Prague packs one of Europe’s densest public transport networks into a walkable, compact center. A single agency, DPP, runs the metro, trams, buses, and trolleybuses under one ticket, coordinated region-wide by PID (Prague Integrated Transport). There are no separate fares to think about — one ticket works everywhere, including the ride from the airport.
The basics
Three metro lines meet in the city center:
- Line A (green) — runs east–west, through Malostranská, Staroměstská, and Muzeum.
- Line B (yellow) — southwest to east, through Anděl, Můstek, and Florenc.
- Line C (red) — the oldest and busiest line, running north–south through Hlavní nádraží (Main Railway Station) and Florenc.
Around the metro, DPP runs an extensive tram network (including night trams), buses, and trolleybuses — the trolleybus network was revived in recent years and now includes the airport connection. Vltava ferries and the Petřín funicular are also part of the network, though the funicular is currently out of service (see the alert above). Regional and suburban trains connect to Prague under the same PID fare zones.
How to pay
You’ve got four ways to pay, and prices differ depending on which you pick:
- The PID Lítačka app — the cheapest option. Buy a ticket, activate it at least 60 seconds before boarding (or before entering the paid area of the metro), and show the QR code if an inspector asks.
- Tap a contactless bank card or phone — on trams and buses, board through the door marked with the contactless symbol and buy immediately after boarding; in the metro, tap at the station terminal. This charges the standard (non-discounted) fare each time, with no daily cap.
- Buy a paper ticket from a machine at a stop, in a metro vestibule, at a DPP counter, or from a newsstand — then validate it yourself in a yellow validator on first boarding. Validate only once; validating a second time invalidates it.
- Buy an SMS ticket — the most expensive option, but useful if you can’t find a machine.
There are no fare gates on trams or buses — it’s a proof-of-payment system, and inspectors check tickets on board.
Fares
| 30 min | 90 min | 24 hours | 72 hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| App (Lítačka) | 36 Kč | 46 Kč | 140 Kč | 340 Kč |
| Paper | 39 Kč | 50 Kč | 150 Kč | 350 Kč |
| SMS | 42 Kč | 55 Kč | 150 Kč | 350 Kč |
| Contactless card tap | 39 Kč | 50 Kč | 150 Kč | — |
A monthly pass for Prague costs 550 Kč full price or 130 Kč at the discounted rate (students, adolescents, and seniors 60–65).
Free travel in Prague applies to: children under 15 (with age proof from age 10), seniors 65 and over (with ID), ZTP/ZTP-P disability card holders (Czech-issued cards only, plus their companion), and an accompanying adult with a child under 3.
Riding without a valid, activated ticket carries a fine of 2,000 Kč, reduced to 1,200 Kč if you settle on the spot or 1,500 Kč if you pay within 15 days (rules effective from January 1, 2026).
Getting from the airport
Skip the taxi touts — an ordinary city bus gets you to the metro in minutes:
- Trolleybus 59 to Veleslavín station, where you transfer to Metro Line A — about 35 minutes to the city center. 50 Kč (46 Kč in the app).
- Bus 100 to Zličín station, transferring to Metro Line B — about 45 minutes. Same fare.
- Airport Express (AE) runs direct from Terminal 1 to Hlavní nádraží (Main Railway Station, Metro Line C) in about 45 minutes — but it’s 200 Kč, a special fare not covered by ordinary tickets or passes.
- Night buses 907 and 910 run direct from the city center (about 45–50 minutes) when the metro is closed, at the standard fare.
Buy your ticket before boarding — stops for all these lines are right outside the arrivals halls at both terminals.
Apps to download
- PID Lítačka — the official app for buying and activating tickets, planning routes, and checking disruptions. Available in English.
- Google Maps — solid for trip planning, with live PID schedule data built in.
When it runs
The metro runs daily from about 5:00 to midnight, with short intervals at peak and off-peak times.
Night service (0:00–4:30) takes over smoothly: nine tram lines (91–99) run every 30 minutes, converging at the Lazarská stop for transfers, and night buses (901–917) run every 30 or 60 minutes. All the same tickets and passes work at night.
Accessibility
48 of the metro’s 61 stations are barrier-free, with lifts or inclined platforms at station entrances. Line C is the most wheelchair-friendly — its trains automatically compensate for the gap between the floor and the platform — while lines A and B have a bigger step up, bridged by access ramps at the first door of the first car. DPP runs low-floor vehicles on all its daily tram lines, and timetables mark guaranteed low-floor departures with a wheelchair symbol.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Validate once, and only once. Re-validating a paper ticket — including a 24- or 72-hour ticket — invalidates it. Tickets bought by app, card, or SMS activate automatically and don’t need validating.
- No group tickets exist in PID. Everyone, including kids old enough to need a ticket, needs their own.
- Trams have the right of way at crossings, and they can’t stop quickly — look both ways near the tracks.
- Small bags travel free; a bag bigger than 25×45×70 cm needs its own 20 Kč ticket.
- Fare inspectors don’t always wear uniforms, but carry a control badge — they can ask the police for help if you refuse to cooperate, and there’s no appeal against an on-the-spot fine.
Good to know
- Watch your belongings on the airport buses and on trams toward the castle. Official UK travel advice flags pickpocketing risk on the buses between the airport and the center, and on trams to popular tourist sites — keep bags closed and zipped in crowds.
- The Petřín funicular is closed for track reconstruction (see the alert at the top) — there’s no separate replacement service, so plan on the walk or a tram instead if you want the hilltop view.
- Metro escalators in Prague are famously long and fast — hold the handrail.