The Czech Republic operates an integrated national public transport system where a single ticket often covers multiple modes of transport within a region. České dráhy (Czech Railways), founded in 1993 after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, carries approximately 180 million passengers annually across 9,400 kilometers of track. The rail network connects every regional capital and most towns with populations above 5,000 people. Second-class rail tickets cost roughly 200-300 CZK for a 100-kilometer journey, while first-class adds approximately 50 percent to the fare. Trains categorized as SuperCity (SC) and EuroCity (EC) require seat reservations and cost 50-100 CZK beyond the base ticket. Regional (Regionální) and fast trains (Rychlík) do not require reservations and stop at smaller stations ignored by express services. The Prague-Brno corridor sees departures every 30 minutes during weekday daytime hours, with the 200-kilometer journey taking between 2 hours 25 minutes on the fastest Pendolino trains and 3 hours 15 minutes on stopping services.
Student Agency, rebranded as RegioJet in 2019, operates intercity bus routes alongside its rail services and competes directly with České dráhy on major corridors. A Prague-Brno bus ticket costs 120-180 CZK compared to 200-250 CZK by train, though journey times extend to approximately 2 hours 45 minutes due to motorway traffic and additional stops. FlixBus entered the Czech market in 2014 and connects approximately 60 Czech towns to international destinations, with domestic routes concentrated between Prague and regional capitals. Long-distance buses depart from Prague's Florenc terminal, built in 1960 and handling roughly 15 million passengers yearly across 1,000 daily departures. Buses generally prove faster than trains only on routes where rail lines follow indirect historical corridors, notably Prague to Karlovy Vary where the 2-hour bus undercuts the 3-hour 15-minute train via Chomutov.
Prague operates six metro lines totaling 65 kilometers with 61 stations, though the system actually comprises three lines designated A (green), B (yellow), and C (red). Line A connects Depo Hostivař in the east to Nemocnice Motol in the west across 17 stations. Line B runs from Zličín to Černý Most through the city center, serving 24 stations over 26 kilometers. Line C links Háje in the south to Letňany in the north via 20 stations covering 22 kilometers. Construction on Line A began in 1973, with the first section opening in 1978 between Dejvická and Náměstí Míru. Daily ridership averages 1.65 million passengers, making Prague's metro the fifth-busiest in the European Union by passenger journeys per capita. A single 30-minute ticket costs 30 CZK, while a 90-minute transfer ticket allowing unlimited metro, tram, and bus connections costs 40 CZK. Twenty-four-hour passes cost 120 CZK, and monthly passes range from 550 CZK for limited zones to 3,650 CZK for the entire integrated network including suburban rail.
Prague's tram network extends 142 kilometers across 25 daytime routes and 9 night routes numbered 91-99. The system operates 925 trams, including the Porsche-designed T3 model introduced in 1962 and still constituting roughly 40 percent of the fleet despite gradual replacement by Škoda 15T low-floor models. Tram 22 traverses the city from Bílá Hora to Nádraží Hostivař, passing Prague Castle, the National Theatre, and Wenceslas Square, making it functionally a tourist route though primarily serving commuters. Tram 91 operates the night circle route around central Prague with departures every 30 minutes between midnight and 5 AM. Trams share ticketing with the metro and buses under the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) system administered by ROPID, the regional transport organizing authority. Validators on trams and buses print a timestamp, and inspectors impose on-the-spot fines of 1,500 CZK for ticketless travel, reduced to 1,000 CZK if paid within 15 days.
Regional integrated transport systems modeled on Prague's PID operate in all 13 regions, each with different zone structures and fare calculations. The South Moravian Integrated Transport System (IDS JMK) centered on Brno covers 673 municipalities across 7,200 square kilometers, integrating buses, trams, trolleybuses, and regional trains under unified ticketing. A 15-minute Brno city ticket costs 25 CZK, while cross-region travel to Znojmo 65 kilometers south costs approximately 70 CZK. Ostrava operates trolleybuses alongside trams and buses, one of only five Czech cities maintaining trolleybus systems after most dismantled them between 1970 and 2005. Plzeň's network includes 11 tram routes and 23 bus routes under a three-zone system where the base 60-minute ticket costs 20 CZK.
Czech motorways (dálnice) total approximately 1,270 kilometers, with major arteries designated D1 through D11. The D1 connects Prague to Brno and continues toward Ostrava, though the 380-kilometer route remains incomplete with a notorious gap near Přerov requiring diversion onto Route 1. The D5 links Prague to Plzeň and the German border toward Nuremberg, while the D8 reaches northwest to the border crossing at Petrovice toward Dresden. All vehicles under 3.5 tons require a windscreen vignette (dálniční známka) for motorway access, sold at post offices, petrol stations, and border crossings. The 10-day vignette costs 310 CZK, the monthly version 440 CZK, and the annual pass 1,500 CZK. Electronic vignettes purchased online become valid after a mandatory delay of 11 days to prevent abuse, though physical vignettes activate immediately upon display. Vehicles above 3.5 tons use the Premid electronic toll system with rates calculated by distance and vehicle category. Speed limits default to 50 kilometers per hour in built-up areas, 90 outside towns, and 130 on motorways, though enforcement cameras operate extensively on the D1 corridor.
Car rental requires drivers to be minimally 21 years old, with some companies imposing 23 or 25 as thresholds for certain vehicle categories or waiving excess fees. International rental firms including Sixt, Europcar, and Budget maintain desks at Václav Havel Airport Prague and major city centers, with daily rates starting around 600 CZK for economy vehicles rising to 2,000 CZK for larger estates or automatics. Czech firms like Dvorak Rent and CS Czechocar often undercut international competitors by 20-30 percent on equivalent vehicle categories. Insurance typically includes mandatory third-party liability but excludes collision damage waiver unless specifically purchased, creating potential liability up to the vehicle's full value. Winter tires become mandatory between November 1 and March 31 when road conditions include snow, ice, or temperatures below 4 degrees Celsius, with rental companies automatically equipping vehicles during this period.
Parking in Prague's central zones 1 and 2 costs 50 CZK per hour metered Monday through Friday 8 AM to 6 PM, with payments processed through parking meters or the increasingly mandatory mobile applications including Mpla, Parklio, and EasyPark. Purple zones designated for residents impose a 40 CZK hourly rate for non-residents limited to 2-hour maximums. Prague's Municipal Police (Městská policie) enforces parking regulations and immobilizes vehicles with wheel clamps (botičky) for unpaid parking or obstructing traffic, requiring a 2,000 CZK removal fee payable at designated impound lots. Brno and other regional capitals employ similar zone systems with rates typically 20-40 CZK per hour. Underground car parks at shopping centers like Palladium in Prague charge 50 CZK for the first hour, rising to 70 CZK per subsequent hour, though discounts apply with purchase receipts.