Prague airport, unlike the airports in many different cities of the world, was not built very far from the city itself. This had a very prosaic reason: the construction site was open in July 1932 at the height of the Great depression, with a goal to provide work to a large amount of people – most of the workers were either from Prague or its close vicinity, and thus the location was chosen closer to the city. Quite luckily, and despite the fact that the city grew much larger within the past eight decades, the airport ground was projected so generously, that it could have been enlarged without problems to comply even with today‘s air traffic. Therefore it does not take you much time nor money to get from the airport to the centre of Prague.
Public transport (Bus and Subway)
There are a few possibilities you can use: first of all, let us mention the Prague public transport. There is a regular bus connection between the airport and the closest metro (undreground) station: buses number 119 ride in short periods and the ride to the metro station Veleslavín takes circa 15-20 minutes, depending on the traffic. The metro – line A – takes you to the centre within a few minutes – no matter if you head for the Old Town of Prague, or Lesser Town. The cost of the public transport is also the cheapest of our choices: it costs you 32 Czech crowns – the value of one 90 minutes ticket. Tickets are obtainable in some airport Newspaper or Tobacco stands or automatic ticket machines. You have to pay with Czech crowns. The only disadvantage of this relatively fast connection are crowds: when there are several planes arriving at the same time, the buses as well as the metro cars are packed with people and you have to prepare yourself for balancing among your and other people´s luggage, feet and bodies. The journey can prove a little difficult, if you are travelling with more than one single luggage.
Direct bus connection – Airport Express
Prague city offers also another bus connection to the centre: a so called Airport Express. This is a line that goes from the Airport straight to the Main Railway Station – Hlavní nádraží. It does not go very often – the intervals might be 20-30 minutes, and the cost for one adult person is 60 crowns, but the way is relatively fast and smooth, stopping nowhere inbetween. If your final destination is in a walking distance from the Main Train station, this is definitely the best means to use.
Taxi
The taxi service belongs certainly to the fastest travel options, but the foreigners coming to Prague should be cautios when it comes to paying: the taxi drivers in Prague are notoriously infamous and you might get ripped off. The standard price of a taxi drive to the centre should be about 600 CZK, depending on your exact destination.
Christmas Markets in Prague
Another option are various private transport companies, providing a wide range of transport and vehicles, from cars to small or larger buses. This is a service that should be booked beforehand. Larger hotels offer their own transport services, just as the transport service of hotel Rott. The service usually includes the driver waiting for you in the airport hall, helping you with your luggage, and as the journey from the airport to Hotel Rott passes along some of the city main sights, such as Prague Castle, it comprises usually an introductional city tour that gives you the basic idea about the directions and distancies for visiting the city. Serviced by luxury cars of high standards, your first image of Prague will be comfortable and pleasant experience, commented certainly in English. Although this option is one of the most expensive ones – the guaranteed cost of the airport transfer is 890 CZK, it finally gives you much more: spare time and energy to visit the city, information and last but not least also a pleasant and heartful welcome to Prague!