Prague airport to city centre: bus, metro, taxi

Václav Havel Airport Prague lies about 12 km west of the city centre. There is no train to the terminal, but the city buses link it with the metro, and that works well. The short answer: take bus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín and metro line A – it reaches Malostranská, Staroměstská (Old Town) and Můstek (Wenceslas Square) without another change. Take the Airport Express if your hotel is near the main station (Hlavní nádraží) and you have big bags, and a taxi if you are three or more or arrive at night.

Prague airport to the city centre: the options

Times: buses and Airport Express according to DPP, the Prague public transport company (bus 59 and 100: bus ride to the metro only, the metro ride comes on top); taxi as pure driving time to the Old Town Square based on OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Prague Airport currently warns of longer travel times at rush hour because of road works at the Aviatická junction.

Bus 59 and metro A: the usual way

Line 59 runs from both terminals to Nádraží Veleslavín at the end of metro line A. According to DPP it takes about 17 minutes, with a bus every 3 to 10 minutes. From Veleslavín, metro A runs through Hradčanská (for the castle), Malostranská (Lesser Town), Staroměstská (Old Town) and Můstek (Wenceslas Square) – most hotels in the centre are within a short walk of one of these stations.

• Ticket: a normal PID ticket for Prague public transport, valid on buses, metro and trams with free changes within its time limit. The 24-hour and 72-hour tickets are also valid.
• Buying: in the PID Lítačka app or at the ticket machines at the airport. Validate paper tickets when you board.
• Metro hours: according to DPP, the metro runs roughly from 5:00 to midnight.

Bus 100 and metro B: for the south-west

Line 100 runs to Zličín, the end of metro line B, in about 16 minutes, every 10 to 20 minutes according to DPP. Metro B then goes through Anděl and Národní třída to Můstek. This route suits hotels in Smíchov, around Anděl or on the B line. Line 191 also links the airport with Anděl and Petřiny, but slowly – DPP gives 51 minutes for the whole route.

Airport Express: direct to the main station

The Airport Express (AE) runs directly between the airport and Prague main station (Hlavní nádraží), where it stops in front of the station building. According to DPP it takes about 33 minutes, every 10 to 30 minutes; Prague Airport gives about 40 minutes.

• Ticket: the AE has its own ticket; normal PID tickets are not valid. From the airport you buy it at the Visitor Centre in the arrival halls or from the driver.
• Luggage: the buses have extra space for big suitcases – the main advantage over the city bus.
• Onward: the main station is on metro line C and close to Wenceslas Square. If you continue by train, the Czech Railways ticket "Train+ Airport" includes the AE.

Night buses

When the metro stops, two night lines run from the airport into town, both with normal PID tickets. According to DPP, line 910 goes via I. P. Pavlova every 30 minutes (about 45 minutes from I. P. Pavlova), and line 907 goes via Náměstí Republiky, Masarykovo nádraží and the main station every 60 minutes (about 40 minutes from Náměstí Republiky).

Taxi and transfer

Prague Airport's official taxi partner is Uber, with a stand directly in front of the terminals. Without traffic the drive to the Old Town Square takes about 25 minutes (16 km); at rush hour, and during the road works near the airport, it takes longer. Do not accept offers from drivers who approach you in the arrivals hall – Prague taxis have a history of complaints about inflated fares.

A pre-booked transfer is worth it if you arrive late at night, with children or as a group, because the price is fixed in advance and a driver waits with your name. Airport transfers in Prague^* can be booked with Welcome Pickups. Our article on when an airport transfer pays off compares the options for ten airports.

Which option suits whom?

• Hotel in the Old Town, Lesser Town or near Wenceslas Square: bus 59 and metro A.
• Hotel in Smíchov or near Anděl: bus 100 and metro B.
• Hotel near the main station, lots of luggage: the Airport Express.
• Night arrival, three or more people, children: a taxi or a pre-booked transfer; on a budget, the night bus 910 or 907.

If you come from outside the EU, for example from the UK, set up mobile data before you land so you can buy the ticket in the PID Lítačka app straight away – a travel eSIM for the Czech Republic^* (Airalo) is usually cheaper than roaming; our eSIM price index compares the prices per gigabyte.

On the day you leave

Take metro A to Nádraží Veleslavín and bus 59 to the airport, or the Airport Express from the main station. Because of the road works near the airport, Prague Airport advises leaving early or using public transport. If you have already checked out and fly in the evening, you can use luggage storage in the centre^* (Radical Storage).

How long to stay and what to see is in our article how many days in Prague.

Prague trip planDay by day, with map and tips

How YesTrip helps you plan

In YesTrip you add your flight and hotel to your trip and plan each day around them, with a map of your places in Prague and the weather for your travel days. The ready-made plans for Prague can be copied into your trip with one tap. With the offline package you have the map without a connection, also on the bus from the airport. YesTrip is free.

* Ad – Partner link: if you book there, we earn a commission. Your price stays the same.