Arriving at a new airport or new country can be a fairly daunting experience, especially if you are unprepared for how to travel from the airport to your intended destination. Luckily, getting from Vaclav Havel Prague airport to the city centre is a generally pain-free experience as the airport offers several options and after several trips to Prague, I feel that I am well-placed to recommend my preferred option.
Prague’s Vaclav Havel airport is situated 17km northwest from the city centre and as well as being the only airport serving the metropolitan area of Prague, it is also the Czechia’s main hub for international flights.
You will find two main terminals here: Terminal 1 for international, non-Schengen flights and Terminal 2 for flights to and from Schengen-zone countries. Generally, if you’re arriving from elsewhere in Europe, there is a good chance that you will be arriving into Terminal 2 whereas passengers elsewhere will be arriving at Terminal 1.
That’s all well and good, but how do you travel from the airport to Prague’s city centre? This guide will detail the best way to make the journey and hopefully make your visit to Prague as stress-free as possible.
Public Transport
The cheapest way to travel between Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport and the city centre is to use public transport. There are stops directly outside of the arrival halls of Terminals 1 & 2 and the buses depart every few minutes, depending which service you choose. Be aware that most buses won’t take you all the way into the city, but rather stop at metro stations from which you can carry on your journey.
You can buy your bus tickets in advance from kiosks inside the airport, or by using the ticket machines that are situated beside the bus stop. Contactless and card payments can be used and the information is presented in a range of different languages. Just be sure to validate your ticket before using it via the ticket validation machines – these are well-signposted.
Tickets are valid for either a 30 minute period (30 CZK) or 90-minutes (40 CZK) and can be used on both the bus and Metro services.
Bus and Metro/Tram
Bus Number 119
The 119 bus is the best choice if you are planning to reach the historical centre of Prague such as the Old Town, Lesser Town, New Town, or Prague Castle area) as it travels from the airport to Nádraží Veleslavín metro station where you can transfer to the green Metro line A, which passes through at the downtown Můstek stop.
The bus departs every 20 minutes from the Airport and takes approximately 20 minutes to reach Nádraží Veleslavín. From here it is just 6 – 8 stops to the city centre, depending on where you choose to alight.
Bus Number 100
The number 100 runs between the airport and Zličín metro station on the metro line B, making it ideal if you are heading to Prague’s New Town.
The bus takes about 20 minutes to get to Zličín from the airport and then the Metro will take around 30 minutes to reach the city centre. The 100 departs every 10 minutes.
Bus Number 191
The 191 bus goes between the airport and Petřiny subway station and Na Knížecí/Anděl. You can then transfer to the metro at Anděl or Petřiny to reach the old town.
This bus departs every 10 – 30 minutes and takes around 50 minutes.
Nightbus 910
As the metro stops at 12.30am, you will be unable to catch any of the above buses to reach the city centre. Fortunately, the number 910 bus leaves every 30 minutes or so between the hours of 11.50pm and 3.50pm, going all the way to I.P. Pavlova station in the city centre.
The Airport Express
The AE Airport Express bus is a little more convenient that other modes of public transportation as you won’t need to transfer to the Metro and instead go directly to Prague’s Main Station (Praha Hlavni Nadrazi) where you can take a subway (line C), tram or go on foot to the old town.
Because of this, the Airport Express is a little more expensive with tickets costing 100 CZK for adults and 50 CZK for children. Instead of purchasing your tickets from the ticket machines beside the bus stop, you can purchase tickets online, at the airport information centre (there is one in the arrivals hall of each terminal – open each day between 7am and 10pm), or directly from the driver as you board the bus. You will find stops for the AE outside both terminals 1 and 2.
The bus operates every 30 minutes between the hours of 5.30am and 9pm and the ride generally takes around 40 to 50 minutes.
Taxi
Like in any major European city, catching a local taxi in Prague can leave you open to scams or being over-charged. The official taxi companies, FIX TAXI and Taxi Praha, both have counters within the airport terminal and will generally give a fair price based on kilometres travelled, rather than some other companies that will charge by journey duration with any traffic issues meaning that the fare keeps ticking upwards. You will find the official taxis are parked and waiting at the front of Prague Airport terminal buildings. Expect to pay anywhere between 750 CZK and 1000 CZK.
Uber and Bolt are both good, trustworthy alternatives to the official taxi companies, often costing slightly less for the journey to the city’s Old Town. Uber has been operating in Prague since 2014 and has the benefit that the cost of their service can be seen in the app before booking. Although you will need to wait for your driver to arrive, waiting times are generally low and the cost from the airport to the city centre will only set you back around €20 – 25, depending on the time of day or popularity of the route.
Private Transfers
Luggage Storage in Prague
If you plan on taking a quick trip into the city from the airport, you may not want to take all of your luggage with you. Thankfully, Prague has a number of options when you are looking for somewhere to deposit your suitcases or bags for a short period of time.
Prague Airport Luggage Storage
Prague airport has a luggage storage service in Terminal 2 which you can find if you follow the signs towards Left Luggage in the Departure Hall. It is in the corner beside the Oversize Baggage Counter. The counter is open 24hrs per day.
You can store your luggage for up to an entire month, with prices starting at 100 CZK for the first 3 hours. Prices are listed below:
Hand Luggage
Up to 3hrs – 100 CZK
Up to 24hrs – 150 CZK
Each additional 24hrs – 150 CZK
Hold Luggage
Up to 3hrs – 200 CZK
Up to 24hrs – 250 CZK
Each additional 24hrs – 250 CZK
Oversized Luggage
Up to 3hrs – 300 CZK
Up to 24hrs – 350 CZK
Each additional 24hrs – 350 CZK
Prague Main Railway Station (Praha hlavní nádraží)
Radical Storage
Car Rental from Prague Airport
Although rail connections from Prague to elsewhere in Czechia are good, renting a car is a great option if you are planning to travel to off the beaten track destinations throughout the country.
You will find Prague Airport’s car rental offices on the ground floor of parking area C. All of the usual reputable companies have desks here, and your car rental company will be able to show you to your vehicle so you can get on your way.
I tend to use Discover Cars for my car rental when travelling, as they allow you to compare multiple providers for the best deal.
Pre-booking a private transfer, or even considering an estimate of a private jet rent from Prague Airport, is also a good option for a more luxurious experience.
Parking at Prague Airport
If you are being dropped off at the airport, the P1 Express car park is used for standing for the purpose of loading and unloading passengers and their luggage. This is located directly outside of Terminal 1 and you will get 15 minutes’ free-of-charge parking. Both this and the P2 Express car parks may only be used once every 24 hours.
If you stay longer than 15 minutes, parking costs an additional CZK 100 up to 30-minutes and a further 100 CZK from the 30th to the 60th minute. After the first 60 minutes, you pay 200 CZK for each half an hour. Short-term parking in the P Comfort (Terminal 1) and P Economy (Terminal 2) car parks is a better option if you plan on seeing off your loved ones in the terminal as parking starts at 80 CZK per hour.
Long-term parking options are available on Prague Airport’s website.
Where to Stay in Prague
Czechia’s capital is one of the most visited cities in Europe and due to the huge volume of visitors that come to the city each year, there is also an abundance of hotels, hostels, and rental properties that make deciding where to stay in Prague feel like a daunting task. After a few visits to the city, here are some of my recommendations.
Budget
Sophie's Hostel
Prague has a huge number of hostels, and these can vary from accommodation with downright grimy, bunk-filled dorms to the more luxurious hostels with modern furnishings and private rooms. Thankfully, Sophie’s is the latter and easily one of the best hostel experiences in Prague. The beds are comfortable, the bathrooms are clean, and the on-site bar plays host to events, meaning it is always busy and a good place to meet fellow travellers.
Mid-Range
Miss Sophie's Downtown
Managed by the same company as Sophie’s Hostel, there are several stylish, boutique hotels dotted around the city that come under Miss Sophie’s brand. I stayed at Miss Sophie’s downtown, located just a 2-minute walk from Prague’s main railway station and a short hop from both the Old Town and New Town, on my first trip to Prague and loved its stylish, modern rooms and laid back bar that sits beside the reception area.
Luxury
Andaz Prague
The luxurious Andaz Prague is located on Senovážné Square, in the heart of the historical center of Prague and just a short walk from the popular to Wenceslas and Old Town Squares. This stylish concept hotel by Hyatt features an in-house wellness spa, the Mez cocktail bar, and avant-garde Czech bistronomy with Japanese Izakaya influences at their ZEM restaurant.
