The Czech Republic is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. There are many interesting places, including one of the most visited cities in South Bohemia, Česky Krumlov. This town is located on the banks of the Vltava River, near the border with Austria. It is considered a resort, so a lot of tourists come here regularly. Let's try to figure out how to get to Cesky Krumlov from Prague, how much it will cost and how long it will take.
How to get there: all possible ways
There are different ways to get to the fairytale town, as Cesky Krumlov is sometimes called. Moreover, you can get here from almost any city in the country, but most often travelers come from Prague. After all, Prague is the main transit point when arriving in the Czech Republic.
The distance from Prague to Krumlov is 174 kilometers, and to overcome it, there are two options:
- buy a tourist tour, the organization of which, and therefore the development of the route, will be carried out by professionals;
- travel on your own, having received a lot of impressions from the trip, during which no one controls you.
Of course, the experienced traveler will choose the second option. However, if you are heading to the country for the first time, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the table in which the most popular ways of transportation are considered:
| Way | Cost, EUR | Travel time | Notes (edit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent a car | From 30 euros / day for an economy class car. The return fee is around € 30. Some companies do not charge a fee (specify). | 2 hours 21 minutes | Security deposit from 200 euros. The car must be returned with a full tank or the cost of gas must be paid. |
| By train | From 7.61 euros | 2 hours 55 minutes | Departure time at 08.01 am - arrival at 10.55. There is only one direct flight, the rest with transfers. |
| By bus | From 5.5 euros one way | 2 hours 50 minutes | Departure every hour. |
How to get there by train
There are a minimum of direct flights on this route, despite the fact that the destination is very popular. There is only one direct train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov. This is express 531 Josef Seidel.
It departs from the main railway station in Prague at 8.02 am, and already at 10.50 you will be in Krumlov. The ticket price is only 195 kroons (from 7.61 euros).
On the way back, the train leaves at 14.07 and arrives in Prague at 16.57, so there will be plenty of time for the excursion.
You can buy tickets for this train at cd.cz. In addition, on the site you can earn points (they are given for buying tickets) and then use them to buy a ticket at a lower price. Children under 5 years old can travel for free, and for children under 9 years old the ticket will cost 5.5 euros.
As an alternative to direct connections from Cesky Krumlov, railways in the Czech Republic offer trains with transfers. The most popular alternative train route is Praha hl.n. - Český Krumlov looks like this:
- Ex 1541 Jižní express (train) from Praha hl.n. in České Budějovice.
- Os 8103 (train) from České Budějovice to Český Krumlov.
Thus, the change must be made in the city of České Budějovice - it will take from 10 to 30 minutes. At the same time, the fare remains the same, that is, about 8 euros. Train schedule for this route:
You can return back by trains that leave from 8.14 am to 19.02 pm.
How to get to Cesky Krumlov by bus
Buses in the Czech Republic are one of the most popular types of transport. It is no coincidence that the easiest way to get from Prague to Cesky Krumlov is by bus. Quite a lot of carriers operate on this route, since the direction is in high demand, which allows tourists to choose a schedule that suits them in all respects.
Here are some suggestions from the most popular carriers in the country.
FlixBus. This is a company that deals with bus transportation practically all over Europe. Most buses leave from Florence station, but some stop at the Roztyly and Anděl bus stations, as well as near the train station.
The company operates six direct flights to Cesky Krumlov, which depart from Prague from 08.15 am according to the following schedule: 09.30, 11.30, 14.45, 16.30, the last flight is at 17.30 pm. The bus ride from this carrier takes three hours. It costs 6 euros if you buy tickets for the first three flights in the morning, and 5 euros if you travel by buses leaving in the afternoon.
RagioJet. A carrier company that carries out bus transportation in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Moreover, she is engaged not only in buses, but also in other public transport, in particular, rail transport.
You can get to Cesky Krumlov using the services of this company from the Knížecí bus station, from where buses leave daily, starting at 6 am and ending at 9 pm at intervals of one hour. The ticket costs 7.8 euros.
In 2021, all companies provide discounts for children under 6 years old. Children from 6 to 18 years old, as well as students under 26 years old, are also entitled to a discount, but in the amount of 75% of the fare. The same tariff for pensioners over 65 years old.
If you want to save money, it is better to book your tickets in advance, because the price can rise closer to the dispatch.
You do not need to pay for baggage, unless it is a large carry-on baggage or bags weighing less than 30 kg. For oversized bags, the fee is EUR 1 or CZK 20.
The carriage of animals is allowed in special boxes, provided that they will not cause inconvenience to other passengers.
It should be borne in mind that companies also carry out charter flights on their buses, conducting excursions for tourists.
How to get to Cesky Krumlov by car
You can also get from Prague to Cesky Krumlov by car. The shortest route looks like this:
- Follow road no. 3 towards Benesov.
- The next point after it is Sedlec-Prčice.
- Then move towards the town of Tabor.
- Drive through the town of České Budějovice.
- Follow towards Český Krumlov.
You will spend 2 hours and 20 minutes on the way. Since most roads are toll roads, you need to buy a vignette (travel card) before mastering the route. If this is not done, you will have to pay a fine of 195 euros.
The vignette itself costs from 12 euros (valid for 10 days), 17 euros (month) and 58 euros (year).
In addition, you need to take into account the cost of fuel. In the Czech Republic, its cost is as follows:
- gas 0.54 EUR;
- gasoline 1.30 EUR;
- diesel 1.23 EUR.
If you fill up with petrol, you will spend about 27 euros, on diesel - 1 euro less, and gas will cost 13 euros. The amounts are not critical, but in order to reduce costs, you can take fellow travelers. The easiest way to find them is on the BlaBlaCar service.
However, few tourists are ready to drive their own car. In addition, you can get to your destination by taxi. If you do not plan to stay in the city, a taxi in the Czech Republic is very convenient. From Prague airport you can get to Krumlov by taxi for about 130-140 euros. If you are traveling with a company, then by dividing this amount, you will receive from 35 to 45 euros per passenger.
For convenience, we recommend booking a taxi, as taxi drivers who stand near the airport slightly overestimate their rates. In case of booking, the car will be waiting for you immediately upon arrival. True, when booking, they usually ask for a prepayment.
How to rent a car
Agree, it's still more convenient to travel by car. For this iron horse can be rented at rentalcars.com. Renting will cost you from 30 euros for a small car. In this case, the mileage of the car is not monitored, however, the vehicle must be returned with a full tank. You can get a car right at the airport.
To order a car on the website you need:
- indicate the city and place of collection of the car;
- choose the date on which you want to get the car;
- press the button "Search now";
- the system will show the available cars, the conditions for obtaining them and the rental prices.
Choose an option and book your car. When a tourist arrives in Prague, he will be able to pick up the car at the location indicated by him.
Finally
If you are visiting the Czech Republic, be sure to set aside at least a day to visit Cesky Krumlov. You will not regret the time spent, as the city is very beautiful and it only takes a couple of hours to get to it. It remains only to decide which type of transport is better to use.
All options are good in their own way, but the most convenient way is to go by car. If you do not want to drive the car yourself, use a taxi service. And if you are an experienced driver, you can rent a car. However, the cost of rent, gasoline and toll roads makes this the most expensive option. No less interesting, but much cheaper trip will be by bus or train.
