Václav Havel Airport (PRG) is about 17 km west of the city, with no direct metro or train. The cheapest route: bus 119 to Nádraží Veleslavín (metro line A) in roughly 20 minutes, then the metro into the centre — the whole trip on a single 90-minute public transport ticket.
A taxi to the centre runs around CZK 600-800. Use official ranks or ride apps (Bolt and Uber both operate in Prague), and never accept a driver who approaches you inside the terminal.
One integrated network: three metro lines (A green, B yellow, C red) plus trams, buses and the Petřín funicular, all on the same ticket. Tickets are sold by time, not distance: about CZK 30 for 30 minutes, CZK 40 for 90 minutes, around CZK 120 for a full day and CZK 330 for three days.
Validate your ticket in the yellow machine when you first enter - inspections are common and fines immediate and steep. Central Prague is small and walkable: the Old Town Square to Charles Bridge is ten minutes on foot.
Tram 22 is the golden tourist line (castle, Strahov, Lesser Town) - which also makes it the busiest line for pickpockets. Wear your bag in front.
The currency is the Czech koruna (CZK), not the euro, and places that accept euros apply a poor rate. Withdraw from major bank ATMs and avoid the high-fee street machines.
Two rules protect your wallet: never change money with anyone on the street (a well-known Prague scam using old withdrawn notes), and when paying by card always choose to be charged in koruna rather than your home currency - the on-screen conversion costs you more.
May-June and September-October are best: mild weather, gardens open, fewer crowds. July-August is hottest and most crowded, and several Baroque gardens (Vrtba, the Royal Garden) close seasonally in winter.
December brings the Christmas markets on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, among the loveliest things in Prague despite the cold. In every season: start before 10 am - Prague before the tour groups arrive is a different city.
Prague has mosques and prayer rooms run by the local Muslim community, but locations and times change - check online before your day. For prayer while sightseeing, quiet parks such as Vyšehrad and Kampa are the practical fallback.
Halal restaurants cluster around Wenceslas Square, Vodičkova street and near the main railway station, mostly Middle Eastern or Turkish. Always check the halal certificate displayed at the door rather than the sign alone.
Note that traditional Czech cooking is built on pork and beer, and many dishes are cooked in meat stock - ask before ordering in non-halal restaurants.
Budget: about CZK 1,200-2,000 per person (simple lodging, a day transport ticket, local meals and one paid sight). Mid-range: CZK 2,500-4,000. Prague is distinctly cheaper than Vienna or Paris, and many of its finest sights - Vyšehrad, Letná, Petřín, Kampa, the Lennon Wall - are completely free.
Europe-wide emergency number: 112. Most museums close on Mondays, and the Jewish Museum sites close on Saturdays and Jewish holidays - build your days around that.
In restaurants, check whether the bread or appetisers placed on your table are charged; they usually are. Customary tipping is around 10%.
Avoid the front-row restaurants on the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square; walking one street away roughly halves the bill and improves the food.