gotravelprague.com - Accommodation - discounts, cheap prices for hotels, apartments in Prague and Czech Republic

Have you ever felt embarrassed about being in a new unfamiliar city ? How much is it going to cost me for a taxi ? How long is it going to take to point X ? Where to park my car ? We've created this guide to help you with all these questions.

The Prague airport is located about 15 km/9 miles from the city center. It takes approximately 25 - 30 minutes (40 minutes in heavy traffic) to reach the city centre, where most of the hotels are located, by car and about 30 minutes on public transport (bus + subway).

After you get off your flight in Prague, you will have several options of arriving at your destination:

• Take a taxi

When you come out of the arrivals terminal, you will see several taxi stands along the curb, run by different companies. They are all clearly marked and easy to distinguish.
Our recommendation is to take AAA Radiotaxi. You should expect to pay around 500 - 600 CZK to get from the Prague airport to the center. Their cars will probably be readily available at the curb. If not, talk to the person in the AAA information booth located in the arrivals terminal or call the dispatch center at +420 140 14 or +420 222 333 222 (English spoken) to have a car pull up within minutes.

If you would like to take a taxi of another company which drivers probably will try to grab you when you step out of the terminal, please make sure you confirm the price with the driver in advance. A ride from the Prague airport to a destination in the center should not much exceed 650 CZK.

• Shuttle companies

Unlike taxi companies, the shuttle companies require you to book your airport transfer in advance. They typically use passenger cars and vans that fit up to eight or twelve passengers. Rates are comparable to the taxi service or slightly cheaper.

• Public Transportation System

Taking public transportation is the cheapest way to get to and from the Prague airport as well as to get around in Prague.
The ride costs 26 CZK one way and the transportation system is quite easy to use. Keep in mind that public transport may not have much space for luggage, can be crowded in peak times and most likely won't drop you off right at your hotel. If you have a lot of luggage, you may want to consider using a transfer service or a taxi.

You can buy your a transfer ticket at the Public Transport Information booth at the airport or directly from the bus driver (he will charge you a bit of higher price).
For each piece of luggage larger than 25cm x 45cm x 70cm (10in x 18in x 28in), it is necessary to purchase a reduced price transfer ticket.
For more detailed information about fares, timetables, a trip planner etc. please check Prague Integrated Transport System pages. For quick access to Service and Network Maps please click here.

Prague Metro (Subway) is fast, efficient, clean and easy to use. Its three lines consist of about 50 km of tracks running mostly underground, and some 50 stations. New stations continue to be added. A map of Prague Metro is available here

Currently three Prague Metro Lines are available: A (Green Line), B (Yellow Line) and C (Red Line).

Trains run from 5 a.m. till midnight in 2-3 min. intervals during peak hours and in 4-10 min. intervals in the off hours. The time elapsed from the moment when the previous train left the station can be seen on the clock at the head of the tracks.

Ticket vending machines are available at each of the Metro stations and most of them are wheelchair accessible.

Trams cover a large area of the city (with 500 km of tracks) and are used by some 300 million people a year. Daytime trams run from 4:30 a.m. till midnight in 8 - 10 minute intervals (8 - 15 minutes on weekends). Night trams (numbers 51 - 58) run from 00:30 a.m. till 4:30 a.m. in 40 minute intervals.

Trams 22 and 23 follow one of Prague's most scenic routes, passing by the National Theater crossing Vltava River to Lesser Town Square and continuing up to the Summer Royal Palace and Prague Castle with some stunning views on the way. These two lines will take you comfortably to the Prague Castle and Hradcany Town (the aria behind the Prague Castle with no need to climb the Castle Hill.

Nostalgic Line no. 91

The Nostalgic Tram no. 91 is a historic tram that runs on weekends and holidays from the end of March through mid-November. The tram leaves from Vozovna Strešovice every hour from noon till 5:30 p.m. and runs an unforgettable trip through the historical city centre.

Buses mostly cover the outskirts of Prague. Daytime buses run from 4:30 a.m. till midnight in 6-8 min. intervals in peak hours, 10-20 min. intervals in the off hours, and 15-30 min. intervals on weekends. Night buses (numbers 501-512) run from 00:30 a.m. till 4:30 a.m. at 40 min. intervals.

Bus 119 and 100

Bus 119 connects the Ruzyne airport with the Dejvická metro station and bus 100 connects the airport with the Zlicín station. They are both a convenient and cheap way to get to and from the Prague airport.

Airport Express Bus Line connects Holesovice Railway Station to Prague Ruzine Airport. You pay the fare to the bus driver. For the AE line timetable click here .

Petrín Hill with its gardens and Petrín View Tower attract both citizens and visitors of Prague. The funicular to the top of Petrín Hill starts at the Újezd tram stop (trams 6, 9, 12, 20, 22, or 23) in Lesser Town and runs daily from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. (11:20 p.m. from November to March) in 10-15 min.

When using the funicular you may use all types of public transport tickets excluding non-transfer single tickets.

The chairlift at the Prague ZOO runs from April to October, every day except Mondays and Fridays, from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m. Fare is 15 CZK (children up to 6 free of charge).

Although Prague ever reliable public transportation system is always a good choice, taking a taxi is better when you are traveling with a lot of luggage, it is freezing cold, you need to get to a distant part of Prague, or you need to travel at night when the metro isn't running and the trams and buses run less frequently .

• Don't get into a taxi that is parked in front of the train station or at a tourist site. These are waiting for unsuspecting tourists and are known to charge rates several times higher than they should be

• If you need to catch a taxi on the street, make sure it is a real, registered taxi. The yellow roof lamp must be permanently installed and must say TAXI in black letters on both sides. The company name, license number and rates should be present on both front doors.

• Try to find out beforehand how much your ride should cost. If you're stopping a taxi on the street, you can ask the driver before getting in and even pay in advance if the amount sounds reasonable; if ordering a taxi by phone (always a good idea), you can get an estimated price from the dispatcher.

• Once in the car, make sure that the rate on the taximeter corresponds to the price list posted in the car; if it doesn't, bring it to the driver's attention or have him stop the car and get off.

• You have the right to request a printed receipt from the driver; if he refuses to give it to you, you can refuse to pay the fare.

• It is always a good idea to order a taxi by phone one of these reliable taxi companies:

AAA Radiotaxi	+420 140 14	or	+420 222 333 222	www.aaa-taxi.cz
City Taxi	+420 257 257 257			www.citytaxi.cz
Profi Taxi	+420 844 800 700	or	+420 261 314 151	www.profitaxi.cz
Halotaxi	+420 244 114 411	or	+420 602 177 292	www.halotaxi.cz
Sedop	+420 841 666 333	or	+420 777 666 333	www.sedop.cz

As in most of the other European cities finding a parking spot, as well as driving around town, can be a challenge. We recommend using public transportation as much as possible to move about the center of Prague. If you do have to drive (and park), here are some useful tips:

Most of hotels offer secured parking at an additional cost, but at some even free of charge parking is available. Make sure to get informed about parking options at your accommodation property prior to your arrival and better book a parking lot in advance.

Street parking using a parking meter is an option in Prague. If you do find a parking spot, you will pay 20-40 CZK (0.70 - 1.30 EUR) per hour. Operating instructions are attached to the parking meters.

There are three parking zones in the city center: orange - 2 hour parking (in effect 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.), green - 6 hour parking (in effect 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.), and blue - reserved for residents and offices.

If you leave your car parked on the street, make sure you don't leave any valuables inside that could attract the attention of car burglars. Car burglary and theft are common crimes in Prague and other bigger cities.

You will have better luck finding a spot in a parking garage where your car will also be safer. These are some parking garages in the center:

Divadelní Street (National Theater)
Králodvorská Street (Kotva department store)
Hotel Prague Marriott
Hotel Intercontinental
Opletalova Street (near Wenceslas Square )
Bolzanova Street (near the main train station)
Wilsonova Street (Garage Helios)
Karlovo namesti (near the New Town Hall and near St. Ignatius church)

Unless you absolutely have to drive and park in the city center, you will be better off leaving your car at a guarded parking lot on the outskirts. There are a number of Park & Ride lots located at many metro stations outside of the city center. The purpose of these lots is to encourage people to take public transportation and therefore improve the bad traffic situation in the center. The lots are guarded and cost only 10 CZK (0.30 EUR) for the day. They close after the metro stops running, around 1 a.m.

The parking lots P + R are situated by the following Metro stations:

A-line - station Depo Hostivar, Skalka I and II
B-line - station Zlicín I and II
B-line - station Nové Butovice I and II
B-line - station Palmovka I and II
B-line - station Rajská Zahrada
B-line - station Cerny Most I and II
C-line - station Ládví
C-line - station Nádrazí Holesovice
C-line - station Opatov
C-line - station Chodov