Skip it only if you are Prague-only.
Brno is the Czech Republic's second city and the capital of Moravia, 2 h 30 min by train from Prague and 1 h 30 min from Vienna. It is a student city of about 400,000 with a compact old town, two castles, a UNESCO-listed modernist villa and a bar scene that runs late. Most travellers pass through on the Prague–Vienna line; two nights is enough to see the core without rushing.
- Country
- Czech Republic
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, grey), late Dec
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CZK
- Money
- Currency is the Czech koruna (CZK, Kč). Cards are widely accepted, including for small sums.
- Daily spend
- Budget 900–1,400 Kč excl. bed · Mid 1,400–2,400 Kč excl. bed · High 2,400 Kč+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- O2, T-Mobile and Vodafone sell prepaid SIMs; EU roaming covers EU SIMs at home prices.
- Emergency
- All emergencies (EU) 112 · Ambulance 155 · Police 158 · Fire 150
- Plugs
- Types C, E, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Type E sockets have a pin; German type F plugs fit with the hybrid E/F plug found on most chargers.
- Tipping
- Pub or café: Round up to the next ten or twenty koruna.; Restaurant: About 10%, told to the server when paying ('make it 500').; Taxi: Round up.; Tour guide: CZK 100–200 per person for a half-day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere. Restaurants sell bottled water by default; ask for tap water if you want it.
- Toilets
- Station and shopping-centre toilets often charge CZK 10–20; restaurants reserve theirs for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 60–90 Kč |
| Lunch menu (polední menu) in a pub | 150–220 Kč |
| Beer: draught 0.5 l / supermarket bottle | 45–65 Kč / 20–30 Kč |
| Dinner main course | 200–350 Kč |
| 5 km taxi ride3.1 mi taxi ride | 150–200 Kč |
| Tram or bus ticket (15 / 60 min) | 20 / 25 Kč |
| Museum or castle entry | 70–200 Kč |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | 400–700 Kč |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BRQ · Brno–Tuřany Airport
- Few routes; bus E76 to the centre every 30 min, about 20 min, 25 Kč (check)
- VIE · Vienna International Airport
- About 2 h by direct coach; often the cheapest long-haul option
- PRG · Václav Havel Airport Prague
- About 2 h 30 min by train via Prague centre
Typical fares
- Brno → Prague, train
- 2 h 30 min; advance fares from about 119 Kč, walk-up about 360 Kč (check)
- Brno → Vienna, train
- 1 h 30 min; Railjet about €30, RegioJet from about €15 (check)
- Airport E76 bus to centre
- about 20 min, 25 Kč (check)
- Taxi across the centre
- 150–200 Kč
Get around
Trams, trolleybuses and buses run on one integrated network (IDS JMK). A 15-min ticket is 20 Kč and a 60-min ticket 25 Kč; a 24-hour city ticket is 90 Kč. Tap a contactless card on the Beep&Go reader when you board and again when you leave — the day is capped at 90 Kč. Daytime service ends about 23:00, then night buses run from the main station. The centre itself is flat and walkable.Trams, trolleybuses and buses run on one integrated network (IDS JMK). A 15-min ticket is 20 Kč and a 60-min ticket 25 Kč; a 24-hour city ticket is 90 Kč. Tap a contactless card on the Beep&Go reader when you board and again when you leave — the day is capped at 90 Kč. Daytime service ends about 11:00 PM, then night buses run from the main station. The centre itself is flat and walkable.
See and do
Known for
- Špilberk Castle
- Tugendhat Villa (UNESCO)
- Brno Ossuary and underground cellars
- Petrov Cathedral
- Moravian wine and beer halls
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lednice–Valtice Cultural Landscape | Train to Břeclav, then local train or bus to Lednice or Valtice | About 1 h 30 min |
| Mikulov | Direct train from Brno hlavní nádraží | About 1 h |
| Znojmo | Direct train from Brno | About 1 h 30 min |
| Moravian Karst | Train to Blansko, then bus to Skalní mlýn | About 1 h |
| Břeclav | Direct train from Brno | About 45 min |
| Zlín | Train to Otrokovice, then trolleybus | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Old Town (centrum)
- Between Náměstí Svobody and the station; walk to almost everything, noisier at night.
- Around the main station (hlavní nádraží)
- Best for one-night stops and early trains; 5–10 min walk to the centre.
- Veveří / Žabovřesky
- Quieter, tram 10–15 min from the centre; good for longer stays and cheaper rooms.
- Královo Pole
- Student district north of the centre; budget beds and late bars, 15 min by tram.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dobrý denDOH-bree den |
| Thank you | DěkujiDYEH-koo-yi |
| Please / Here you are | ProsímPRO-seem |
| How much is it? | Kolik to stojí?KO-lik to STO-yee |
| The bill, please | Zaplatím, prosímZA-pla-teem PRO-seem |
| Where is the toilet? | Kde jsou toalety?gdeh sow TO-a-leh-ti |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Dobrý den on entering shops; handshake with eye contact; avoid: Walking in and out without a word
- Names and titles: Use academic titles if given (pan inženýr, paní doktorka); avoid: First names with older people until invited
- Pubs: Share tables, put a coaster on the glass when you have had enough; avoid: Waving for the waiter; they will come
- Homes: Shoes off at the door; slippers are offered; avoid: Arriving empty-handed; bring flowers (odd numbers) or wine
- Conversation: Dry humour, understatement; avoid: Calling it 'Eastern Europe' or confusing it with Slovakia
- Queues and trams: Give seats to older people; let people out first; avoid: Loud phone calls on public transport
Scams and watch-outs
- Buy and validate a ticket before boarding; inspectors fine on the spot.
- Do not hail taxis on the street — the city cap is 30 Kč/km but meters are often rigged. Use an app or a called taxi.
- The Brno Ossuary under St. James has closed for maintenance at times: check before you go.
- Tugendhat Villa sells timed tickets only and sells out weeks ahead in summer: book on the official site.
- Pickpockets work the trams and Náměstí Svobody at night; keep bags zipped.
Brno is a safe city by day and mostly at night; the real risks are tram pickpockets, unlicensed taxis and drinking on the street in the centre, which is fined.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Brno yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Špilberk Castle
- Tugendhat Villa (UNESCO)
- Brno Ossuary and underground cellars
- Petrov Cathedral
- Moravian wine and beer halls
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Brno (official): www.brno.cz/
- Brno Tourist Information Centre (TIC Brno): ticbrno.cz/en/
- Brno–Tuřany Airport: www.brno-airport.cz/en/
- IDS JMK — South Moravia integrated transport: www.idsjmk.cz/en
- Špilberk Castle (official): www.spilberk.cz/
- Tugendhat Villa (official): www.tugendhat.eu/en/homepage.html
- Wikivoyage: Brno, revision 5327519 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5327519
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Brno
Na tuto adresu, prosím
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most countries have embassies in Prague; the US, UK and others keep no consulate in Brno — check your embassy's Prague page for emergency numbers.
Tipping: round up or add about 10%, and tell the server the total as you pay.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/brno). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.