Getting Around Prague: Transport, Airport Transfers and Where to Leave Your Bag
Last updated: September 2026
Intro
Prague still has no airport train, and won't for years: a rail link is planned, but it's a long way off. What it does have is trams that are genuinely the best way to see the city, not a fallback for where the metro doesn't reach, running past Charles Bridge and up towards the castle. Here's what getting around Prague actually costs, checked on 24 September 2026.
Disclosure: Ciceru earns a commission if you book luggage storage through our Radical Storage link, and you get 10% off. It does not change what we recommend.
Once you're on foot, the Prague self-guided walking tour with Ciceru covers 10 stops from Old Town to the castle for €5, with a story at each stop and a free 500 MB global eSIM.
⚡ Quick answer
- From the airport: no train yet; trolleybus 59 or bus 100 to the metro (about CZK 50, €2), or the AE Airport Express to the main station (CZK 200, €8, doubled since January 2026)
- In the city: a 90-minute PID ticket is CZK 46 in the app; the 72-hour ticket (CZK 340, €14) only pays off from about eight rides
- Best ride in town: tram 22, past the castle
- Luggage: the main station's lockers are cheapest if you're passing through there; anywhere else, or with a big case, Radical Storage has about 45 spots from €3.90 a day, 10% off with our link
✈️ From the airport
No train links the airport to town, and a rail line is still years away.
For now, take a bus or trolleybus to the nearest metro, all on a standard PID ticket:
- 🚏 Trolleybus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín (Metro A), about 15 minutes, every 4 to 10 minutes. It replaced bus 119 in 2024, so ignore guides still naming that line.
- 🚏 Bus 100 to Zličín (Metro B), about 18 minutes.
- 🚏 Bus 191 to Anděl (Metro A/B) via Petřiny, about 50 minutes, if you'd rather skip a transfer.
- 🌙 Night buses 907/910 run when the metro is shut, about 45 minutes to the centre.
💶 AE Airport Express runs nonstop to Hlavní nádraží (the main station) in about 40 minutes, room for big luggage. Its fare doubled on 1 January 2026, to CZK 200 (€8), bought from the driver, the Visitor Centre or České dráhy. A standard PID ticket doesn't work on it.
🚕 Taxi: the airport's contracted operators pick up from marked ranks outside each terminal, on the meter, and a ride to the centre usually lands around CZK 600 to 900 (€25 to €37). Ignore anyone offering a "fixed price" in arrivals: a well-known scam here.
🚗 Uber and Bolt usually beat the rank on price, often around CZK 400 to 550 (€16 to €22) to the centre. Check the fare in the app first and order from the rideshare pick-up zone.
🎫 PID tickets, validation and fines
One ticket system, PID, covers metro, tram and bus (not the AE). Buying through the PID Lítačka app is consistently cheaper than paper:
- 💶 30 minutes: CZK 36 app, CZK 39 paper (about €1.50)
- 💶 90 minutes: CZK 46 app, CZK 50 paper (about €2)
- 💶 24 hours: CZK 140 app, CZK 150 paper (about €6)
- 💶 72 hours: CZK 340 app, CZK 350 paper (about €14)
A large suitcase needs its own ticket too: CZK 25 on paper (about €1), a little less in the app. Buy in the Lítačka app, at yellow machines at stops, or by tapping a contactless bank card on the validator inside, which charges the fare instantly with no separate validation. A paper or SMS ticket still needs stamping in the yellow box the moment you board: unvalidated counts as none.
Get caught without one and the fine is CZK 1,200 on the spot, CZK 1,500 within 15 days, or CZK 2,000 after that. Inspectors carry a metal badge and photo ID; anyone who won't show one isn't real.
💳 Which pass is worth it
Do the maths before you buy a pass. The 72-hour ticket (CZK 340, €14) equals about seven 90-minute app tickets, so it pays off from the eighth ride. Most visitors walk the centre and ride two or three times a day at most, so singles in the app often come out cheaper. The 72-hour ticket does win if you're staying out of the centre, or if you want the Petřín funicular, which it covers and single tickets don't.
The Prague Visitor Pass (48, 72 or 120 hours, from CZK 2,700, €110) bundles unlimited transport with over 70 paid attractions, tram 42 and river cruises. It pays off only if you're visiting several paid sights a day; for transport alone it costs roughly eight times the 72-hour ticket, so skip it if you're mostly walking.
🚶 What you'll actually walk
Central Prague is compact. Old Town Square to Charles Bridge is under 10 minutes on foot, and Old Town, the Jewish Quarter, the bridge and Malá Strana all sit inside a 20-minute loop. The climb that catches people out is up to the castle from the river, roughly 15 to 20 minutes uphill.
Tired legs, take tram 22: it crosses the Vltava near the National Theatre and climbs right past the castle gates, doubling as the scenic ride and a genuine shortcut. It's normal transport for locals, not a tourist tram, so it runs on the same ticket as everything else.
🧳 Luggage storage in Prague
At Praha hlavní nádraží (main station)
České dráhy confirms self-service lockers in the station. Local listings put them at about CZK 60 (€2.50) a day for a standard locker and CZK 100 (€4) for a large one, open roughly 06:00 to 23:00. The operator doesn't publish the tariff online, so check the machine. If you're leaving from the main station anyway, this is the cheapest option in the city.
At the airport
Both terminals have an official baggage counter: Terminal 2's departure hall desk runs 24 hours, Terminal 1's arrival hall desk 06:00 to 22:00, card only. Expect roughly CZK 100 to 300 (€4 to €12) a day by bag size and confirm at the counter.
Shop networks
Radical Storage lists about 45 locations across Prague, including the main station, Wenceslas Square, Old Town, Charles Bridge, Malá Strana, the castle area and Florenc, from €3.90 a bag a day, with a €10,000 guarantee per bag and no size limits. Bounce and Nannybag work the same way; compare prices for your exact street. Florenc bus station has no official left-luggage office.
Which one wins
- 🚉 Leaving from the main station with a normal bag: the station locker, it's cheaper.
- 🧳 Checked out of a hotel in Old Town or Malá Strana: Radical Storage, because a locker at the station means a detour with your bag, and there's likely a spot a few minutes from your door.
- 📦 Big suitcase, pram or several bags: Radical Storage, since there's no locker size to squeeze into.
What a day of bag storage costs
- 🚉 Station locker, standard: about CZK 60 (€2.50)
- 🚉 Station locker, large: about CZK 100 (€4)
- ✈️ Airport counter: roughly CZK 100 to 300 (€4 to €12)
- 🧳 Radical Storage, per bag: from €3.90 (about CZK 95), 10% off through our link
🚕 Taxis and ride apps around town
Away from the airport, order through Bolt or Uber, not off the street: a short hop across the centre runs CZK 100 to 150 (€4 to €6), Bolt usually cheaper. To call a firm directly, AAA Taxi and Liftago dispatch metered cars. Taxis waiting outside stations and Old Town Square are the ones most likely to overcharge; walk a block away first.
🕐 Your first hour in Prague
- Buy a 90-minute PID ticket in the Lítačka app before leaving arrivals.
- Take trolleybus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín, or bus 100 to Zličín, then the metro.
- Drop spare bags at a station locker, or a Radical Storage spot near your hotel if it's too early to check in.
- Staying outside the centre? A 72-hour ticket saves money. Otherwise, buy singles in the app as you go.
- Walk the centre, and save tram 22 for tired legs.
❓ FAQ
Is there a train from Prague airport to the city centre?
No, not yet. Take trolleybus 59 or bus 100 to the metro, or the AE Airport Express to the main station. A rail link is planned but years away.
What does a Prague public transport ticket cost?
A 90-minute ticket is CZK 46 app or CZK 50 paper (about €2). A 72-hour ticket is CZK 340 (about €14).
Where can I store luggage in Prague?
The main station's lockers are cheapest if you're there anyway. Near your hotel or a sight, or with a big case, Radical Storage has about 45 spots from €3.90 a day, 10% off through our link above.
✅ Before you go
Buy tickets in the Lítačka app, take the trolleybus or bus in rather than waiting for a train that doesn't exist yet, and only buy the 72-hour ticket if you'll ride eight times or more.
For the wider trip, start with Prague Explained, check transport costs against Prague on a Budget, and once on foot, the Prague self-guided walking tour covers Old Town to the castle for €5.
