How to get to Karlovy Vary. How to get from Prague to Karlovy Vary on your own How to get from Prague to Karlovy Vary

The Czech Republic is a wonderful holiday destination. Most tourists who come here spend time in the capital of the country. But the Czech Republic is famous for its numerous castles and resorts. The most popular of them is Karlovy Vary. You can make a one-day trip here. In this article we will look at the main routes and ways to get to Karlovy Vary from Prague on your own.

Of course, you can buy an inexpensive excursion to this resort at the travel agency. But if you still dare to go on this very short journey yourself, you will see that there are more bonuses here. You are not constrained by anything, you will not wait for anyone, you will not take mandatory routes that may not be very interesting to you, and most importantly, you will be able to see more both on the road and in the city itself. Moreover, transport links between these settlements are excellent, and there is plenty to choose from. We'll also give you advice on your travel options.

Karlovy Vary

So, you have arrived in the capital of the Czech Republic, seen all the sights and now want to get an impression of other parts of the country. And of course, the idea comes to your mind to visit the famous health resort, which was famous back in the days of the Soviet Union - Karlovy Vary. The beautiful resort town is like a gingerbread city, nestled in the middle of the green hills, with water that has amazing properties. Then you need to think about the optimal route Prague - Karlovy Vary. How to get there on your own? There are many options. You can order a transfer or taxi, rent a car, or go to the resort by public transport. It could be a train or a bus. Now let's look at how it will be faster, better and more comfortable.

Automobile

How to get to Karlovy Vary from Prague on your own? A car is the best way. The distance between both cities is one hundred and thirty kilometers. By car, even taking into account traffic jams and speed limits, it can easily be covered in about two hours. If you have a license, it is cheaper to rent a car. Then you will pay a maximum of sixty euros for a full day (including the cost of gasoline). It will take about twenty liters of fuel for the trip there and back. The cost of gasoline in the Czech Republic is about 30 crowns per liter of 95 and 28 crowns for diesel.

And your route will transit through the lovely towns of Rakovnik and Kladno. You will get to Karlovy Vary the fastest if, when leaving Prague, you take road number 6. Highway E 48 will lead you directly to the resort. Please note that parking in Czech cities is paid. If you want to leave your car without paying any money, look for parking near a supermarket, shopping center, or in a residential area.

Taxi and transfer

A trip to Karlovy Vary from Prague can be arranged independently by ordering a car with a driver. This can be either a private car or a minibus. Typically, companies that provide such services operate on a door-to-door basis. That is, they pick you up from home and take you exactly where you need to go. Typically, the company requires a fifty percent advance payment. The transfer cost is quite high - from 140 to 170 euros. Travel time is about one and a half hours. The transfer can be ordered at any time of the day.

If you prefer a taxi, the average price for such a trip is about 85 euros. It is best to order a car via the Internet. Then the cost of your trip will be determined in advance. And even in case of traffic jams, you will have to pay no more than a hundred crowns. Early in the morning or late in the evening, as well as at night, a taxi is practically the only way to get to Karlovy Vary. Nothing else goes there at this time of day.

Bus Prague - Karlovy Vary

This type of transport is easy to get to this famous Czech resort. Almost all flights depart from the main Prague bus station, which is called Florenc. The easiest way to get there is by metro. Moreover, this one of the same name is the nodal one. Lines C and B intersect there. Well, if you are light, walk. From the historical city center to the bus station it is only a quarter of an hour's walk. In the morning, especially in good weather, the walk will be pleasant.

Buses run frequently, from half past six in the morning until almost ten in the evening, every thirty minutes in the first half of the day, and after 18.00 - every hour. The ticket costs 170 CZK. You will spend a little more than two hours on the way. The main carrier is a company that started with budget travel for students. Her cars are easy to recognize, they are yellow.

By the way, the buses are very comfortable. They have leather seats, are air-conditioned, have sockets and headphones, have decent Wi-Fi coverage (for the entire trip), and along the way you have the right to a cup of coffee or tea of ​​your choice. Keep in mind that the bus in Karlovy Vary makes two stops. The first is Trznice, opposite the Albert supermarket. The second is the bus station (there is also a train station nearby). From both stops the resort center is about ten minutes on foot. But you will need to go back from the railway or bus station. Therefore, it is more practical to get to the final station in order to understand where to return from.

When and how to pay for a bus ride

Experienced tourists are advised to buy tickets in advance, and online. All carriers have websites with an English version. Then you pay by card and have the opportunity to choose your seat. It is especially necessary to purchase tickets in advance for morning flights. The fact is that many guests of the Czech capital also prefer to get to Karlovy Vary from Prague on their own. Most often they go there for one day and return in the evening. Therefore, buses can be overcrowded. In this regard, it is better to take round-trip tickets, especially on weekends. You need to keep in mind that each company has its own travel documents, which it sells only for its flights. They also have their own schedule.

Train

This is far from the fastest option for getting to Karlovy Vary from Prague on your own. Unlike the two hours it takes a bus to get to the resort from the capital, the train takes three and a half hours. After all, his route is completely different: he makes a detour through the north of the country, and therefore covers almost twice as much distance. But the landscapes that open from the carriage windows are much more picturesque.

Trains to the resort leave from the name This is a large, beautiful building with arched ceilings. It is located in the city center. The red metro line S stops there. There are about eight direct flights to Karlovy Vary per day. You can also go with a transfer to Ústí nad Labem.

Railway tickets

The price of a train trip will cost more than three hundred crowns (if you count without discounts). For this price, you can buy them at the train station at ticket offices or from vending machines directly at the train station. If you take promotional tickets, they can be as cheap as bus tickets. It is convenient to buy tickets on the English-language website of the Czech Railways. Just enter “Prague - Karlovy Vary” into the form.

How to get there by train and not overpay? Please pay attention to the terms of promotions. Discounts are provided to a group of people (even a married couple or two friends are considered such), children under fifteen years of age. If you buy round trip tickets, it's always cheaper. The price is also reduced if you book a trip one and a half to two weeks in advance.

By the way, if you decide to travel through other small towns in the Czech Republic, keep in mind that often there are no stations, train stations, or even automatic machines. You simply sit in the carriage and wait until the controller approaches you. Then you name the station where you boarded, and if there really was no ticket office there, they will sell you a regular ticket, without any extra charge. And if you could purchase a travel document there, you will be charged an additional fee.

International Karlovy Vary: how to get there

The cheapest and easiest way to do this is to take the bus. Almost all flights from the Florenz bus station pass through. Just keep in mind that in this case, it is even more necessary to buy a ticket in advance. After all, the likelihood that you will find free space is almost zero. After all, the flight is passing. But you can also get from Karlovy Vary on your own by buses, whose final station is located not far from the hub. It is located right at the exit of the building, under a white canopy. Buses leave every half hour.

By plane

Alternatively, you can travel directly to Karlovy Vary by plane. The airport at this world-famous resort has been open since 1929. Aeroflot planes also fly there. There is an eighth bus from the city. However, tourists are not advised to fly to the resort by plane from Prague. It is expensive, and often takes longer than taking the same bus or train. After all, you will have to arrive at the hub in advance, wait for check-in for the flight, and then drive from the airport to the city.

How to get to Karlovy Vary on your own? Since the Czech Karlovy Vary is a small town, this issue arises very acutely for many - it is impossible to do without transfers. In this material we tried to create the simplest and most understandable route to Karlovy Vary from Moscow and Prague.

If you are not traveling by car, then the most convenient way to get to Karlovy Vary is from Prague, as inexpensive buses run regularly along the route.

Therefore, we advise you to first get to Prague (you can get to Prague on your own) and stay for a couple of days, and then look at how to get to Karlovy Vary - it’s more convenient, but it all depends, of course, on your route.

So, the Czech resort town of Karlovy Vary is located in the west of the Czech Republic not far from the border with Germany, so a trip to eastern Germany can be easily diluted with a vacation at the Czech mineral springs. The distances are as follows:

  • Prague – Karlovy Vary – 127 km;
  • Pilsen – Karlovy Vary – 81 km;
  • Ceske Budejovice – Karlovy Vary – 216 km;
  • Nuremberg – Karlovy Vary – 215 km;
  • Dresden – Karlovy Vary – 177 km.

You can read more about how the transport system works in the Czech Republic. And we wrote about why Karlovy Vary is so popular.

The trip from Prague to Karlovy takes just under 2 hours by car. It is clear that planes do not fly such short distances, so if you fly to Prague, you will need to transfer to ground transport.

To Karlovy Vary from Prague airport

By bus

The only option other than renting a car at Prague Airport is a bus from Prague Airport to Karlovy Vary costing 6.50 €, which waits for passengers at Terminal 1 of Prague Airport at least once an hour.

Please note that information about the carrier company on the Prague Airport website is not up to date. It states that the transportation is carried out by the company Student Agency, but there is nothing on their official website for the chosen direction.

Transportation is provided by their subsidiary RejioJet, and on their website you can see the latest bus schedule and buy a ticket. The drive takes from 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours.

You can buy a ticket either on the website or from the driver. But it’s not a fact that there will still be seats left - look in advance on the website to see how many free seats there are on the bus, if you don’t go buy a ticket online.

In the same direction, but for 6 € and 1.5 hours, passengers. To always find the latest bus offers and bus schedules, use the Busradar aggregator.

By taxi

A taxi from Prague to Karlovy Vary is such a pleasure. If you calculate the price according to the intracity tariffs of the Prague company AAA Taxi, then you can’t even count on a price less than 110 €. And the ride is the same 1.5 hours as by bus.

How to get to Karlovy Vary from the center of Prague

When leaving the center of Prague, the options are the same as from the airport, with the only difference that a taxi will be 10-15 € cheaper, and the bus leaves from the Praha Florenc bus station. This is a major transport hub - the Florenc metro station and Prague's main station are nearby.

The ticket costs the same - 6.50 €, the journey also takes from 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours, the main carrier is Rejio Jet, there are also buses, Anexia and some other companies - check all possible options on Busradar.

How to get to Karlovy Vary from Moscow

Direct flight

No matter how surprising it may sound, the tiny town with a population of 50 thousand people has its own international airport, to which tourists are brought on direct flights from Moscow, Tashkent and Tel Aviv. That's all, there are no more directions at the airport J

Direct flights Moscow – Karlovy Vary are operated once a week on Sundays, with return flights on the same day. In October, flights operate 2 times a week, the airline is Czech Airlines.

The schedule of arrivals and departures is below or on the official website of the airport (including in Russian).

Plane + bus

This route will be noticeably cheaper, although it will take a little longer. A flight from Moscow to Prague and back will cost an average of 12-15 thousand rubles, depending on the days chosen.

The most inexpensive airlines offered are Smart Wings (low-cost airline), Czech Airlines, Icelandair.

Train

For those who are afraid of flying, there is also an option to get from Moscow to Karlovy Vary. By train! True, also with a transfer to a bus in Prague, since there is no direct train Moscow - Karlovy Vary.

There were rumors that a train departs from Karlovy Vary once a week, to which a carriage is connected, going to Moscow - even Wikipedia itself is guilty of this information. Unfortunately, the information is not confirmed on the official websites of Russian Railways and Czech Railways.

And the route will have to be laid with transfers. There are 2 options.

  1. Train 021 “Vlatva” Moscow – Prague departs from Belorussky Station every Friday until September 29. Cost – from 13 thousand rubles. True, there are almost no tickets left...
  2. But here you can get out - take 22 hours by train 013 "Strizh" or 26 hours by train 023 "Moscow - Paris" to Berlin, and then transfer to the train Berlin - Prague - another 4.5 hours on the road, and you are in Prague . It will turn out to be ~13 thousand rubles. + 40-45€.

Annual train schedules can be viewed at

And as soon as you get better weather (attached), you can go to Karlovy Vary - see the paragraph “How to get to Karlovy Vary from Prague”.

The regular bus usually departs on the following days of the week:

  • Sunday
  • Monday
  • Tuesday
  • Wednesday
  • Thursday
  • Friday
  • Saturday

To view the bus schedule Prague - Karlovy Vary for a specific date, select the travel date and click the “Find” button in the search form at the top of the page, or click on the desired date in the calendar on the right.

Numbers of buses that operate on the route

  • RegioJet, bus number: "REJE", "Prague - Cheb", "Prague - Karlovy Vary"
  • Regabus, bus number: "000473", "000473 Prague - Karlovy-Vary"

Flight statistics for the last 7 days:

Prices for bus tickets Prague - Karlovy Vary

The average cost of travel by bus from Prague to Karlovy Vary fluctuates around 479 rubles.

The cheapest ticket found by our users over the last week costs 287 rubles. per adult from FlixBus CZ.

Distribution of prices for bus tickets Prague - Karlovy Vary by company:

  • FlixBus CZ — 287 rub.
  • Flixbus — 324 rub.
  • RegioJet — 392 rub.
  • Regabus — 481 rub.

The list displays the minimum prices for tickets found in our system over the last 7 days. The cost depends on the day of the week and time of purchase. Tickets departing on weekends and holidays are usually more expensive.

A return ticket from Karlovy Vary to Prague costs from 464 rubles per adult.

An obvious question that arises for those wishing to visit the Prague - Karlovy Vary route is: how to get there - on your own or with a guided tour. Below are known travel plans and recommendations for choosing transport for your trip.

Excursion tour

While vacationing in the Czech Republic, be sure to take advantage of the offers - an excursion to Karlovy Vary from Prague is inexpensive, and professional guides will show you all the sights and iconic places along the way. Traditional tour bus stops:

  • brewery;
  • Becherovka – a spring with healing water;
  • colonnade of geysers;
  • mill colonnade;
  • Moser Museum.

The cost of a day excursion is only 3 euros. Disadvantages of traveling with a group: limited time for sightseeing, a specific route, inability to visit other places.

You can get to Karlovy Vary on your own if you want to thoroughly explore the resort and relax separately from other vacationers.

Route

Yandex Maps / Yandex.ru

From Prague on your own

The direct distance between Prague and Karlovy Vary is 118 km. You can get there by rented car, private bus or train. Airplanes also fly between cities.

By bus

Buses depart to the spa town from Prague Florenc Station. You can get to the station by metro; the station where you need to get off has the same name. After getting off at the station, go to the ticket office and buy tickets - it’s better to buy two at once, round trip.

Duncan Payne / flickr.com

Passenger transportation between cities is carried out by the Student agency company. The carrier has yellow buses, some of them are luxury ones. If there is an F on the tickets and on the buses themselves, this means that you will be offered drinks and newspapers along the way, and the transport is equipped with free Wi-Fi, power sockets and a toilet. The bus travels on the route Prague - Karlovy Vary for 2-2.5 hours, during which time you will not have time to get bored.

Student agency transport schedule from the bus station:

  • hourly, from 6.00 to 10.00 – to Karlovy Vary;
  • hourly, from 16.00 to 20.00 – return flights to Prague.

Bus schedules of other carriers at Florenc station:

  • from Prague to the resort – 7:45, 8:45 and 9:45;
  • back to Prague – 17:45 and 18:45.

If desired, a ticket can be purchased from the driver or booked online on the carrier’s website. When booking, please indicate your departure and arrival dates and times. Print out the ticket sent to you by e-mail, or simply rewrite the number. You can also purchase bus tickets online on the website.

The cost of a one-way trip is 5.21-6.10 euros; when booking online, the price is lower. You can buy an economy class ticket - there will no longer be free wi-fi, but the trip will also impact your budget less.

By train

Hlavni nadrazi / Alasdair Mckenzie, flickr.com

The Prague – Karlovy Vary train takes 3-3.5 hours, since the distance between the cities by rail is 235 km. The main station Hlavni nadrazi is located in the city center and is easily accessible from any hotel. Find train schedules at the ticket office or on the website of the Czech Railways.

The most convenient trains depart from line C:

  • from Prague – at 5.15, 7.26 and 11.29
  • back – at 17.05 and 19.07.

The cost of a ticket in first class is 10 euros, in second class – approximately 6 euros. The cost is lower, but the closer the travel date, the higher the prices. For lovers of safe driving who are unsure how to get from Prague to Karlovy Vary, the train is the best option.

By taxi/transfer

Maisarah H / flickr.com

A transfer from Prague to Karlovy Vary is suitable if you do not want to guess the arrival time and look for train stations. The cost of a trip in a car is on average 100 euros, regardless of the number of passengers. To save, you need to find three more travel companions - then the price will drop to 25 euros.

You can book a transfer online, on the carriers' websites, for example, on. Once you make your reservation, you can rest assured that the price will remain the same when you arrive.

Transfer Prague - Karlovy Vary can be replaced with a regular taxi if desired. You can go to the resort, drive around the city and return by car for only 140 euros, having carefully developed the route with the help of the staff of the tourist center. You can also order a taxi in advance online at. Travel time is 1.5 hours, excluding traffic jams.

If you take a taxi on the street and hear from the driver what you think is an inadequate cost for the trip, call the dispatcher and ask for the amount.

Car rental

Another way to get from Prague to the delightful Karlovy Vary is. Suitable for lovers of a measured ride and viewing the scenery along the road. Advantages of traveling by car:

  1. Opportunity to see the sights along the way and make a stop.
  2. Independence from route transport schedules.
  3. The cost is lower compared to transfer and taxi.

The cost of car rental is 30 euros per day, the price of gasoline is 1.3 euros per liter, consumption is 10 l/100 km. The total cost of a two-day round trip is 88.6 euros.

Along the way, you can stop by the provincial towns of Kladno and Rakovnik, get to know the local residents and attractions. You should only rent a car from companies with a proven reputation and full insurance. Exact prices can be found on the websites of rental companies.

By plane

There is an airport in Karlovy Vary, located a few kilometers from the city. But only wealthy tourists can afford to fly from Prague to the resort. The cost is 300 euros for a one-way flight, and the plane does not fly directly, but through Moscow.

Video: transfer from Prague to Karlovy Vary.

To Karlovy Vary without visiting Prague

If you are heading to Karlovy Vary without stopping in Prague and arriving at Ruzyne Airport, order a transfer. A transfer from Prague Airport to Karlovy Vary will cost a little more than a trip from the city, but will save time on transfers and searching for transport.

Other travel options:

  • Taxi;
  • bus.

Student Agency buses depart from the airport to the resort town every hour from 7.00 to 20.00 - the schedule can be checked with the airport terminal staff or at the station. Ticket price starts from 5 euros.

Taxis are waiting at the exit - the cost is 90-100 euros. Preliminarily discuss the cost of the trip and possible surcharges with the driver in order to assess your financial capabilities.

When choosing a way to get to Karlovy Vary, proceed from your needs - if you value comfort and are willing to pay, take a taxi; if you are independent, order a rental car; and if you have limited funds, take the bus. The beauty of the Czech Republic is so amazing that a trip on any transport will be remembered for a long time!

It is unlikely that any trip to the Czech Republic will be limited to a visit to its capital, Prague. Almost all tourists, having arrived in the Czech Republic, will first, of course, visit Prague, and only then travel to other, no less wonderful cities of the country. This is facilitated by the rich culture and history of the country, as well as relatively short distances and developed transport connections between cities.

Most tourists from Prague go to the famous health resort - a beautiful resort town located in the middle of green hills, Karlovy Vary. And here the question arises: " How can I get from Prague to Karlovy Vary and back on my own, or vice versa, from Karlovy Vary to Prague?

Of course, you can take a one-day excursion, they are offered at every step in Prague, for 30 euros per person and go with a group to Karlovy Vary for one day. But what can you see there in one day, I don’t even know, just quickly run through the center?! To prevent your visit to Karlovy Vary from being crumpled and incomplete, we would recommend coming to the city for at least a couple of days on your own and slowly enjoying all the delights of the resort.

Getting from Prague to Karlovy Vary on your own is not difficult. The destination is in great demand, so there are plenty of ways to get to Karlovy Vary. Public transport runs every hour, according to schedule. And the distance is nothing - about 130 kilometers.

So, we go from Prague to Karlovy Vary and back on our own!

By car - taxi, personal, rented

By taxi from Prague to Karlovy Vary

Fast, reliable, without any unnecessary hassles at all. But not cheap, a taxi from the center of Prague to Karlovy Vary will cost about 2,200 CZK, and from Prague airport to Karlovy Vary about 2,000 CZK.

Gasoline in the Czech Republic costs approximately 29.5 CZK per liter of 95 and 27.90 CZK per liter of diesel. Prices may vary depending on the region, but only slightly. Parking in city centers is paid; free parking can be found in residential areas, near residential buildings, supermarkets and shopping centers.

The fastest way to get from Prague to Karlovy Vary is via road number 6 further along the E48 highway. The journey is approximately 127 kilometers and takes about 1 hour 50 minutes.

By bus from Prague to Karlovy Vary

Bus, the fastest, most convenient and comfortable way to get from Prague to Karlovy Vary and back.

Buses of the Student agency auto carrier run daily, every hour, half an hour. From Prague to Karlovy Vary from 06:30 to 21:30, from Karlovy Vary to Prague from 05:00 to 20:00. Travel time is about 2 hours 15 minutes.

All flights pass through Prague Airport. Vaclav Havel (Ruzine), from which you can also go to Karlovy Vary. The ticket price does not change. The stop is directly opposite Terminal 1.

A one-way bus ticket per person costs 160 CZK. You can buy it both at the bus station ticket office and on the official website, the price does not change. It’s better to buy tickets in advance, so you know exactly what time you leave, you can adjust it to suit you, plus choose a place. Yes, even in the high season, and on weekends before departure, there may no longer be tickets available.

Buses depart from Prague's main bus station - Florenc

From the historical center of Prague to the Florenc bus station is about 15 minutes on foot. You can also get there by metro. Near the bus station there is the Florenc metro station of the same name, at the intersection of lines B and C.

These big yellow buses are easy to recognize

Inside, the buses are equipped with large leather seats, air conditioning, a toilet, 220 V sockets, and monitors built into the backs of the seats. You can play games, listen to music or watch a movie. You will also receive free hot drinks, newspapers and headphones along the way. Wi-fi works, and reception is excellent throughout the entire journey.

In Karlovy Vary the bus makes two stops:

First stop Trznice, opposite supermarkets Albert;

The second, the train station/Dolni nadrazi, has both a car and a lower railway station.

You can get off at any stop, to the city center, from there or from there it’s a 10-minute walk. Karlovy Vary is a small town, everything is nearby, everything is accessible. But it's worth remembering! You will depart from Karlovy Vary to Prague from the bus station, Dolni nadrazi station.

Views from the bus window on the route Prague - Karlovy Vary

By train from Prague to Karlovy Vary

The train would also be a good solution for getting from Prague to Karlovy Vary or vice versa. Tickets cost about the same as a bus, from 159 CZK per ticket. Tickets can be purchased online on the official website or at, or at ticket offices or vending machines at the station. What is the difference between the sites: the official website is not in Russian and payment is in crowns, the Rail Europe website is Russian and you can buy tickets for rubles.

It is better to buy tickets in advance, about a week or a week and a half in advance, then you can find a ticket slightly cheaper the closer to the departure date.

But you will have to sacrifice travel time. The fact is that the distance by rail from Prague to Karlovy Vary is about 235 kilometers, so you will have to spend about 3.5 hours on the way.

Departure from Prague from Prague Main Station/Praha hlavni nadrazi, which is also convenient, since the station is located in the city center. Metro station of the same name Hlavni nadrazi, red line C.

When traveling around the Czech Republic by train, you need to know that there are many stations in the country where tickets are not sold at the box office, and there are no vending machines; this naturally does not apply to large cities. If the station does not have a ticket office and/or vending machines, you can safely board the carriage and purchase a ticket directly from the ticket inspector without any extra charge. But it is worth remembering that if you sat down at a station where there is a ticket sale, but did not buy a ticket, they will also sell it to you in the carriage, but at a higher price, that is, they will charge you more for each ticket. On average from 50 CZK per ticket.