3 tips to figuring out Prague’s public transportation

Prague has a very convenient public transportation system that gets you everywhere you need to go. Sure, it might be a little confusing to get on a subway or a tram, at first, but you will get the hang of it rather quickly.

Carry the CZK coins
When using the public transportation, you need tickets – most of the time you will be buying those at self-service machines at the subway and tram stations. 80 % of those machines do not accept credit cards nor paper bills. It is possible to get the tickets at newspaper stands, magazines stores and some grocery stores – most of those, however, are not open past 8 – 9 p.m. There are new machines at some stations that accept credit cards and you can use one to purchase tickets, directly, on certain trams (the new “modern looking” ones). But I would not count on it and recommend purchasing multiple tickets at once that can be used throughout your stay or get a one day unlimited ride ticket for an intense day of exploring.

Know where you are going
Often it happens that the locals don’t speak good enough English to help you out when you need to ask for directions. Knowing the name of the station in Czech will be useful not only for knowing when to get off the train but when asking for help (such as: “which side of the subway/street should I get on the train on if I want to go to…”). Knowing the end station is a good way to check whether you are going in the right direction as well.

Walk
If you are only in Prague for one day and want to visit all of the “must see” places, then using the public transportation is a convenient option to fit everything in without running and rushing around. But, are you here for a weekend or longer? Explore on foot and you will not regret it! Everything is relatively close together and you will be able to experience the real Prague vibe. Especially if you manage to free yourselves from the touristy places and wonder the quiet streets of both the Old and New Town. Popping into small shops, bakeries, cafés and passing through countless parks Prague has to offer.