Václav Havel Airport Prague (LKPR/PRG)
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague Airline Crew Layover Guide
Reviewed by Captain AL
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The PRG crew card
| Fastest into town | Trolleybus 59 from outside the terminal to Nadrazi Veleslavin on metro A: 17 minutes on the trolleybus, running every 3 to 10 minutes, then the metro into the centre. The transport authority puts the whole airport to city centre trip at about 35 minutes |
|---|---|
| Night option | The metro runs approximately 5:00 a.m. to midnight. Night buses 907 and 910 serve the airport between 22:00 and 5:00, calling at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and the Airport Express to the main railway station runs around the clock, every 60 minutes at night |
| Payments | Buy the ticket before you board. A 90 minute Prague ticket is CZK 50 on paper or CZK 46 in the PID Litacka app, and the transport authority quotes CZK 50 as the fare for lines 59, 100, 907 and 910. The CZK 39 thirty minute ticket is too short for the bus plus metro run, which the same authority puts at about 35 minutes |
| Tap water | Safe to drink |
| Emergency | 112 (Czech national emergency numbers plus Prague city services) · non-emergency +420 222 02 5000 |
| Solo & at night | The city sets a regulated maximum of CZK 60 to board, CZK 36 per kilometre, and CZK 7 per minute of waiting, and states that a driver who demands more or refuses to issue a receipt is most likely a fraudster. The airport’s taxi counters shut at 9 p.m., so after that order in the app rather than taking a car off the kerb. Night buses 907 and 910 call at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 until 5:00 |
| Crew knows | The ticket counters in the arrival halls close at 9 p.m., a full hour before the night buses start running. Land after that and the PID Litacka app or an SMS is what is left, so buy while you are still inside the terminal rather than at the stop. |
| Crew deals | Verified car rental and hotel rates for airline staff: on this page, right below this guide. |
airlinecrewdiscount.net · PRG crew card · Checked Sep 2026 · Next check Dec 2026 · Screenshot this card for offline
Every number on this page comes from an official source. Where no official source gives a number, we say so instead of guessing.
How do I get from Prague Airport into the city, and which ticket do I need?
There is no metro or train station at the airport. Everything runs on rubber tyres for the first leg: a short trolleybus or bus ride to a metro terminus, or the separate Airport Express coach straight to the main railway station. The first two sit inside the normal Prague fare system, the coach does not. The Airport Express no longer stops in front of Prague Main Station. Its drop-off and boarding stop are now in Opletalova, past the Jeruzalemska junction, until about November.
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| Mode | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trolleybus 59 to Nadrazi Veleslavin, then metro A | 17 minutes on the trolleybus; the transport authority puts the whole airport to city centre trip at about 35 minutes every 3 to 10 minutes |
CZK 50 for a 90 minute ticket on paper, CZK 46 in the PID Litacka app, CZK 55 by SMS | This is the quickest way in. The route runs Nadrazi Veleslavin, Divoka Sarka, Nova Sarka, Dedina, K Letisti, Terminal 3, Na Padesatniku, U Hangaru, Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Letiste. Trolleybus 59 replaced the old 119 bus on 6 March 2024, so ignore any 119 signage or older advice. Buy before you board; stops are directly in front of the arrival lounges of both terminals. |
| Bus 100 to Zlicin, then metro B | 16 minutes on the bus; the transport authority puts the whole airport to city centre trip at about 45 minutes every 10 to 20 minutes |
CZK 50 for a 90 minute ticket on paper, CZK 46 in the PID Litacka app, CZK 55 by SMS | Route is Zlicin, K Letisti, Terminal 3, U Hangaru, Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Letiste. Zlicin is the western end of metro B, so this is the better choice only if your hotel sits on the B line. Same ticket as line 59. |
| Airport Express coach to Prague Main Railway Station | about 40 minutes, and the transport authority’s own page allows about 45 every 20 to 30 minutes by day and every 60 minutes at night, running around the clock |
CZK 200 adult, CZK 100 for children 6 to 15, free under 6 | Ordinary Prague tickets are not valid on this coach and the ticket is single use on this line only. Watch the direction, because the two are not the same: heading into the city the coach leaves from the Letiste and Terminal 1 stops and does not call at Terminal 2, so from a Schengen arrival at Terminal 2 walk to Terminal 1 first. Heading back out it calls at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 to set down only. In the city it stops at Hlavni nadrazi, which puts you at the metro C station and the national and international train platforms. Buy from the driver, who takes cards, or at the transit information centres in the arrival halls of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, open daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Worth the CZK 200 only if you are catching a train or want a single seat with luggage space; otherwise line 59 is a quarter of the price. |
| Night buses 907 and 910 | line 910 is 45 to 50 minutes from I. P. Pavlova in the centre depending on which official timing you read, 73 minutes end to end, so allow 50; line 907 is 40 minutes from Namesti Republiky, 78 minutes end to end line 910 every 30 minutes, line 907 every 60 minutes |
CZK 50 for a 90 minute ticket on paper, CZK 46 in the PID Litacka app, the same fare as the daytime lines | Night service only, between 22:00 and 5:00, which is exactly the gap the metro leaves. Line 910 runs via I. P. Pavlova, Karlovo namesti and Divoka Sarka; line 907 runs via Andel, Hlavni nadrazi, Namesti Republiky, Hradcanska and Borislavka. Both call at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Sort the ticket out before you walk to the stop: the airport ticket counters close at 9 p.m., so at night buy in the PID Litacka app or by SMS, the two channels the airport lists that work at any hour. The transit operator also states that terminals which sell and validate a ticket on the spot sit in all trams, city buses and metro stations, so keep a contactless card in your hand as well. |
| Taxi and Uber | metered, and the City of Prague caps regulated taxi fares at CZK 60 to board, CZK 36 per kilometre, and CZK 7 per minute of waiting; Uber is app-priced and the airport publishes no flat rate | Uber is the airport’s official taxi service. Pick-up points are directly in front of the arrival halls of Terminals 1 and 2, you can order at self-service kiosks or at staffed counters open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and you get a six-digit PIN to give the driver after you board. The city’s own guidance is blunt: a driver who wants more than the capped rates or refuses to issue a receipt is most likely a fraudster. |
Which parts of Prague are worth the trip in from the airport?
Stare Mesto and the Old Town Square: The astronomical clock, the Charles Bridge approach, and the tightest crowds in the city; the first-visit walk and the shortest one.
Mala Strana and Prague Castle: The uphill side of the river, castle grounds and baroque lanes, best reached by tram rather than on tired legs.
Nove Mesto and Wenceslas Square: The commercial spine running down to the main railway station, where the Airport Express drops you and where most chain hotels sit.
Vinohrady: Leafy residential blocks east of the centre with the cafe and restaurant density but none of the tour groups.
Karlin and Holesovice: Former industrial districts north and east of the core, now the gallery and craft beer end of town, a metro hop from the centre.
How much of Prague fits in the hours I have?
Under 5 hours: Stay airside. The Wi-Fi is free, the relax zones are open around the clock, and Terminal 2 has free showers, which beats spending the window on a bus. Passport control on the way back does not sit comfortably inside a short layover.
5 to 9 hours: One clean move works: trolleybus 59 to Nadrazi Veleslavin, metro A to a single stop in the centre, the Old Town on foot, and back the same way. Fix your return time before you leave the platform and remember the last metro is around midnight.
9 hours plus: A full city run is realistic: the Old Town, one district beyond it such as Mala Strana or Vinohrady, and a proper sit-down meal. If the evening runs past midnight, night buses 907 and 910 cover the airport until 5:00 on the same ticket.
What should I know before I leave Prague Airport?
Which ticket to buy, and buy it first: The airport tells you plainly: buy the ticket before you board. At the airport that means the transit information centres in the arrival halls of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which sell everything, daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., including 30 and 90 minute tickets, 24 and 72 hour tickets, and Airport Express tickets. Buy the 90 minute ticket at CZK 50 on paper or CZK 46 in the PID Litacka app; the transport authority quotes CZK 50 as the fare for lines 59, 100, 907 and 910. The CZK 39 thirty minute ticket is too short for a bus plus metro run the same authority puts at about 35 minutes. Outside counter hours the app and SMS still work, and the transit operator states that terminals which sell and validate a ticket on the spot sit in all trams, city buses and metro stations, at the same price.
Your crew bags travel free, and what does not: Luggage up to 25 x 45 x 70 cm rides free, and you may carry up to three such pieces totalling no more than 50 kg. A cabin-size crew roller and a flight bag both sit inside that box, so a normal crew set costs you nothing extra. It is the checked-size case above it that needs its own luggage ticket at CZK 25, or CZK 23 in the app, valid as long as your own ticket but never more than 180 minutes, and nothing over 50 x 60 x 80 cm may be carried at all. With a 24 hour, 72 hour, or season ticket you carry one piece of large luggage free, which only starts to pay off over more than one return trip: a single airport return with one large bag costs CZK 150 either way on paper, and in the app the day ticket is the dearer of the two.
The taxi price cap, and your right to a receipt: The City of Prague regulates the maximum fare: at most CZK 60 to board, at most CZK 36 per kilometre, and CZK 7 per minute of waiting. The city states that a driver who demands more, or who refuses to issue a receipt, is most likely a fraudster, and tells you not to pay and to call the municipal police on 156. Ask for the receipt every time, before you pay. Uber is the airport’s official taxi service if you would rather have the price fixed in the app before you get in, with pick-up in front of the arrival halls and a six-digit PIN to confirm the car.
Changing money without being fleeced: Czechia keeps its own currency, so you will be offered exchange constantly. The Czech National Bank gives you a hard right here: you may cancel an exchange transaction free of charge and without giving a reason within three hours of making it, at the same bureau, for up to the equivalent of EUR 1,000. The bureau must take the money back, settle at the central bank rate declared the previous day, and issue a confirmation slip for the cancellation. It must also issue a receipt for the exchange itself, so insist on one. If a rate looks wrong once you are outside, you have three hours to walk back in.
Showers, Wi-Fi and somewhere to sit: Terminal 2 has free showers airside, on the third floor of Pier D directly opposite the Erste Premier Lounge, open 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily; towels and a locker key come from the lounge against a refundable EUR 10 deposit. Relax zones in Terminal 1 and in Pier C of Terminal 2 are past the checkpoint and open 24 hours, with Wi-Fi, charging outlets and seating facing the apron. The free network is called Prague Airport WiFi Free.
Leaving the bags at the airport: Baggage storage is landside in the Terminal 2 departure hall at the oversize baggage counter, open daily except for two breaks, 11:00 to 12:00 and 19:00 to 20:00, and it holds bags for up to 30 days. Card payment only, no cash. Per piece for up to 24 hours, and the same again for each further 24 hours: CZK 150 for cabin or hand baggage, CZK 250 for a standard hold bag, CZK 350 for oversize or special items, and CZK 100 for a coat or wardrobe item. Lose the ticket and it is CZK 2,500 on top of the storage charge, so photograph it.
Which emergency numbers work in Prague?
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| Single European emergency number (use if unsure, or if more than one service is needed) | 112 |
| Medical rescue service (ambulance) | 155 |
| Police of Czechia | 158 |
| Municipal (city) police | 156 |
| Fire rescue service | 150 |
| Prague Municipal Police switchboard (non-emergency) | +420 222 02 5000 |
| Out-of-hours doctor for adults, Motol University Hospital (Mon to Fri 17:00 to 23:00, Sat, Sun and public holidays 7:00 to 22:00) | +420 224 438 590 |
| Czech Republic country code (calling from abroad) | +420 |
Save these before you fly; numbers work from any phone.
How do I get from Prague airport to the city centre?
There is no metro or train station at the airport, so the first leg is always a bus. Take trolleybus 59 from directly in front of the arrival lounge to Nadrazi Veleslavin, 17 minutes, running every 3 to 10 minutes, then metro A into the centre. The transport authority puts the whole trip at about 35 minutes. Bus 100 to Zlicin on metro B is the alternative at 16 minutes on the bus and about 45 minutes in total. Buy a 90 minute ticket, CZK 50 on paper or CZK 46 in the PID Litacka app, before you board.
How much is the bus from Prague airport to the centre?
CZK 50 for a 90 minute paper ticket, CZK 46 in the PID Litacka app, or CZK 55 by SMS. That single ticket covers lines 59, 100, 907 and 910 including the metro leg. The CZK 39 thirty minute ticket is too short for a run the transport authority puts at about 35 minutes. Your bags are unlikely to cost anything: pieces up to 25 x 45 x 70 cm ride free and you may carry three of them, so a crew roller and a flight bag are covered. Only a checked-size case above that needs its own CZK 25 luggage ticket.
Is the Airport Express worth it from Prague airport?
It costs CZK 200 for an adult and CZK 100 for a child aged 6 to 15, which is four times the ordinary fare, and ordinary Prague tickets are not valid on it. It takes about 40 minutes, and the transport authority’s own page allows about 45. It earns its price if you are connecting to a train, because it runs straight to Prague Main Railway Station and its platforms, or if you want one seat with luggage space. Note the direction: heading into the city it leaves from the Letiste and Terminal 1 stops and does not call at Terminal 2, so from a Schengen arrival walk to Terminal 1 first. It runs every 20 to 30 minutes by day and every 60 minutes at night, around the clock, and you can buy from the driver by card.
How do I get from Prague airport to the city at night?
The metro runs approximately 5:00 a.m. to midnight only. Night buses cover the gap between 22:00 and 5:00, calling at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2: line 910 every 30 minutes via I. P. Pavlova, 45 to 50 minutes from that stop depending on which official timing you read, and line 907 every 60 minutes via Namesti Republiky, 40 minutes from that stop. Both take the same CZK 50 ticket. Buy it before you board, but not at the airport counters, which close at 9 p.m.: at night use the PID Litacka app or SMS, and keep a contactless card to hand, because the transit operator states that terminals selling and validating a ticket sit in all trams, city buses and metro stations. The Airport Express also runs at night, hourly.
Is tap water safe to drink in Prague?
Yes. The Prague water utility states that tap water from the public mains is safe across the whole city and fully meets Czech Ministry of Health decree 252/2004 Sb., and that it complies with both Czech and European standards on physical, chemical, microbiological and biological measures. Its laboratories analyse more than 15,000 samples a year across more than two hundred parameters, so refill the crew bottle from the tap.
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