House numbers mystery and other Prague, Czech Republic Transportation Tips

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: On the picture house on the left has postal adress "Ovocny trh 535/15" and on the right "Ovocny trh 967/17". Huh?

Do you see number 967/17 - no. Street names are written on the red shields, but house numbers in the street - on blue ones (15 and 17 in this case). IGNORE the RED numbers! These are building numbers in real estate registry - important for house owners and City Magistrate clerks.

So if your hotel reservation says something like "Ovocny trh 535/15, Praha 1", look for street "Ovocny trh" and then folow the blue numbers untill you find No 15.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Prague has so called "integrated transportation system". This means that the same tickets are valid for all kinds of public transportation - metro, trams and buses.

There are 3 metro lines, 26 daytime and 9 night tram lines and many bus lines.
Metro lines are A, B and C,
Tram day lines are numbered 1 - 26, night lines ahave numbers 51-59 (interval 30 minutes),
Bus lines 100 - 499, night buses 500-

Hold firm after entering metro/bus/tram - they go abruptly and fast!!

From January 1st, 2008 prices are as follows:
**Basic ticket (unlimited transfers, 75 minutes after stamped- 90 minutes after 20:00 and on weekends)-- 26 CZK (less than 1 EUR),
**Limited transfer options ticket
For trams and buses: valid for 20 min. from validation, with no transfer options.
For metro: valid for 5 stations (excl. boarding station; transfer station is counted as a single station). Travel time must not exceed 30 min. after validation ) -- 18 CZK
**24 hours (1 day )-- 100 CZK
**3 days (72 hours)-- 330 CZK
**5 days (120 hours)-- 500 CZK.

All tickets validity is counted from the actual time printed on the ticket when validated.

Unfortunately, 7 and 14 days passes which were even better value are not available anymore. :-(

You can look up connection or find detailed schedule for each stop as well as prices for tickets using web page http://www.dpp.cz/

Connection search will give you several options from one stop to another (use "Terminal 1" or "Terminal 2" for Airport)

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.dpp.cz/

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: Prague now has two terminals for regular air trafic: Terminal 1 (non-Schengen flights) and Terminal 2 (Schengen countries flights). Earlier these terminals were called SEVER 1, SEVER 2.
Old Terminal 3 is used for some charters and VIP flights.

Terminals 1 and 2 are inter- connected, but have separate public transportation stops in front of each.

Best choice of bus: N 119 to metro A "Dejvicka" - most frequent, but many stops and usually very crowded (at least 30 min to metro).

N100 - express bus to Metro B "Zlicin" - faster (15 min to metro).

"Airport express" (AE) goes directly to Holesovice railway station where metro C is available. This bus is not part of city transportation system - special tickets (45 CZK) should be bought from driver when entering the bus trough the front door. It can be included into the price of your Railway ticket - check this option when buying the ticket for the train.

At night there is hourly bus No 510 leaving airport at XX:55. Several points to change to night trams are available.

Warning! Latest "Anti- smoking" law forbids to smoke on the Public Transport stops (even when it is just a sign on the street without clear indication where the stop "end" is) - you can be fined by a passing Police officer.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Terminal 1 (Gates A, B- non-Schengen flights) - earlier these terminal was called SEVER 1.

Terminals 1 and 2 are inter- connected, but have separate public transportation stops in front of each.

When leaving customs area look for Public Transport Info booth on the right (Metro - Tram- Bus is written on it) here you can buy all kinds of tickets.

After leaving the building cross the "street" to the bus terminal. There is a ticket vending machine, but it accepts only coins!

Note that "Airport Express" (has AE written on the bus but no line number) to Holesovice railway station (and Metro C) is not part of the City bus lines, it has special higher pricing and own tickets (45 CZK).

Warning: When coming from the city buses do not approach building and stop under the bridge, so you have walk to the departure hall from there.

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.toandfromtheairport.com/czechrepublic.html
Other Contact: www.dpp.cz, www.prg.aero

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Terminal 2 -- Schengen zone flights (Gates C, D).

Terminals 1 and 2 are very close and inter- connected, but have separate public transportation stops in front of each.

When leaving customs area look for Public Transport Info booth on the left (Metro - Tram- Bus is written on it) here you can buy all kinds of tickets.

After leaving the building cross ONE "street" to the bus terminal under the bridge (green boards point to it).

There are three platforms next to each other, the bus assignment now is:

Platform A (first one when coming from terminal) No 119 and 510 (night line).

Platform C (at the end) is for buses ARRIVING from the city - do not run after N 119 or 100 stopping there!

Platform B is used by all other buses to the city, including N 100. See note about "Airport Express" in the other tip.
Above it there is an electronic board showing "on-line" departure times of buses and terminals they use.

When coming from the city bus first stops for Terminal 1 and then for Terminal 2. Don't be disturbed by 1 or 2 passengers not leaving the bus - they are airport employees going to the next (last) stop away from terminals.

While the bus takes you to the lower (arrival) level, taxi goes via the bridge directly to upper departure level.

Leave a Comment

Website: www.prg.aero

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Prague has one of the best night public transportation systems I have seen anywhere.

Night transportation has the same schedule all week. There are some changes on special occasions - like New Year. From September 2008 some bus routes are changed!

Metro is not running during the night (0:10 - 5:00).
Trams N 51 - 59 have 30 min intervals.
Buses N 5XX have 60 min intervals, N 504, 505, 508, 510, 511 and 512 have 30 min intervals.
Buses N 6XX have special schedules - check for each route.

Night trams/buses start around 0:30 at night (depends on your location), change to "day" is around 4:30 - 5:00

Night trams have special "meeting point" - "Lazarska" stop. There cars meet and wait for around 5 minutes so that people can change to other line they need. Then at once leave to all directions. Since there are 9 tram lines, system is optimized in such way that half of the lines leave "Lazarska" at X:00 and X:30 hours and the second half - at X:15 and X:45. If you are lucky and have two lines going along "your" street - most likely you will have one of the trams passing each 15 minutes.

The buses take over from trams at the outskirts of the city. Usually bus is leaving several minutes after the tram arrival.

If you have late arrival to airport you can take night bus N 510 (leaves 0:00, 0.30 1:00 ... to 4:00) and then change to the trams 51 ("Divoka Sarka" stop), 57 or bus 502 ("Vypich" stop) for Eastern side of the city - or go to the central part of the city where you can catch any night tram.

Also if you need to get to the airport early, you can use night lines to go there. I strongly suggest to use http://www.dpp.cz to find the best route and timetables because depending on the travel time you might need to combine "night" and "day" lines.

Map of the night lines is here: http://www.dpp.cz/download-file/1916/nocni_doprava_srpen_2008_1.pdf

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.ropid.cz/en/e-pdf/e-noc1.pdf
Other Contact: http://www.dpp.cz

'Mode': TO
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: There is a bus company named "Student Agency" - it is for everybody - don't mind the name.

It offers good service from/to Prague for very good prices to several cities in France, Germany, Austria, Ukraine, Slovakia and some other countries.

They have 4 services each day to/from Vienna (also directly to airport) from Brno. Unfortunately they now have canceled 2 buses from Prague, leaving only two, but is still possible to make connection in Brno.

Problem is - www pages with the detailed info http://www.studentagency.cz only in Czech langage.
Also you can use http://www.studentagencybus.com/ (run by Hungarian branch) for info on routes and tickets in English language.

New on-line ticketing server: http://zluty.cz/online/Booking

When in Prague - use box office in Florenc Bus Terminal.

Authorised offices selling the tickets in Vienna:
ČEDOK Reisebüro G.m.b.H., Parkring 10, A - 1010 Wien , +43 151 243 72
Global Bridge, Heinestr. 40, +43 121 271 11

If you are in Germany - contact these offices for information.

BERLIN
SATUR Reisebüro, GmbH
Karl-Marx-Allee 136, tel.: +49 30 429 41 13

ZOB Reisebürov GmbH
Masurenallee 4-6, tel.: +49 30 30 10 380

BREMEN
Agentur Grajan
Bahnhofsplatz 15, +49 421 157 00

OST-WEST Reisebüro am ZOB
Breitenweg 25, tel.: +49 421 169 17 60

DÜSSELDORF
Reisebüro STAN Travel
Im Hauptbahnhof am Gleisaufgang 19/20, tel.: +49 211 500 88 20

Verkaufsstand an Worringer Strasse
(Reisebüro STAN Travel), tel.: +49 211 388 35 37

GEORGSMARIENHÜTTE
GRATUS REISEN
Klöcknerstr. 2, tel.: +49 5401 36 37 07

HAMBURG
Gullivers Reisen - Marek Kowalski
Adenauerallee 74 (ZOB), tel.: +49 40 253 289 78

GEORGSMARIENHÜTTE
GRATUS Reisen
Klöcknerstr. 2, +49 540 136 37 07

HAMBURG
Lorek
Adenauerallee 74 (ZOB), +49 402 532 89 78

MANNHEIM
Chopin Tourist - Reisebüro Kajzer
Tattersallstr. 12, tel.: +49 621 400 66 80

MÜNCHEN
BAVARIA Reisedienst GbR
Arnulfstr. 20, +49 895 507 77 57

Holland
OOSTWAARTS, Graafseweg 274, 6532 ZV Nijmegens, +31 243 739 350

England
London Express (coach link) ltd.
Unit 12 Colonnade Walk
123 Buckingham Palace Road
SW1W9SH London
+44 207 828 1001, +44 796 644 8649

Italy
EUROBOOKING SRL
Via Torrione 91/93, 841 27 Salerno, +39 089 795 068

Leave a Comment

Phone: 841 101 101
Website: http://www.studentagencybus.com/
Other Contact: http://zluty.cz/online/Booking

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Be aware that tram routes during spring - summer - autumn are often changed due some reconstruction or repairs of the rails. Especially during July- September period. Sometimes it is just for a couple of days, but sometimes for 3-6 months (usually due some bridge or big street reconstruction). So if you compare the actual route with that marked on the printed city map you can be unpleasantly surprised.

Notice YELLOW background on schedules on the billboard - that means tram has some route change. Often special posters are put inside the trams or at metro stops to draw attention to temporary changes, including list of affected tram/bus lines and a map.

Trams with number starting with 3 (31-39) are special temporary "substitute" lines which are set up differently each time. Also buses X-nn (where nn usually is the number of tram line which was substituted) are set up to service areas where trams are not available. Usually big map of the affected area is posted at the stops where you have to change from "normal" to "substitute" line.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: There are several electronic map pages but this one has advantage of public transportation informations. Unfortunately, all the pages are in Chech.

In address search line enter the information. Important- use "Praha" for Prague!

Click on "Hledat" (=search). Location will be shown by big red cross. Software might ask to select from the list of adresses. On the map you will see metro, tram and bus lines and stops (see my other tip on numbering) as well as Rail and Intercity Bus terminals. If you point mouse to small green sign "MHD" small box will show name of public transportation stop and offer connection search (Odkud= From, Kam=To, Hledat Spoj= Search for connection), use "Letiste" for "Airport".

Leave a Comment

Website: http://supermapy.centrum.cz/

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Prague tourist information office (Rytířská 31) started pilot project, which could be extended if successful.

At the office for a 600 CZK (around 20 EUR) you can rent a GPS navigator for 24 hours. They claim it will be loaded with informations regarding attractions, restaurants and other useful info. You will be able to build the route of your individual "tour" and the navigator will guide you trough it.

I am not related to the Office , did not use this service.

Leave a Comment