How to Use Public Transport in the Czech Republic
You’re visiting the Czech Republic, and you’re tired of walking or taking cabs everywhere. You see buses, trains and trams. You’ve gone to the station, but everything is written in Czech. You can’t understand the machines and how they work. You’re afraid of getting lost in a foreign town and getting stranded. Read on for some tips on how to use public transport in the Czech Republic.
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Instructions
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Buses and Trams
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Visit the online Public Transport Schedules (see Resources below), and find out the closest tram or bus stop. (You will fill out a form similar to the one in the diagram.) When you enter the name of the station, stop or city (for example, Malostranska or Praha) you do not have to use the Czech diacritical marks.
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Note if there are any connections from one tram or bus to another on a different line. Your search results will display all the connections available for your route.
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Look up the arrival time for your bus on the bus schedule that is posted at every tram and bus stop. Obtain your ticket using one of the three methods outlined below.
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Buy a ticket from the bright yellow machine, which is available at every tram and bus stop. Push the button for your desired length of time that you want your ticket to be valid (10 minutes, 40 minutes and so on). The slot on the right-hand side will open. Put in the correct coin amount indicated. Wait for your ticket to be printed and pull it from the machine.
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Buy a ticket from a Tabak (a small booth selling magazines and cigarettes at tram and bus stops. Ask the person behind the counter for a “listek” or “jizdenka” (ticket) “na autobus/na tramvaj.” You can write your desired length of time (10 minutes, 40 minutes and so on). You may also obtain and pay for your ticket from the bus driver once you get onto the bus.
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Have your ticket stamped when you get on the bus or tram. To do this, locate the small yellow boxes on the pole right next to the door. Just push the ticket into the slot until you hear the stamp.
Trains
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Find out the train times and the location of your nearest station from the online Public Transport Schedules (see Resources below). You will fill out a form similar to the one in the diagram.
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Get your ticket at the main train station in each town. If the ticket attendant does not speak English, you can write down the name of the place you want to go and the time (in military hours). “Jizdenka” is the Czech word for ticket.
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Specify either “cesta tam” (one-way) or “cesta tam a zpet” (round trip) when you pay. Keep your ticket handy once you catch your train.
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Keep your ticket handy once you catch your train at the platform.
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Tips & Warnings
Most public transportation only runs once an hour after midnight.
Make sure you stamp your ticket on buses or trams. They have ticket inspectors (revizors) who ride incognito, and will show you a small badge. If you don’t have a stamp, or a ticket, you can be fined from 500 to 1,000 crowns.
