The capital of the Czech Republic is one of several dozen cities in the world that use the funicular as public transport. The fabulous trailer lifts passengers up the hill, from where a beautiful panorama of the city opens. The funicular in Prague covers a half-kilometer distance in just 10 minutes.
Historical reference
The observation tower on Petřín Hill was inspired by the Eiffel Tower. There was a beautiful view of Prague from there. It was this attraction and the desire to share the beautiful panorama of the city with everyone that became the main reason to equip the ascent to the Petřín hill with a funicular.
The first railway for the Prague funicular was built in 1891. The creators of this transport can be considered the architect Bratislav Pasovskiy and the teacher Vilém Kurtz.
The first funicular, due to its small size, accommodated only 50 passengers. Initially, the cars were driven by water, for this reason the funicular did not work during the winter months.
In 1921, the funicular stations were closed due to the fact that the plumbing organization refused to supply the cars with water. The ascent to the observation tower was blocked for as long as 10 years.
In 1932, the funicular was electrified, the track was lengthened and an intermediate station was built. However, the Czech Republic and many other countries were drawn into the Second World War, due to which the funicular stopped functioning again.
The station was reopened in 1985 and operates to this day.
How the funicular works
Modern cabins are lowered and raised by an electric motor. Ascent and descent are carried out by 2 trailers. The funicular moves at a speed of 4 meters / second. Passengers reach the terminal station in just 4 minutes. On the way, the trailer passes under the Hungry Wall.
The funicular is not only an entertainment for tourists and guests of the city, it is also used by local residents.
What can be seen on the hill
The main attraction is the Petrin Tower with an observation deck, from where a wonderful view of Prague opens, as well as from the Diana Tower in Karlovy Vary. The ascent to the observation deck costs 100 CZK. If you take binoculars with you, you can see not only the fabulous Czech capital, but the whole Czech Republic.
Not far from the final stop, you can see an unusual monument called "The Kiss". It has become a popular meeting place for lovers.
A variety of attractions await tourists on the Petřín Hill:
- Strahov Monastery;
- Church of St. Michael the Archangel;
- the church of St. Luke;
- summer palace Kinski;
- observatory them. Stefanik;
- Petrin gardens;
- Monument to the victims of communism.
You can have fun and take interesting photos in the laughter room. A walk along the Mirror Maze will give you a lot of pleasure and complement your trip to Petrin Hill.
Opening hours and ticket cost
You can go down by two routes:
- Petrshin - Prague Castle,
- Petrshin - Garden of the Kinsky.
The first route is also called romantic, it is recommended to go along it in the evening to enjoy Prague at night, when artificial lighting is turned on:
- From the Petrin Tower you need to turn left, walk through the park.
- Further along the stairs you can get to the Strahov Garden. Here you will see the panorama of the Czech capital at night.
- Going down, you will find yourself on the street along which the Royal Route passed.
- You still have to see Loretanska Square, Cherninsky Palace, Prague Loreta, Hradcany Square, Schwarzenberg Palace.
- The route will end with Prague Castle - the residence of the Czech kings.
- To get to the metro station and tram stop, you need to go down the old castle stairs. The length of the route is approximately 2.5 km, the travel time is 1 hour 30 minutes.
The Kinsky garden was recently renovated. Today it is popular with locals and tourists alike. On the way, you can see sandy rocks, waterfalls, ponds and even a staircase with running water. This walk will be especially appreciated by nature lovers.
Follow the sidewalk leading to the Garden of Flowers and the Observatory. Stefanik, then go down the slope through the Rosarium. The passage between the Kinsky garden and the Nebozizek garden is located near the defense tower, which is built into the Hungry Wall.
Funicular opening hours depend on the season:
- from November to March, it works from 9 am to 11 pm with an interval of 15 minutes;
- from April to October from 9 am to 12 pm at intervals of 10 minutes.
From 8 to 26 October, maintenance work is carried out at the funicular station. If you are in the city at this time, you can get to Petrin Hill by bus 176 from the Švandovo divadlo stop to the Stadion Strahov station, then walk another 1 km.
The funicular is part of the Prague public transport system, therefore regular tickets and passes are valid for it.
Ticket control is carried out with the help of controllers who stand at the exit from the car. If you have purchased a one-time ticket, you must validate it at the entrance.
The pass, which is valid for 24 hours (calculated for several trips), only needs to be presented to the controller. The cost of a funicular ticket does not exceed the cost of other public transport.
You can buy tickets at stations in special machines, which eliminates the need to stand in line at the ticket office. Just to go shopping, you need to stock up on coins, because the terminal does not accept large bills.
On the official website, you can view the schedule of not only the movement of the funicular, but also other public transport.
How can you get to the funicular
The funicular station is located in a small area called Mala Strana. To get to it, you need to take tram number 6, 9, 12, 20, 22, 57, 58, 59. You need to get off at the Ujezd stop. The funicular station is also called Uyezd.
You can also get to the Mala Strana area by car. This option is suitable for travelers who have rented a car.
Underground electric transport goes to Malostranská station along line A. In the latter case, you can walk directly to the funicular, enjoying the sights of the area, which is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful in Prague.
Funicular station address: U lanové dráhy, Praha 1.
Phone: +420 257 320 814.
Official Internet resource: www.dpp.cz.
Note that at night you can get to the Mala Strana area by tram no. 97 and 98.
Transport links between all districts of the city are well established, so you won't have to wait long for a tram. To calculate your time, you can check the schedule in advance on the website.
Funicular station on the map:
Summarize
The reason for the construction of the lift to Petrin Hill was the observation tower, although there are other interesting places there. On the site, not only Prague, but the whole Czech Republic is visible at a glance, the main thing is to take binoculars with you.
You can get directly to the funicular station by tram. The Mala Strana area, where the station is located, can also be reached by metro.
There are no special tickets for the funicular, so you can use regular transport passes. There are special terminals at each station, where you can buy tickets quickly and without queuing.
