Prague Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know For Your Trip
Visiting a new city is one of the most exciting experiences there is! You see new things, try delicious food and drinks, and explore another culture, people, landscape, and history. But as with any adventure in an unfamiliar country, it’s always good to have all the information you might need about your destination at your fingertips.
Before you journey to the Golden City, here are our Prague travel tips for being a good tourist. In this basic Prague travel guide, you will find information about getting around the city, holidays and store closures, what to do in case of an emergency, etiquette and culture tips, and other things to know for before and during your trip.
What to Know Before Visiting Prague
Home to an abundance of cultural sights, museums, fantastic architecture, and scenic parks, Prague is a destination not to be missed and is a joy to visit any time during the year. It is the capital of the Czech Republic, a country of about 10 million people, located in Central Europe. Situated next to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Slovakia, the Czech Republic has a long and rich history spanning several centuries. If you’d like to learn more about Prague’s fascinating and tumultuous history, we recommend booking our Prague Introduction tour during your visit.
The Czech Republic is a member of the European Union, but its currency is the Czech Crown so don’t expect to be able to pay in Euros here! Prague is an extremely affordable city, especially compared to the nearby capitals of Vienna and Berlin, so you will get more bang for your buck here than in other places. Most stores and restaurants take card payments, so handling cash is often not necessary. Be wary of exchange offices stating that they have zero commission fees. Often the exchange rates at these offices are horrible, so it’s best not to use them if you can.
Prague Safety
Prague is a very safe city, often listed as one of the safest cities with the Czech Republic ranking in the top 15 safest countries in Europe. However, as in most larger cities, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings and cautious of petty crime. Particularly in popular tourist areas, pickpockets are the most common danger. Make sure to keep your belongings safe at all times.
Getting Around
Traveling around Prague is simple and easy! There are a couple different ways that you can get around Prague: by foot, by public transport, or by car.
By Foot
Prague is a very walkable city and you can get anywhere in the city center simply by walking there. In Old Town in particular, many of the areas are pedestrian only. If you’re only in Prague for a short amount of time and just seeing the main sites, exploring the city on foot is the best way to see everything.
By Public Transport
If you’re venturing a little out of the city center, you may not want to walk. But don’t worry! Prague has an excellent public transportation system, using a combination of metro, trams, and buses, that is uncomplicated to use, cheap, and can take you anywhere in the city quickly and efficiently. Buy a pass either in the kiosks in metro stations or directly on trams and buses. You can also book directly on your phone using the PID Litacka app. Prague public transportation tickets are timed with short term tickets ranging from 30 minutes (30 CZK or $1.25) to 3 days (330 CZK or $13.75). Make sure you validate your ticket or you could face a hefty fine! To validate a paper ticket, insert your ticket into the yellow machines found on trams, buses, and inside the metro stations. The machine will stamp your ticket making it valid.
By Car
If you’re staying for a short while in Prague, you likely won’t need to use a car at all. However, if you prefer to get around in a vehicle or would like to journey outside of the city for a day trip, booking a car could be a good choice for you. Prague has several options for parking including Park & Ride lots that provide direct connections to public transport as well as short term parking in lots and on the street. More information about parking locations, costs, and logistics can be found here.
From the Airport
To get from the Prague airport to Old Town Prague, you have a couple of choices. If you want ease and convenience, we recommend booking a car transfer. If this is something you’re interested in, feel free to reach out to us at info@insightcities.com and we can arrange your transfer from the airport to your hotel with one of our excellent local transportation partners.
You can also book an Uber from the airport to take you direct to your hotel. Uber is the official taxi partner of the Prague airport. It’s best to avoid the other taxis waiting outside Prague airport as these drivers often offer extortionate rates for unsuspecting tourists.
If you’d prefer the budget friendly route, the airport bus is your best option. It provides a direct connection between the Prague airport and Prague’s main train station (Hlavni nadrazi) in the center of Prague. The cost is 100 CZK (or about $4.20).
Important Czech Public Holidays
The Czech Republic has a variety of public holidays that many other countries do not have. By law, on several of these holidays a majority of stores are closed. If you’re in Prague on a public holiday when stores are closed, you can usually always find an open grocery store at the train station or a local small corner market if you’re in need.
Here are the public holidays in Czechia:
- January 1 – New Year’s Day (stores closed)
- Easter holidays (Easter Monday stores closed)
- May 1 – May Day
- May 8 – Liberation Day (stores closed)
- July 5 – Cyril & Methodius Day
- July 6 – Jan Hus Day
- September 28 – Statehood Day (stores closed)
- October 28 – Independent Czechoslovak State Day (stores closed)
- November 17 – Struggle for Freedom & Democracy Day
- December 24 – Christmas Eve (stores close at noon)
- December 25 & 26 – Christmas holidays (stores closed)
Several of these holidays are host to special events across the country, often including free admission to national museums and exhibitions. One of our favorite holidays here at Insight Cities is Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day marking the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, ending communism in Czechoslovakia. You can read more about it in our blog post.
If you’re looking for things to do in Prague during a specific season, check out our seasonal blog posts: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.
Emergency Services
In the minor chance that you end up in an emergency situation while in Prague, it’s good to know who to contact. The general emergency number for the European Union is 112. If you call this number you will be connected to an operator who speaks English.
There are also specific emergency numbers for the Czech Republic. Operators speak both Czech and English.
155 – emergency medical services/ambulance
158 – police
150 – fire & rescue service
General Etiquette
As in all cities, it’s important to remember that while you are a visitor, Prague is also the home of many people who live and work in the city every day. Do your best to keep the city clean and pleasant for visitors and locals alike. Respect local quiet hours and be aware of your surroundings.
The most common stereotype about Czechs is that they are unfriendly people. This is not true! Czechs may be more reserved than other nationalities, but they are friendly and helpful. Learning a few Czech phrases before your visit goes a long way with Czechs warming up to visitors to their city.
Here are a couple Czech phrases to help you out:
Hello —–> Dobrý den
Thank you —–> Děkuji
Please —–> Prosím
Goodbye —–> Na shledanou
Cheers! —–> Na zdraví!
Tipping in Prague
At restaurants and cafes, it’s customary to tip about 10%. You will need to tell the waiter how much you want to pay before your card is charged. There isn’t typically an option to add a tip afterwards so if you want to add a tip, make sure to tell the waiter.
Public Transport Etiquette
If you choose to use public transport in Prague, there are a few things you should know so you can avoid getting scolding looks from locals. When you’re on a crowded tram, bus, or metro, it’s nice to give up your seat to an elderly person as needed. When traveling on the escalators in the metro stations, stand on the right side and walk on the left. Make sure your public transport ticket is validated or you could still get fined even if you’ve purchased a ticket.
Prague Neighborhoods
Prague is home to many neighborhoods, with each one offering its own unique personality. Below is our round up of the best neighborhoods to stay in and see in Prague.
Old Town
Prague’s Old Town is the heartbeat of the tourist area so it’s likely that you will stay in this neighborhood while visiting Prague. Home to Old Town Square, the astronomical clock, the Jewish Quarter, and many other tourist sites, this part of the city is not lacking in things to see and do. Prices here are a bit more expensive than those found in other districts, but the convenience of being close to the center of everything can’t be beat.
New Town
The New Town neighborhood borders Old Town and isn’t exactly new. New Town was built by King Charles IV in 1348 so the only thing new about it is that it is newer than Old Town! This district includes some of Prague’s iconic sites like the National Theatre, Wenceslas Square, the National Museum, and the Dancing House. While also in the heart of the tourist zone, New Town is more easily connected to public transport than Old Town. For exploring this wonderful district, we recommend our Art Nouveau & Cubism Walking Tour.
Mala Strana & the Castle District
Another popular area to visit and stay in is Mala Strana and the area around Prague Castle. Located on the opposite side of the river from Old & New Town, this neighborhood offers a different perspective of Prague. Mala Strana sits under the shadow of Prague Castle and is home to many of the city’s embassies. Besides the castle, this district has sites such as the Lennon Wall, Strahov Library, St. Nicholas Church, the Kafka Museum, and a number of the city’s beautiful baroque and renaissance gardens. You can learn more about Prague’s gardens on our Prague Renaissance and Baroque Gardens tour, available April through October.
Vinohrady
Heading out of the tourist zone, Vinohrady is Prague’s bougie neighborhood, home to many expats and locals alike. In 2024, it was named one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world by Time Out Magazine. Filled with excellent restaurants and cafes, there is no shortage of good cuisine in this community. It also offers a quieter side to Prague from the bustling tourist zone, while still being very close to all the major attractions. Vinohrady also hosts one of the best views in Prague – seeing the sunset from Riegrovy Sady cannot be beat.
Žižkov
If you’re looking for the grungier side of Prague, look no further than Žižkov. Located right next to Vinohrady, Žižkov is Prague’s student and artist neighborhood with the most bars per capita of any district in Prague. The prices here also reflect the clientele. There’s no cheaper place to find a pint of beer. While this district may have a spotty reputation, it is perfectly safe to visit and offers another view into life in Prague. However, it is not convenient to get to other parts of the city from Žižkov due to the lack of metro stations, so we recommend spending just a few hours here for a beer instead of staying in the area for your entire trip.
Letna & Holešovice
Perched above the city are the districts of Letna and Holešovice. Also popular amongst expats and locals alike, these neighborhoods offer some of the best green spaces in the city with two large parks – Letna Park and Stromovka. If you’re a hockey fan, Letna is also the place to be as it is home to the local Sparta team’s stadium.
Is there a question you have or a topic we didn’t cover in this post that you’re curious about? Check out our other Prague blog posts or feel free to reach out to us directly at info@insightcities.com! We are happy to answer questions regarding your upcoming trip to Prague.