Getting Around: Mass Transit in Prague
Here's one for the transit nerds.
Americans, as a political group, have essentially chosen not to bother with public transportation. There are many, many social, economic, and political reasons for this, but the point remains, outside of maybe 10 major cities, mostly on the East Coast between Washington, DC and Boston, public transit in America is essentially limited to underfunded and unloved bus systems.
However, and thankfully, Prague is *not* in America. Like the rest of Europe, Prague--and the cities of the Czech Republic as a whole--invest in public transit to make it good, and because it's good, everyone uses it. Which means the constituency for keeping it good is...well, everyone. See how that works?
Public transit in Prague is handled by the PID, the Pražská integrovaná doprava (Prague Integrated Transit), which co-ordinates the various companies which operate the buses, trams, metro, trains, ferries (yes), and funicular (singular, and !) that constitute the system. The PID has a stated preference for rail-dependent modes of transportation: trains, metro, and trams. Buses are important, but they're mainly used to fill in the gaps where various rail transit can't go, or where they just haven't gone yet. Navigating the whole system is quite easy with IDOS, an app that will tell you how to get from anywhere in Prague to anywhere else in Prague at any time. It's a much better option that Google which, sometimes, is a bit hinky.
These slips of paper are at every stop, for every line that stops there. They list all the stops, with the one you're at underlined. The ones below are where it's headed; above, where it's been. If you need to go to one of those, find the corresponding stop going the other way which is usually--but not always--across the street on the same block or two. The second column is the times of arrival for that line on weekdays. The next is for Saturdays, and the last for Sundays. It seems very complicated, but it's quite easy to read once you know how to read it.
Americans, as a political group, have essentially chosen not to bother with public transportation. There are many, many social, economic, and political reasons for this, but the point remains, outside of maybe 10 major cities, mostly on the East Coast between Washington, DC and Boston, public transit in America is essentially limited to underfunded and unloved bus systems.
However, and thankfully, Prague is *not* in America. Like the rest of Europe, Prague--and the cities of the Czech Republic as a whole--invest in public transit to make it good, and because it's good, everyone uses it. Which means the constituency for keeping it good is...well, everyone. See how that works?
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| And this doesn't even include the buses... |
Public transit in Prague is handled by the PID, the Pražská integrovaná doprava (Prague Integrated Transit), which co-ordinates the various companies which operate the buses, trams, metro, trains, ferries (yes), and funicular (singular, and !) that constitute the system. The PID has a stated preference for rail-dependent modes of transportation: trains, metro, and trams. Buses are important, but they're mainly used to fill in the gaps where various rail transit can't go, or where they just haven't gone yet. Navigating the whole system is quite easy with IDOS, an app that will tell you how to get from anywhere in Prague to anywhere else in Prague at any time. It's a much better option that Google which, sometimes, is a bit hinky.
PID operates on the traditional European "proof-of-payment" model for fares. Essentially, you can either buy transit passes as needed (24 Kč for 30 minutes; 32 Kč for 90 minutes), or get passes that last for a full day or three days. There are also monthly passes, plus the Lítačka card, which can be used to buy passes annually. An annual pass costs just a bit more than 100 90 minutes passes bought individually, so most regular commuters use them. However, lots of Praguers still buy paper tickets, which must be validated when entering any bus, tram, or metro station. You can also get short-term tickets via SMS to your phone, which is kinda nice if you're not near a fare machine. The whole system is monitored by the transit police who do spot inspections. My most recent inspection was late last week (I had my card, so I was fine--two other guys on my bus weren't so lucky), but before that I had probably been checked once in six months. The fines are pretty steep--800 Kč--so it's best just to buy the damn ticket.
All above ground transit options are indicated by these red signs, which will show the trams that stop there (two digits), the buses that stop there (three digits), indicate the direction the tram/bus is going (straight, to the left or right) and include up-to-date schedules of all the lines that stop there. Seriously, if there is a disruption or change for even just a few days, there are people out changing the little paper schedules at every effected stop. So, for example, the 6, 18, and 22 trams stop at this spot and then go straight, while the 3 and 24 stop and then veer off to the right. The numbers on darker backgrounds are, appropriately, for night-time trams.
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| Oh my God! It's so complicated! |
These slips of paper are at every stop, for every line that stops there. They list all the stops, with the one you're at underlined. The ones below are where it's headed; above, where it's been. If you need to go to one of those, find the corresponding stop going the other way which is usually--but not always--across the street on the same block or two. The second column is the times of arrival for that line on weekdays. The next is for Saturdays, and the last for Sundays. It seems very complicated, but it's quite easy to read once you know how to read it.
PID also incorporates much of Central Bohemia, the area around Prague, using a zone system.
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| Sure--"simplified." |
The zone system is, quite frankly, a bit beyond me, but the gist is that you can get anywhere in the red zone in the middle (P, O, B) for one price using the tickets discussed above--that's essentially Prague. But, you can also go about 150 kilometers from one side of the outer zone to the other, all on PID using one card, though you'd pay much more for that.
As I mentioned above, most Praguers use either the metro, the tram, or the bus to get around.
The current Prague Metro system consists of three lines: the Green A line, the Yellow B line, and the Red C line, totalling 61 stations. It's quite small compared to the transit systems in many other major cities, but it's still one of the busiest in Europe, carrying over 1.5 million passengers a day. It's fast, safe, clean, efficient, and has relatively few problems. Moreover, its simplicity and ease of use--displays on all trains are shown in Czech and English--make it ideal for tourists and expats. A planned fourth line, the Blue D line, is slated to begin construction soon and connect the city center with its southern suburbs, crossing the Green and Red lines as it does so. Most of the city's major tourist sites and commercial centers are easily accessible via Metro, though its lack of transfer stations--all of which are closely clustered in the center--prevent it from fully replacing the tram lines.
Trams--what used to be called streetcars in America until they were all junked and the rails dug up in order to make room for all the cars--are the real backbone of Prague transit. The Prague tram network is the second busiest in the world, carrying just about a million riders a day on 25 tram lines (numbered 1-26, with 19 excluded because of reasons), and then 9 night-time trams (91-99, formerly 51-59).
The tram can definitely be crowded at times, and temperate control is...imperfect at best. Many newer trams have air conditioning--and Wi-Fi!--but older Czechs are suspicious of air conditioning (it makes you sick, you see), and so they will actually *open* windows on cool cars on hot days. Younger Czechs and expats will then close them, leading to a passive aggressive struggle over...window opening. The tram also suffers more from Prague's increased traffic than the metro does, since in many parts of the city, it shares street space and traffic lights with car and bus traffic. They can also be, well, smelly, especially in summertime. And, on the heavily tourist-y lines (the ones that go through the Old Town up to Prague Castle), pickpockets have been known to ply their trade.
However, most of the time--indeed, the vast majority of the time--the tram is a great and easy way to both get around and see the city. With 26 lines and hundreds of stop, almost the entire city is served by tram lines. The night tram, which operates after the metro closes at midnight, is the main way Prague's beer and party loving tourists get back to their hostels in the wee hours. As a result, I never, ever ride the night tram.
Buses are fine. People ride them. There are a lot of lines and they usually have three digits or an X at the beginning. Not much to say about them really. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In addition, most trains that operate inside the PID zone system are integrated, as well, so you can take a proper train across town as part of your commute, if that's easier.
However, and here's where things get a bit stranger, the PID also includes some ferries and a funicular (or an incline, if you're American). There are 6 ferry lines across the Vlatava, number 1-6, though only the 1 and 2 operate all year round; the others are seasonal.
Apparently, during certain trips, these ferries save time, but I have never made one of those trips. In fact, I don't think I know anyone who's taken the ferry except for the fun of taking the ferry. Still, cool!
Also cool...a funicular!
Starting at the base of the Petřín hill at the Újezd tram stop (lines 9, 12, 20, and 22), the electricity powered Petřín funicular rises 130 meters (425 feet), and makes one stop, before reaching its summit at the top of the hill, a popular summer destination with amusements, a park, and beautiful views of the city. I have never ridden it, though plenty of folks on YouTube have.
So, I think my next mission must be to ride the funicular up Petřín hill and report back to you about it.
And maybe ride a ferry or two.
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As I mentioned above, most Praguers use either the metro, the tram, or the bus to get around.
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| The nearest stop to my flat is "Želivského," towards the eastern end of the Green (A) metro. |
The current Prague Metro system consists of three lines: the Green A line, the Yellow B line, and the Red C line, totalling 61 stations. It's quite small compared to the transit systems in many other major cities, but it's still one of the busiest in Europe, carrying over 1.5 million passengers a day. It's fast, safe, clean, efficient, and has relatively few problems. Moreover, its simplicity and ease of use--displays on all trains are shown in Czech and English--make it ideal for tourists and expats. A planned fourth line, the Blue D line, is slated to begin construction soon and connect the city center with its southern suburbs, crossing the Green and Red lines as it does so. Most of the city's major tourist sites and commercial centers are easily accessible via Metro, though its lack of transfer stations--all of which are closely clustered in the center--prevent it from fully replacing the tram lines.
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| TRAMS! |
Trams--what used to be called streetcars in America until they were all junked and the rails dug up in order to make room for all the cars--are the real backbone of Prague transit. The Prague tram network is the second busiest in the world, carrying just about a million riders a day on 25 tram lines (numbered 1-26, with 19 excluded because of reasons), and then 9 night-time trams (91-99, formerly 51-59).
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| The Number 26 offers a great view of Prague Castle at various points. |
The tram can definitely be crowded at times, and temperate control is...imperfect at best. Many newer trams have air conditioning--and Wi-Fi!--but older Czechs are suspicious of air conditioning (it makes you sick, you see), and so they will actually *open* windows on cool cars on hot days. Younger Czechs and expats will then close them, leading to a passive aggressive struggle over...window opening. The tram also suffers more from Prague's increased traffic than the metro does, since in many parts of the city, it shares street space and traffic lights with car and bus traffic. They can also be, well, smelly, especially in summertime. And, on the heavily tourist-y lines (the ones that go through the Old Town up to Prague Castle), pickpockets have been known to ply their trade.
However, most of the time--indeed, the vast majority of the time--the tram is a great and easy way to both get around and see the city. With 26 lines and hundreds of stop, almost the entire city is served by tram lines. The night tram, which operates after the metro closes at midnight, is the main way Prague's beer and party loving tourists get back to their hostels in the wee hours. As a result, I never, ever ride the night tram.
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| The bus system is...a bus system. |
Buses are fine. People ride them. There are a lot of lines and they usually have three digits or an X at the beginning. Not much to say about them really. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
In addition, most trains that operate inside the PID zone system are integrated, as well, so you can take a proper train across town as part of your commute, if that's easier.
However, and here's where things get a bit stranger, the PID also includes some ferries and a funicular (or an incline, if you're American). There are 6 ferry lines across the Vlatava, number 1-6, though only the 1 and 2 operate all year round; the others are seasonal.
 |
| WORLD CLASS TRANSIT! Notice the red sign, like at a bus or tram stop. |
Apparently, during certain trips, these ferries save time, but I have never made one of those trips. In fact, I don't think I know anyone who's taken the ferry except for the fun of taking the ferry. Still, cool!
Also cool...a funicular!
 |
| Possibly the only method of mass transit that has a famous aria about it... |
Starting at the base of the Petřín hill at the Újezd tram stop (lines 9, 12, 20, and 22), the electricity powered Petřín funicular rises 130 meters (425 feet), and makes one stop, before reaching its summit at the top of the hill, a popular summer destination with amusements, a park, and beautiful views of the city. I have never ridden it, though plenty of folks on YouTube have.
So, I think my next mission must be to ride the funicular up Petřín hill and report back to you about it.
And maybe ride a ferry or two.
Become a Patron!
Good Post! Thank you so much for sharing this pretty post, it was so good to read and useful to improve my knowledge as updated one, keep blogging…
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