categories of this document

• arrival by public transport – general (subsections: from Strossmayerovo Namesti, from Veletrzni)
• arrival by train (subsections: Holesovice, Hlavni Nadrazi)
• arrival by bus
• arrival by plane (subsections: at night, taxi from the airport)
• arrival by car and parking (subsections: luggage drop off, weekends and holidays, park and ride, safe parking, free lots, sidewalk, where not to park, security advice, car theft)
• map and 3D map of the area

Arrival by public transport in general

The closest stations you will want to use in the respective order

1. tram station “Veletržní” (50m walk)
2. tram station “Strossmayerovo náměstí” (200m walk) – this is a 24h public transport hub and the most frequented
3. metro station “Vltavská” (red line C)

The metro station is very close (6min walk) but you have to turn around some corners which includes the possiblity to turn wrong.
I recommend after arriving by metro to take the tram no. 1 or 25 for one stop to “Strossmayerovo náměstí”. Alternatively walk along the tram lines which lead uphill where you walk below a bridge first, up some stairs and 200m to a nice square with a church which is “Strossmayerovo náměstí”

From “Strossmayerovo náměstí” to our flat

We are living on Dukelskych Hrdinu 26/407 which is in the main street there.
When standing on the crossroad it is the direction where you can see farthest along the street and which does not lead uphill nor downhill.

From “Veletržní” to our flat

The hugest building around is “Národní galerie” (National Gallery), we live opposite this building on the other side of the street with the tram lines. Try to spot “Oberbank” or “Caffeine” which are next door. You found us. (Coming from “Nádraží Holešovice” then this is in driving direction of the tram from the stop. Coming from “Strossmayerovo Namesti” this is against driving direction just 40m back)

Arrival by train

Train station “Nádraží Holešovice” is the most convenient choice, if you come from Berlin or elsewhere via Dresden then this is usually the first stop in Prague.
Second choice is the main train station “Hlavni Nadrazi”.

From “Nádraží Holešovice”

• take any tram that goes to “Veletržní” (2 stations, takes 3min) (those are currently the lines 12, 24 and 17) – schedule on bit.ly/1sVjQMk

From “Hlavní nádraží” (main train station)

• option 1: take the metro direction “Letňany” and get out at “Vltavská” (2 stops, 4 min)
• option 2: take the tram (line 5 or 26) and get out at “Strossmayerovo náměstí” – schedule on bit.ly/11LXjar

Arrival by bus to “Florenc”

• take the metro (red line C) direction “Letňany” and get out at “Vltavská” (1 stop, 2 min)

Arrival by plane

Public transport in day time to our flat

journey time: 33-39 min

You need a 32 CZK public transport ticket which is valid for the whole journey. The easiest way to buy the ticket is the ticket vending machine right at the bus stop. It also accepts credit cards hence you do not need to get cash in the airport.

1. take bus no. 119 from the airport (runs every 8min, costs 40CZK or approx. 1.7 EUR at the driver or have 32 CZK for a ticket from the machine) to the end station “Nádraží Veleslavín” (takes 15min) – schedule on bit.ly/AirPrtNV
2. go to the tram station in the middle of the big street close to which your bus stopped
3. take tram 26 direction “Nádraží Hostivař” and get out at “Strossmayerovo náměstí” (13 stations, takes 20min) – schedule on bit.ly/NVStrM

The last bus 119 goes at 11.30pm

Public transport at night to our flat

journey time: 41 min

You need a 32 CZK public transport ticket which is valid for the whole journey. There is an information booth of the Prague city transport in the airport where you can buy the ticket.

1. take bus no. 510 from the airport (runs every 30min, costs 40CZK or approx. 1.7 EUR at the driver or have 32 CZK for a ticket from the machine) to “Divoká Šárka” (10 stops, 13 min) – schedule on bit.ly/1yNisPk
2. walk to tram station “Divoká Šárka” which is in sight
3. take tram no. 51 direction “Nádraží Strašnice” and get out at “Strossmayerovo náměstí” (16 stops, 21 min) – schedule on bit.ly/1sZ2JJL

Taxi from the airport to our flat

journey time: approx. 30min
distance: 16km
The standard price is 380 – 450 CZK (do not pay more than 600 CZK). In case you’re arriving around noon or in the afternoon rush hours 3.30 pm to 5 pm there is a very big chance it will be towards 500 CZK of high traffic.

ticktack.cz – approx. 440 CZK – the nicest taxi’s – the company’s success recipe is “no fraud” and very nice Audis. Order them from home before you fly to Prague, specify your flight number and they will wait for you in the arrivals hall with a name sign, no extra charge for flight delays, you can pay by card in the taxi and the driver speaks English. We’ll happily book this for you. (if the online booking form does not accept your phone number use mine and write yours in the comment field)

prague-airport-transfers.co.uk – 550 CZK fixed price for private taxi or 290 CZK/person for shuttle – good option if you arrive after lunch or 4-6pm in heavy traffic. They will wait for you in the arrivals hall, no extra charge for flight delays and drivers speak English. Order them from home before you arrive – you can pay by card in advance.

aaataxi.cz  – approx. 550 CZK – the official airport taxi – you could theoretically just get into one at the airport, however be VERY CAREFUL to really get into a yellow taxi with “AAA Taxi” on it. There are clones which look a bit different, have slightly different names and I am sure you will fooled in at least one way. Drivers don’t necessarily speak English.

nejlevnejsi-taxi.cz – approx. 300 CZK – the cheapest taxis in town. There is no option that they’ll wait at the airport, they usually do not accept credit cards, drivers don’t necessarily speak English and it can be any car.

Uber – as of 12/2014 the ubercool taxi enterprise has only 5 cars in town and they quote 283-371 CZK for uberPOP  and 481-628 CZK for UberBLACK – compared to UberBLACK the aforementioned first two options seem to be much better value.

Warning(!!) – read about Taxis in Prague

Arrival by car & parking

You need a road tax sticker for highways in Czech Republic which you can get on any petrol station when entering the country.
Please read also driving your own car in Prague which has info about rush hours and general issues.

• never park in blue zones!
• do not even stop on lots which are marked for disabled people

Luggage drop off at the flat

You can park right on the sidewalk in front of our door to get your luggage out and say hello, that means between Cafe “Caffeine” and “Oberbank”.
Important: 100% of your car must be on the sidewalk, one wheel on the street means a ticket. You see police passing by every 10min.
On the other side of the street is paid parking, you may also park there for 5min unpacking.

Weekend and holiday parking

Parking in the paid parking areas – which are painted in white color – is free on weekend days (Friday 6pm till Monday 8am) as well as bank holidays and over night on week days.
The street in front of the flat and many areas around are paid parking zones.
(NOT valid for any blues zones!)

Park and Ride outside of the center

To have less traffic in the center, the city provides big guarded Park & Ride parking lots at the main metro lines outside of the center.
See the short guide about park & rides. They are comparably cheap.

Safe parking in Holesovice

There is a very close safe parking (600m walk) which costs 500 CZK for up to 1 week parking. Always ask for 1 week parking – especially if asking in English, otherwise you’ll be charged 400 CZK per day). You got to pay cash in advance. Map pointer on bit.ly/1wgct0Z We’ll be happy to drive there and walk back with you.

Searching a free parking lot

Free parking is basically not possible in Prague center districts anymore. In periferal districts, for example in Prague 4 it may still be possible to find non-paying zones but these are pretty far out from us and they are gradually becoming less and less.

Parking on the sidewalk

Usually I park on the sidewalk in front of the national gallery right on the other side of the street.
My flatmates do the same when they got a car in Prague. map pointer on goo.gl/maps/16tI9
There is usually place and it has never got me a ticket even whilst being 2 weeks on vacations in Budapest.
This is my personal option of choice. I got fined a lot for parking in the wrong places, had 2 cars towed away and paid a couple of times for the wheel claw but never when parking on this sidewalk. Though however I assume the fine to be higher if it ever occurs.

Where not to park

• never park in blue zones! This is the worst place you could pick, cars usually get towed away.
• places that are not marked for parking get you a wheel claw which is not too expensive if you are nice (the fee is not fixed but has a minimum and maximum), however police does not hurry to arrive for taking it off

security advice for parking and cars in Prague

The highest share of property crime in Prague goes to car break-ins, so make sure to:

• not leave any bags etc. in the car
  • open empty boxes so the “non-content” can be seen
  • if I got anything that is obviously valueless I put it right behind the windscreen on display
• open all open-able storages like the glove box so it is visible that there is nothing to steal

car theft – most wanted

In danger: all German made cars of value (lets say > 6.000 Euro) and newer models of Skoda

The difference between Western European tourist cars and Czech owned cars is that Czechs have an extra alarm system (NOT the one offered by the manufacturer) and they are going to report much faster to the police station. A clever thief goes for the tourist car.
Tourists are seen more likely to leave valuables in the car.

Practical examples

• if your car does not fall in the “most wanted” category I’d park it on the street on weekends (and on the sidewalk on weekdays) or leave it outside the city on a safe parking
• if you car is most wanted I recommend a safe parking option

Map

Close up 3D map of the area