A bus on route 100 laying over at Zličín metro
Prague Airport by public transport
Prague Airport, also known as Ruzyně, is located some 17 km to the north-west of Prague. Unfortunately for such a busy airport there is no metro or rail service, although it is hoped that the metro will be extended to the airport by around 2018. The cheapest and most frequent option to travel from the airport to central Prague is by bus and metro. There is also a less-frequent but direct bus to the main railway station at slightly higher fares. A further option at even higher fares involves minibuses. Further details of all these options are shown below:
Bus and Metro
There are two bus routes from the airport that feed into different metro lines, so it's worth working out in advance which is the most convenient for your destination. In both cases you get off the bus at the last stop on the route, so there is no need to worry about missing the stop. Overall it will take about 50 minutes to reach central Prague.
Bus 119 is the most frequent service, running from the airport every 7-10 minutes (every 20 minutes 2230-2330) to Dejvická metro station, the western end of line A. The bus starts from Terminal 1 and calls at Terminal 2 (flights from Schengen countries), taking 25 minutes to Dejvická. Steps down to the metro are nearby. Buses back to the airport leave from the opposite side of the road.
Bus 100 runs from the airport (Terminal 1 and Terminal 2) to Zličín metro station, the last station on line B, taking 18 minutes. It is not as frequent as route 119 and runs every 15 minutes on Mondays to Fridays but only every 30 minutes at weekends and during the evenings, so if you have just missed one it may work out better to change your plans and catch a 119 instead.
The normal Prague tariff applies, as described on the Using Public Transport page, and it's best to buy your ticket in advance from the DPP information office in the arrivals hall.
Airport Express Bus
The Airport Express or AE is a special direct bus service between the airport and the main railway station Praha hlavní, taking 45-50 minutes. Although operated by DPP buses, it is run on behalf of Czech Railways, so normal Prague fares do not apply. The single fare is 50 CZK, as apposed to 32 CZK by bus and metro. From the airport it runs every 30 minutes 0734 to 1904, then 1937, 2016, 2046, 2116 (there are also early journeys every 30 mins 0546-0716). Buses from the airport also call at Masarykovo station on request in this direction only.
Airport Express bus at Praha hlavní station
Departures from Praha hlavní railway station are from outside the old building on the upper level - look for the ornate dome in stark contrast to the modern concourse underneath. Access to this area is from platform one. In this direction the timetable is easy to remember: every 30 minutes 0635 to 2205 daily.
Other Bus Services
The airport is also served by bus route 179 which wends its way through the western suburbs of Prague terminating at Nové Butovice metro station and running every 30 minutes (more frequent in peak hours). If you know what you are doing or are prepared to research in advance, it can be useful for linking with trams at Petriny, Vypich or Motol. If you have heavy bags this could save you having to lug them up and down stairs to the metro. For example, say you were staying at a hotel in Košire on tram route 9 and wanted to travel to the airport in the morning rush hour. Rather than join a crowded tram towards the city centre followed by the metro and a bus, it's actually far easier to catch a tram going out of town, get off at Motol, walk around the corner and catch bus 179 to the airport. You might want to check timings online first. The normal Prague tariff applies.
A further route numbered 225 also runs between the Airport and Nové Butovice, taking an even more circuitous route through the suburbs. As the airport section only runs at peak hours it is unlikely to be of use for the occasional visitor to Prague. The DPP website has further information about travel to and from the airport.
Night Bus
During the night the airport is served by night bus 510. This leaves Terminal 1 every 30 minutes from midnight until 0400, serving Karlovo námestí and I.P. Pavlova in the city centre before heading for the southern suburbs. Departure from I.P. Pavlova to the airport is every 30 minutes 0030-0430. There are no special fares for night services as they are covered by the normal tariff.
Cedaz Minibuses
A further option is the minibus service operated every 30 minutes between the airport and V Celnici Street in the city centre. The fare is 120 CZK. For further details see www.cedaz.cz.