At a glance

  • In 2026, Prague’s short-term ticket prices differ between the app and paper tickets. App prices are 36 CZK for 30 minutes, 46 CZK for 90 minutes, 140 CZK for 24 hours, and 340 CZK for 72 hours.
  • Validate a paper ticket once, either when you first board or when entering the metro. Tickets bought from onboard machines are valid from the time of purchase and don’t need to be validated again.
  • The Airport Express and Petřín funicular are exceptions to the standard short-term tickets. Don’t confuse them with regular bus 59.

Get your ticket ready, then travel within its validity period

This diagram shows the sequence for buying a ticket, first use, transfers, and deciding when to head back. It is a concept diagram, not an actual Prague transit map. Before traveling, check real stops and service in the PID app or the official route planner.

PID Lítačka or a ticket machineBefore boarding First metro or tramValidity period begins Transfer between metro, trams, and city busesWhile time remains Next ticket or return tripCheck the end time
Travel sequence within the validity period This is a schematic for understanding the journey. It is not to scale and does not show actual elevation or road alignment.

See the travel guidance for each stop below.

  1. PID Lítačka or a ticket machine Before boarding

    App tickets are invalid for the first minute after activation. Activate yours early and make sure the screen shows it is valid before boarding or entering the subway paid area. Validate a paper ticket just once, when you first board a vehicle or enter the subway paid area.

    Open in Google Maps: PID Lítačka or a ticket machine

  2. First metro or tram Validity period begins

    The validity period shown on your ticket, such as 30 or 90 minutes, begins. Don’t validate the ticket again to restart the clock.

    Open in Google Maps: First metro or tram

  3. Transfer between metro, trams, and city buses While time remains

    As long as the ticket is still valid, you can transfer as many times as you like. Include time to walk through exits and to stops in your calculations.

    Open in Google Maps: Transfer between metro, trams, and city buses

  4. Next ticket or return trip Check the end time

    If the final leg may run past your ticket’s expiration, get another ticket before setting off. Airport Express (AE) and the Petřín funicular are exceptions to these short-term tickets.

    Open in Google Maps: Next ticket or return trip

This is not a map of actual routes, distances, or stop locations. Just before departure, check transfers for each location and replacement routes during construction in the official PID route planner.

Day by day

Suggested itinerary

See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.

A walking-focused day · before your first ride

If your plan is to walk around the Old Town and take the tram only for the castle hill, check the transfer and walking time between stops before your first ride, then choose a 30- or 90-minute ticket. App tickets are invalid for the first minute after activation, so activate yours early and make sure the screen shows it is valid before boarding or entering the subway paid area. Validate a paper ticket only once, when you board your first vehicle or enter the subway paid area.

A day visiting the castle and outer districts · morning through return

If your travel is spread across the day—for example, the castle hill in the morning, an outlying neighborhood in the afternoon, and a return to your accommodation in the evening—compare the total cost of individual tickets with the 24- and 72-hour passes. Don’t force your sightseeing to fit a ticket’s validity window. Check whether you can finish your rides, from the next boarding to the final stop, within the validity of a pass you already have. If it will expire during a ride, prepare a new ticket with enough validity before boarding.

A day with an airport transfer · plan separately from city sightseeing

List the first leg from the airport to your accommodation separately from your later city travel. Get the right ticket for the regular 59 bus; Airport Express has a separate fare. If you want to add the Petřín funicular, check its separate rules and whether service has resumed. If it’s not running, use another walking or tram route.

Places and meals

Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) Information Centre

At the airport and main station information desks, you can get help buying tickets and troubleshooting the app.

Google Maps
Muzeum station

A major transfer station where Lines A and C meet.

Google Maps

How to fit it in

A transit pass can noticeably reduce walking fatigue on days that include the castle hill and outer neighborhoods.

Reality check

Transport

Three metro lines connect with an extensive tram and bus network. At night, separate numbered night routes operate.

Time

Add 10–15 minutes to the time shown on the map to allow for transfers and walking to station exits.

Cost

For 30- and 90-minute tickets, check the validity period rather than the number of rides. A 24-hour pass costs 140 CZK in the app or 150 CZK on paper; a 72-hour pass costs 340 CZK in the app or 350 CZK on paper. Compare these with your actual travel time.

Safety

Fare evasion can result in a fine, so check the ticket’s purchase and activation details and when it expires.

If plans change

If the ticket machine isn’t working

Before traveling, get a valid ticket through the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) Lítačka app or an authorized sales point. Don’t board based on a guess about whether onboard payment is available on that route.

If your route is diverted

Check temporary stops on stop displays and in PID or DPP route searches, then use a metro segment as the backbone of a revised route.

Small tip

For each trip, count the elapsed time from the ticket’s start of validity through your final stop, including transfer waits and walking. Compare the total cost of the individual tickets you need with the price of a 24- or 72-hour pass.

Final check before departure

  • Choose the ticket type and validity period that fit your stay.
  • Have one practical way to buy tickets ready: the app, a ticket machine, or a sales point.
  • Before setting out, check for temporary stops and last departures affected by construction.

Information verified as of 2026-07-30. Includes PID 2026 fares. Prices and activation methods differ for app, paper, and SMS tickets. Check the official PID app on the day of travel for service hours and replacement transport during construction.

Information checked: 2026-07-30

Google Maps

Check the location on the map

Use Google Maps to review the location and nearby route. Recheck opening hours and prices with the official source before visiting.

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