Getting around Prague: public transport, passes and taxis

Walk the compact centre and ride the metro and trams for longer hops. A timed PID ticket or a 24-hour pass covers metro, trams, buses and the Petřín funicular (check); buy in the PID Lítačka app, at ticket machines, or tap a contactless card where readers exist (check). Use Bolt or Uber at night, and skip taxis hailed on the street.

Prague's network is one system: metro, trams, buses, ferries and the Petřín funicular all run on the same PID tickets (check). For most visitors the choice is only between a single timed ticket, a 24-hour pass, or walking.

The centre is small enough to cross on foot in 30–40 minutes, so many days need no ticket at all. Buy one when you move between quarters, reach the castle hill, or go out at night.

A timed ticket covers any combination of metro, tram and bus within its window, so a 90-minute ticket can carry you across the city with changes. Coverage of ferries and the Petřín funicular on the same ticket is commonly reported but should be confirmed locally (check). Paper tickets from machines and kiosks must be stamped in the yellow box on board or at the metro entrance before you travel. An unstamped ticket counts as no ticket, and inspectors collect fines on the spot.

The PID Lítačka app sells the same tickets with a QR code and is the simplest option if you have data. Contactless bank cards work on readers at some metro entrances and on newer trams, but coverage is not universal (check), so keep a paper ticket or the app as backup. Children, students and seniors get reduced or free travel on proof of age; carry ID.

Three metro lines (A, B, C) cross under the centre and are the fastest way between districts. Trains run through the day and stop overnight (check exact hours). Trams fill the gap and are also the best sightseeing on wheels: line 22 climbs past the castle area, and the riverside routes cross the Vltava on bridges rather than in tunnels. Night trams run through the night on a reduced network converging on a few central stops (check), so you are rarely stranded. Buses mostly serve the outer districts and hills; you will use them for the airport, Žižkov's upper streets and day-trip railheads.

Public transport is cheap by Western European standards and the passes are the best value if you ride more than twice a day. Ride-hailing is affordable for two or more people, especially at night when the alternative is a long walk or a wait for a night tram.

Airport transfers are the one place where costs vary a lot: the public bus plus metro is the cheapest, the airport express bus is faster to the main station, and a Bolt or Uber is the most convenient with luggage. See the airport transfer page for the current options.

Buy before you board. Machines at metro entrances take cards; small kiosks and newsstands sell paper tickets; the app works anywhere with data. If a machine is broken, use the app rather than boarding without a ticket.

Prague's trams and metro are busy at commuter peaks (07:00–09:00, 16:00–18:00, check), so plan sightseeing around them if you dislike crowds. Pickpockets work the tourist routes, especially tram 22 and the central metro stations (check); keep bags zipped in front. For late nights, a night tram or an app ride is safer than an unmarked taxi.

Bolt and Uber operate across Prague and show the fare in the app before you confirm, which removes the meter argument; the price can change with demand and time of day. A cross-centre trip usually lands in the CZK 150–350 band; airport runs cost more and surge pricing applies at peak times. Pay in the app and you avoid the cash conversation entirely.

Taxis hailed on Old Town streets, outside clubs and at unmarked ranks are the classic overcharge risk: the meter may be tampered with or the driver may quote a flat price several times the app rate. If you must take a street taxi, agree the price before getting in, or walk to a marked stand at a hotel or station. Keep the receipt.