Czech Republic

Prague: a free travel companion, and when to go and what flights really cost

A fairy-tale old town, best seen on foot. About 2 hours flying from the UK, direct (typical).

Prague is the capital of Czechia, built on both banks of the Vltava river. The old centre is compact, with a castle on the hill, a medieval square with an astronomical clock and the stone Charles Bridge in between. Most of the main sights are close enough to walk between.

A 3-day plan

A flexible outline: swap days around, and do less if you like. Many museums and markets close one day a week (often Sunday or Monday), so check the day you plan to go.

Day 1: Old Town and the river

• Start in Old Town Square and watch the astronomical clock on the Old Town Hall, where the figures of the apostles appear every hour from 8am to 11pm (Prague City Tourism).
• If you want a view, go up the Old Town Hall tower. The ticket is about 350 CZK for adults, and the lift costs about 100 CZK more. Tickets are half price in the first hour after opening (Prague City Tourism).
• Walk through the Jewish Quarter (Josefov). The Jewish Museum's synagogues are closed on Saturdays and Jewish holidays, so if day 1 is a Saturday, swap it with another day.
• Cross Charles Bridge on foot, ideally early or late in the day when it is less crowded.
• Finish with a walk along the river embankment in the evening.

Day 2: Prague Castle and the Lesser Town

• Take a tram up the hill to save the climb, then walk down later; keep bags closed, as the government warns about pickpockets on trams to the castle.
• The castle grounds are open daily from 6am to 10pm; you only need a ticket to go inside the buildings, such as St Vitus Cathedral and the Old Royal Palace. St Vitus opens at noon on Sundays, after services. The castle sometimes closes early or shuts single buildings for state events, so check the castle's current closures page before you go.
• Watch the changing of the guard at the gates; the bigger ceremony with fanfare is at noon in the First Courtyard (Prague City Tourism).
• From March to October, the Prague Castle Gardens are free to walk around. They are closed from November to February.
• Walk down through the Lesser Town (Malá Strana) to Petřín Hill. The funicular costs 100 CZK on paper (90 CZK in the app); it is free with a 24-hour or 72-hour ticket, but 30- and 90-minute tickets are not valid on it (PID).

Day 3: Vyšehrad and the New Town

• Take metro line C to Vyšehrad, an old hilltop fort whose park is open all year and has views over the river.
• See the national cemetery and the Basilica of Sts Peter and Paul; the basilica charges for entry (about 130 CZK for adults) and is closed to sightseers during masses.
• Walk down to the river. On Saturday mornings from February to December there is a farmers' market on the Rašín Embankment (Náplavka); if you want to see it, make this your Saturday.
• End at Wenceslas Square and the National Museum at its top end, open daily 10am to 6pm.

Free and cheap

• Walking across Charles Bridge and around Old Town Square costs nothing.
• The courtyards of Prague Castle are free to walk through; you only pay to go inside the buildings (Prague Castle visitor rules).
• The Prague Castle Gardens are free from March to October and closed from November to February.
• The Vyšehrad park is open all year with river views, and walking around it is free.
• The Petřín Gardens, including the Rose Garden, are a large park on the hill above the Lesser Town.
• Rieger Gardens (Riegrovy sady) in Vinohrady has open meadows with a view over Prague.
• The astronomical clock's hourly show is free to watch from the square.

If it rains

• The National Museum on Wenceslas Square has natural history and Czech history displays and is open daily.
• The Jewish Museum looks after several historic synagogues; one ticket covers its sites (closed Saturdays and Jewish holidays).
• St Vitus Cathedral and the castle buildings are indoors and covered by the castle circuit ticket; the cathedral opens at noon on Sundays.
• The Old Town Hall has a tower with a lift (about 100 CZK extra) and guided tours of the historic rooms, which also cost extra.

Food and drink

Cheap

Bakeries and buffets sell chlebíčky, small open sandwiches that are a common Czech snack. The Saturday farmers' market on the Rašín Embankment (February to December) has pastries, cheese and seasonal produce.

Mid-range

Traditional beer halls and pubs serve big plates of Czech food with local beer. Places around Old Town Square and the main tourist routes can cost more than those a few streets away or in areas like Vinohrady.

Treat

For a special meal, book ahead and check the menu and prices online first; set tasting menus can be expensive.

Dishes to try

Svíčková (beef in a creamy vegetable sauce with dumplings), guláš (a meaty stew, usually with bread dumplings), smažený sýr (fried cheese, a common vegetarian choice) and chlebíčky. Trdelník, the sugary rolled pastry sold in the centre, is popular with visitors but is a recent arrival in Prague, not an old Prague tradition.

Areas to explore

Old Town (Staré Město)

The medieval heart around Old Town Square. Very central and lively, but crowded and pricier.

Lesser Town (Malá Strana)

Baroque streets below the castle on the other side of the river. Pretty and walkable, with hills and cobbles.

New Town (Nové Město)

Around Wenceslas Square and the National Museum. Busy shopping streets and good metro links.

Vinohrady

A quieter, leafy area just east of the centre with parks such as Rieger Gardens. A calmer base, a short metro or tram ride in.

From the airport

Trolleybus 59 + metro

Trolleybus 59 runs from in front of Terminals 1 and 2 to Nádraží Veleslavín in about 15 minutes, where you change to metro line A into the centre. One 90-minute ticket covers both: 46 CZK in the PID Lítačka app or 50 CZK on paper. Buy before boarding at the machines or the PID counters in the arrivals halls (Terminal 1 counter 7am to 9pm, Terminal 2 9am to 9pm), or in the app; Prague City Tourism says contactless cards are also accepted on line 59. Keep bags closed on the bus and metro from the airport (FCDO). (source for Trolleybus 59 + metro (opens in a new tab))

Airport Express bus (AE)

Runs straight to the Main Railway Station (Hlavní nádraží) in about 40 minutes, every 20 to 30 minutes, early morning to late evening. It stops at Terminal 1 only. Adults 200 CZK, children 6 to 15 100 CZK, under 6 free, luggage free; pay the driver, including by contactless card. Check times and fares on the official page before you travel. (source for Airport Express bus (AE) (opens in a new tab))

Official taxi (Uber Airport)

The airport's official taxi service picks up in front of the arrivals halls at both terminals. Book in the Uber app, at a kiosk (card only) or at the counter; the price is shown before you book. Use this rather than hailing a car in the street. (source for Official taxi (Uber Airport) (opens in a new tab))

Getting around

The centre is best seen on foot, with trams and the metro for longer hops. One ticket works on trams, buses and the metro; a 30-minute ticket is 36 CZK in the app and 39 CZK on paper, and a 24-hour ticket is 140 CZK in the app (PID fares; check pid.cz before you go). On trams you can buy a ticket with a contactless card at the machine by the middle door; paper tickets from machines must be stamped once when you first use them. Children under 15 and people aged 65 and over travel free in Prague, but must carry ID showing their age (from age 10 for children). Carry your passport at all times: it is a legal requirement in Czechia (FCDO).

Getting about with limited mobility

• Most metro stations now have lifts, and more than half of the trams are low-floor; a wheelchair symbol in the timetable marks a low-floor service (Prague City Tourism).
• The castle's visitor buildings have step-free entrances, but its towers and the Golden Lane defence corridor are not accessible (Prague City Tourism).
• The Old Town Hall tower has a lift (about 100 CZK extra), but the historic rooms inside are not step-free.
• The Petřín funicular is not wheelchair accessible (PID).
• Much of the old centre is on cobbles, and the castle and Petřín sit on steep hills, so allow extra time and wear comfortable shoes.

General notes from official sources, not a guarantee. Check step-free routes with the operators.

Rough local costs

• Public transport: 90-minute ticket 46 CZK in the app or 50 CZK on paper; 24-hour ticket 140 CZK in the app (PID fares, checked 20 Oct 2026).
• In mid-2025 a cup of coffee in Prague averaged about 65 CZK, less in pubs (Czech Radio, June 2025); expect a little more now.
• Prague Castle main circuit ticket: 450 CZK for adults, valid for two days (Prague Castle price list, checked 20 Oct 2026).
• National Museum: about 360 CZK for adults (Prague City Tourism, checked 20 Oct 2026).
• Change money only at banks or proper exchange offices, never in the street (FCDO).

Approximate, from the sources named, and separate from flight prices.

Official information

• Official tourist information (opens in a new tab)
• Public transport (PID) (opens in a new tab)
• Prague Airport: buses to the city (opens in a new tab)
• Prague Castle: current closures (opens in a new tab)
• Accessible transport in Prague (opens in a new tab)
• FCDO travel advice (opens in a new tab)

Real return flight prices to Prague

The cheapest return flight, per person, that travellers found for each month they would leave in, of any trip length (the small number is the nights). Lowest seen: £45 for 10 nights, from London, leaving 11 November 2026.

Swipe the table sideways for more cities →

From Travelpayouts: prices travellers found on flight sites in the last two weeks, asked 19 October 2026, 22:30 UTC. Not live seats: prices change, and bags are usually extra. A dash means we have no recent fare for that month, not that there are no flights. Flights only: hotels are separate, and you book and pay with the seller.

How hot is Prague?

It does not usually reach 26°. Warmest in July, at about 25°.

Typical highs, a rough guide typed in by hand, not a forecast.

Before you go

Check the UK government's travel advice for Czech Republic: gov.uk foreign travel advice. It covers entry rules, safety and health.

Fly to Prague

See the cheapest month to fly from your airport, then today's price on Aviasales, a flight search site, where you book with the seller. See flights to Prague