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Prague, in the time you actually have
Most Prague guides plan your trip as if you had a week. You have two nights and a Friday evening flight. This site is built around that: what a weekend costs, how to get in from the airport after dark, and which part of the city to book.
Prague took 8.27 million visitors in 2025, and the three biggest groups came from Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom. It is one of the easiest short breaks in Europe to reach and one of the easiest to get slightly wrong — usually in the first two hours, at an exchange booth or in a taxi.
Start here
48 hours in Prague
The two-night plan, built backwards from a Friday evening arrival rather than from an abstract day one.
Where to stay
Eight neighbourhoods, what each one actually feels like at 8am and 11pm, and who should book which.
What it costs
Real 2026 numbers in koruna, euro and pounds — fares, beer, a night in a hotel, the tourist tax.
Getting in from the airport
There is still no train. Here is what the options cost and how long each takes.
The three things that catch people out
None of these are secrets. They are just missing from most English-language guides, which tend to stop at the sights.
1. The koruna is not going anywhere
The Czech government closed the euro adoption question in May 2026, ending the annual readiness review. You are paying in koruna, and the places most willing to accept euros are the ones giving you the worst rate for them. Card terminals will offer to bill you in your home currency — that is dynamic currency conversion, and it is always worse than letting your own bank do it. Choose CZK, every time. Full detail on the currency page.
2. There is no train from the airport
Prague still has no rail link to Vaclav Havel airport in 2026. Trolleybus 59 to Nadrazi Veleslavin plus metro line A is the fastest route into the historic core, and it runs on an ordinary 90-minute ticket at 46 CZK in the app. The Airport Express bus doubled in price to 200 CZK this year. See airport to city centre.
3. Public transport got more expensive in January
The 2026 tariff raised paper tickets by 25–30 per cent and app tickets by 15–20 per cent. Most guides still quote the old numbers.
Fares are the 2026 PID tariff, valid from 1 January 2026. Euro and pound figures are approximate and move with the exchange rate — treat the koruna column as the real one.
When to come
| Season | What it is like | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Late Nov – early Jan | Christmas markets, cold, crowded, beautiful | Markets run 28 Nov 2026 – 6 Jan 2027, daily 10:00–22:00 |
| Jan – Mar | Cheapest, quietest, often grey | Best value for a city that is mostly indoors anyway |
| Apr – Jun | The best weather of the year | Books up early; prices climb from May |
| Jul – Aug | Hot and very busy | The old centre is uncomfortable at midday |
| Sep – Oct | Mild, golden, still busy | The other sweet spot alongside spring |
Hotel prices averaged just under 123 € per room per night across 2025, and around 170 € in the centre.
Castle entry, evening river cruises and the day trips to Kutna Hora and Cesky Krumlov go first on a weekend. Compare times and prices before you fly.
Frequently asked questions
Is a weekend long enough for Prague?
Yes, for the centre. Two nights covers the castle, the old town, the bridge and one proper dinner without rushing. Three nights lets you add a day trip or a neighbourhood outside the tourist core.
Do I need cash in Prague?
Cards work almost everywhere, including on transport. Carry a small amount of koruna for markets, tips and the occasional pub that still prefers cash. Withdraw from a bank ATM, not one of the standalone machines in the tourist streets.
Can I pay in euros?
In tourist-facing places, yes — at a rate chosen to make it worth their while. The Czech Republic uses the koruna and has no plans to change that.
Is Prague walkable?
Very. The old town, Jewish quarter and the bridge are a continuous walk, and the castle is a climb rather than a journey. You will use trams more for comfort than necessity.