Travel guide Prague: tips & tricks for your first visit

In this travel guide Prague I’ll tell you everything you need to know before you visit this gorgeous city in the Czech Republic.

Table of contents hide

1 How to get there?

2 How to travel around in town?

3 Money

4 What is the best time to travel to Prague?

5 Where to stay?

6 What are the highlights?

7 Read more about Prague

How to get there?

Prague is located in central Europe, and that makes it really easy to visit from several countries. I usually travel to Prague from The Netherlands, and from here there are many ways to travel to travel to Prague. These are some of the most popular options:

By plane

From Amsterdam, it’s only a 1,5-hour flight to Prague, so this is the most common option. If you do some research, you can find return flights to Prague for €65. Check Skyscanner for all your options and the prices.

By train

Do you have a little more time and do you prefer to travel to Prague in a more sustainable way? You can also take the train to Prague! For example, from The Netherlands, the journey takes about 10,5 hours (and you have to change trains a couple of times). You can buy tickets 180 days in advance at the website of NS International. The earlier you book, the cheaper it gets. You can get one-way train tickets for €38.

By Bus

You can also reach Prague by bus. With Flixbus you can travel to Prague by night bus (directly from Amsterdam). The journey takes about 13 hours and ticket prices start at €36 (one way).

How to travel around in town?

Public transport in Prague is very well organised and pretty cheap.

How to get from the airport to the city center?

Do you arrive at the international airport in Prague? In that case, you can take several buses. Bus 100 will take to to the metro station Zličín. From here, you can take Metro B to the city center. Bus 119 will take you to a different metro station, which is called Nádraží Veleslavín. From here, you can take metro A to the city center. There are several ticket machines at the bus stop and a ticket will cost you 32 Czech koruna (which is about €1,30).

You can also take the Regiojet bus, this will take you directly from the airport to the city center. A ticket will cost you €2,70 (one way).

The connections are really good, a bus will pass every couple of minutes. It takes about 50 minutes to get to the city center.

How to get around in Prague

In Prague, you can use buses, trams, and the metro to get around. I usually use Google Maps to check which connections are convenient. At most stops and stations, there are ticket machines, so buying a ticket is really easy. You can choose different kinds of tickets. If you plan to stay in Prague a little longer, it might be convenient to buy a 24 or a 72-hour ticket.

Money

In the Czech Republic, the currency is not Euro but Czech koruna. For the most up to date exchange rate, I use the app XE Currency Converter. You can pay with card almost everywhere, so you rarely have to get cash.

What is the best time to travel to Prague?

You can visit Prague during every season of the year, but visiting this gorgeous city is more fun in some seasons than others.

Spring: Perfect temperatures to stroll around and chill at one of the terraces.
Summer: In can get really hot during summer months, but this is the perfect time to explore all the beautiful parks in Prague.
Autumn: This is the perfect season to see the trees around the Moldau river changes colors. It usually is still warm enough to drink a glass of wine or beer on a terrace.
Winter: The season of Christmas markets and gühwein! It can get really chilly, but the city is filled with beautiful lights. A great time to visit, but you won’t be the only tourist. It can get quite busy.

Where to stay?

“Where to stay in Prague?” is probably one of the first things you’d like to know before you go. If you’re only in town for a short period of time, like 2 days in Prague or less, it might be best to stay in an area close to the highlight. These are also the places with the most restaurants. You’ll find most of the hotels in Old Town and the Jewish Quarter, but these might be really expensive. I prefer to stay in a hotel just outside of the city center (still within walking distance).

The first hotel I stayed in was King Charles Boutique Residence, this is a hotel in the neighborhood Vyšehrad. Across from the street, there was a tram stop, which made it really easy to get around. It was also possible to walk to the city center. It’s a great historic hotel, with dark wooden furniture.

During my second stay in Prague, I choose to sleep in the luxurious Hilton Prague Hotel, close to the Florenc metro station. This is a luxurious and modern hotel, which was a little closer to the city center. It’s right next to the river and I loved walking along the river to the city center.

I usually book my hotels through Booking.com, because you get a lot of options and it’s easy to compare prices. If I stay in the city for longer than a couple of days, I use Airbnb. Have you never stayed in an Airbnb? If you use this link, you get a great discount on your first booking.

What are the highlights?

Prague is considered to be one of the prettiest European cities. There are many highlights in Prague, these are the most popular (and definitely worth a visit):

Prague Castle

Prague Castle is a huge complex, where you can get lost for a while. The cathedral alone is definitely worth a visit, just like the famous Golden Lane. It’s also a great experience to watch the changing of the guards. To visit some places in Prague Castle, you’ll need to get a ticket. Check the official website for more information.

The Prague Astronomical Clock

The Prague Astronomical Clock is a medieval piece of art, that can tell you five different times at once. It’s very impressive to see, especially when it strikes at the hour. Don’t be afraid if you see a crowd of people, you will always find a spot to see it.

Charles Bridge

The Charles Bridge is one of the most beautiful bridges in the world and is filled with ancient statues. This used to be the connection between the old town and Prague Castle. It can get extremely crowded on the bridge, so if you like to avoid those, get there early (just after sunrise). I can also recommend watching it from above, from the Old Town Bridge Tower.

These are all my tips & tricks for a city trip to Prague! Did you like this travel guide or do you want me to add something? Let me know by leaving a comment.

Travel guide Prague: tips & tricks for your first visit