Prague Train Transport: Map, Tickets, Stations & Airport

Railway service is one of the oldest means of transport in the world. Nowadays, we are used to travelling by train mostly for longer distances, but it would not be Prague, the modern European metropolis full of history, without the classical charm of trains.

Prague is the most important rail junction of the Czech Republic. Not only do the railways connect the capital with the rest of the country (and, of course, the whole World), but trains are also part of the urban public transport system. The railway lines operated by ROPID (Regional Organiser of Prague Integrated Transport) and incorporated into the Prague Integrated Transport System are referred to as the “S Lines” (“Vlakové linky S” in Czech”).

All railways starting from Prague are included in the Prague integrated transport system (PIT, “PID” in Czech), which – among other things – means that the PIT tariff conditions apply to them. These train lines are, most of all, used to connect the capital with the suburbs, but can also be used to travel within the city.

History and Facts of Prague’s Train (Railway) Transport

There are four important rail stations in Prague, where the majority of train connections take place. Namely, those are “Masarykovo nádraží” (named after Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, a very important figure of the Czechoslovak independence efforts during World War I, and the founder and first President of Czechoslovakia), “Smíchovské nádraží” (used mostly for regional transport), “Nádraží Holešovice”, and last but not least “Praha hlavní nádraží” (the main train station in Prague).

Historically, the “Lány” horse-drawn railway was the first railway in the territory of Prague, in 1830. In the Czech Republic in general, the history of railways started in the twenties of the 19th century. Railroads were first built for the purposes of the transport of goods, and only later did trains become an important means of transport for people.

Nowadays, the Czech rail network belongs among the “thickest” in the World, even though its share of the overall transport of passengers is rather substandard and in Prague it plays only a minor role in the integrated transport system. It is, nevertheless, important in connecting the capital with the villages and small towns around it.

Practical Info & Tips: Travelling Abroad, Purchasing Tickets, Airport etc.

When you travel by train within the PIT, the same rules and tariffs as with trams, buses, and the metro apply. You can only buy tickets from the driver on the regional bus lines, so you need to buy a ticket before you board the train. You can get your ticket from one of numerous yellow ticket vending machines, located at the entrances to metro stations, at ticket offices (at some metro stations), at newsstands (nevertheless not all of them), or at tourist information centres. A ticket valid for 90 minutes costs 32 CZK, and the cheapest one is for under 30 minutes (24 CZK). A tourist ticket valid for 24 hours costs 110 CZK, and for 3 days 310 CZK.

You can also buy your train ticket at the ČD („České dráhy“ – Czech Railways) ticket offices or counters. In some cases, you can also purchase tickets from the conductors on the trains. A universal (all zones) ticket for 24 hours can be purchased at the ČD counters and from the conductors for 160 CZK.

No railway leads to Prague Airport, but if you want to use a train to travel there the Czech Railways company has a rather interesting offer for those travelling to Václav Havel Airport from outside of Prague. You can buy a “VLAK+ Airport” ticket, with which you can go by train to Prague Main Station and from there by bus to Václav Havel Airport.

Train From Prague to Vienna

Getting from Prague to Vienna (or vice versa) is very easy. The ride takes only 4 hours and leads throughout the beautiful scenery of South Bohemia. One-way ticket prices start at 662 CZK ($28.00) and can be purchased online via Ceske Drahy (switch to English in the top-right corner) or from the kiosks at Prague Main Station. To get the lowest price we recommend buying a ticket at least 3 days before your trip.

Train departures from Prague Main Station are at 05:52, 06:52, 08:52, 09:52, 10:52, 12:52, 14:52, 15:52, 16:52, and 18:52. Later, there is a night train departing at 23:58, but the journey takes 7 hours.

Train From Prague to Berlin

Getting from Prague to Berlin (or vice versa) is very easy and the ride takes only 4.5 hours with a direct connection. One-way ticket prices start at only 386 CZK ($16.00) and can be purchased online via Ceske Drahy (switch to English in the top-right corner) or from the kiosks at Prague Main Station. To get the lowest price, we recommend buying a ticket at least 3 days before your trip.

Train departures from Prague Main Station are at 04:27, 06:27, 08:27, 10:27, 12:27, 14:27, 16:27 or 18:27. From 18:27 to 04:27 there are no trains available.

Train From Prague to Budapest

The Journey from Prague to Budapest (or vice versa) is a bit longer, as it takes almost 7 hours with a direct connection. One-way ticket prices start at only 552 CZK ($23.00) and can be purchased online via Ceske Drahy (switch to English in the top-right corner) or from the kiosks at Prague Main Station. To get the lowest price, we recommend buying a ticket at least 5 days before your trip.

The first morning train departures from Prague Main Station are at 05:52, 07:52, 09:52, 11:52, 12:52, 13:52 or 15:52. From 15:52 to 05:52 there are no trains available.

Train From Prague to Munich

Going by train from Prague to Munich (or vice versa) takes around 6 hours with a direct connection. One-way ticket prices start at 662 CZK ($27.00) and can be purchased online via Ceske Drahy (switch to English in the top-right corner) or from the kiosks at Prague Main Station. To get the lowest price, we recommend buying your ticket at least 1 day before your trip.

The first morning train departures from Prague Main Station are at 05:12, then 09:12, 13:12. The last one is at 17:12. From 17:12 to 05:12 there are no trains available.

Train From Prague to Krakow

Unfortunately, there is no direct train from Prague to Krakow (or the other way around). The best option is to go from Prague to Ostrava by train (3 hours), and then take a bus to Krakow (2 hours). The total price is from 697 CZK ($29.00). You can purchase tickets online via Ceske Drahy (switch to English in the top-right corner), or from the kiosks at Prague Main Station. To catch this train you need to be at Prague Main Station at 07:43.