Václav Havel Airport Prague

Compared to other international airports the Václav Havel Airport Prague is quite small and cozy. I have been there at least ten times and never got lost. The arrival area is especially easy to navigate. You get your bags, walk out the security doors into the main section. From there you walk straight for about 20 meters and you are outside. It is Impossible to get lost.

Prague Airport Is Expensive

The only tip that I recommend is to not buy anything at the airport. It is expensive and not at all representative of the prices you will find in Prague. Besides the Charles Bridge, the main Prague tourist attraction, the airport holds the honor of having the second most expensive beer. Maybe from where you come from the airport beer is fairly priced, but by buying it in the airport you miss out on the biggest Czech attractions – cheap beer.

There is one exception - the airport buffet. It is where the pilots, stewards and airport workers go to fill the stomach. The food is surprisingly good and inexpensive. With a wide selection of Czech meals and plenty of tables with wide windows looking out at the planes it by far the best place to eat if you have to eat at the airport. Upstairs are signs between terminal 1 and terminal 2 that will direct you to this little known gem.

Prague Airport Currency Exchange – Don't Do It

Also, I do no recommend exchanging your currency at the airport. Their rates are not competitive. It is better to wait until you get into the city. In Prague, especially where the tourists frequent, you will find lots of currency exchange booths. And since they have to compete against each other you get a better deal.

Getting From the Prague Airport

Unfortunately, there is no metro/train station at the airport. So you will need to start off from the airport by public bus, mini bus, or Taxi. Once you are on the metro getting to the center of town is easy. You just need to get to the metro.

By Public Bus

This is the least expensive way. But depending on the amount of luggage with you, it is also the least comfortable. At the airport are two city buses waiting for you. The #119 and the #100. Both of them take you to a Metro stop. Bus #119 is the one used most often. It arrives at metro station Dejvicka (green line A). From there it is a couple of minutes to the center of Prague. The #100 arrives at the metro station Zlicin (yellow line B). From there it takes about 20 minutes to the center.

By Minibus

The minibus is the second least expensive way, and a little more comfortable then the public bus. It is more suitable if you have lots of luggage. The Minibuses run every 30 minutes from 5:30am to 9:30pm from the airport to metro stations Dejvicka (green line A) and Namesti Republiky (yellow line B). The cost is around 150 CZK (5.50 EUR). This is the method I recommend for those with lots of luggage and do not require the luxury of a taxi. The drivers are friendly and used to tourists and their particularities.

The Taxi

You will have no problem finding a Taxi. As soon as you step out of the airport a line-up of taxis will be waiting for you. There are lots of different companies and most of them have the price to Prague displayed on the window. So you do not need to haggle and argue with the driver. The one time I took a Taxi from the Airport (company money, not mine), I took the yellow one. They are registered and a safe taxi service. The cost of taxi to the center of Prague is around 800 CZK (30 Euro). It is the most comfortable and stress free way to travel to the city center. If you are tired and grumpy from a long flight then taxi is the way to go. Nothing can ruin a day more than being lost at a metro station with handbags around your shoulders and fifty pounds of luggage at your feet. And if you take a taxi there is a good chance that the driver will be able to communicate in English. And there is no better place to get city secrets than from a taxi driver. They have been everywhere and know everything. On your taxi ride from the Prague airport, you could learn more information than all the research you did from home.