Between the airport and town by bus:
The Cedaz minibus shuttle links the airport with Námestí Republiky (a square just off the Old Town). It runs hourly, more often at peak periods, between 6 AM and 9:30 PM daily and makes an intermediate stop at the Dejvická metro station.

The Czech complex of regional bus lines known collectively as CSAD operates its dense network from the sprawling main bus station on Krizíkova (metro stop: Florenc, lines B or C). For information about routes and schedules call 02/2421-1060, consult the confusingly displayed timetables posted at the station, or visit the information window, situated at the bus unloading area (open weekdays 6 AM-7:45 PM, Sat. 6-4, Sun. 8-6). The helpful private travel agency Tourbus, in the pedestrian overpass above the station, dispenses bus information daily until 8 PM. If the ticket windows are closed, you can usually buy a ticket from the driver.

Traveling by Train:
Train fares in Europe are lower than those in the United States. Czech tickets are particularly inexpensive but are getting more expensive. Because European countries are compact, it often takes less time to travel city-to-city by train than by plane. Prague is about 5 hours by train from Munich, Berlin, and Vienna.

The European East Pass is good for first-class unlimited rail access in Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. You must purchase the pass from a travel agent or Rail Europe before you leave for Europe. A pass for any 5 days of unlimited train travel in a 15-day period is $185 for adults and $93 for children 4 to 11.

A pass for any 10 days of unlimited train travel in a 1-month period is $299 for adults and $150 for children 4 to 11. Also available is the Czech Flexipass, good for rail travel within the Czech Republic. It costs $69 for 5 days of travel within a 15-day period. However, it's twice as expensive as buying tickets yourself.

Many rail passes are available in the United Kingdom for travel in Britain and Europe. However, one of the most widely used of these passes, the InterRail card, isn't valid for travel in the Czech Republic.

Passengers under 26 with lots of holiday time sometimes opt for a EuroYouth ticket, which allows unlimited stopovers en route between London and the Czech border, after which it costs the equivalent of 10 to 20 pounds to reach Prague.

Passengers traveling to Prague by train typically pull into one of two central stations: Hlavní nádrazí (Main Station) or Nádrazí Holesovice (Holesovice Station).

Both are on line C of the metro system and offer a number of services, including money exchange, a post office, and a luggage-storage area.

At both terminals you'll find AVE Ltd. (tel. 02/2422 3521 or 02/2422 3226), an accommodations agency that arranges beds in hostels as well as rooms in hotels and apartments. It's open daily from 6am to 11pm. If you arrive without room reservations, this agency is definitely worth a visit.

Hlavní nádrazí
Wilsonova trída, Praha 2
02/2422 3887
Is the grander and more popular of the stations, but it's also the seedier. Built in 1909, this once beautiful four-story art nouveau structure was one of the city's beloved architectural gems before it was connected to a darkly modern dispatch hall in the mid-1970s.

From the train platform, you'll walk down a flight of stairs and through a tunnel before arriving in the ground-level main hall, which contains ticket windows, a useful Prague Information Service office that sells city maps and dispenses information, and rest rooms.

The station's basement holds a left-luggage counter, which is open 24 hours and charges 20Kc per bag per day. Though cheaper, the nearby lockers aren't secure and should be avoided.

The public showers beneath the main hall are surprisingly clean and a good place to freshen up; they cost just 40Kc and are open Monday to Friday from 6am to 8pm, Saturday from 7am to 7pm, and Sunday from 8am to 4pm. On the second floor is the train information office (marked by a lowercase "i"), open daily from 6am to 10pm. On the top floor is a tattered restaurant I recommend only to the most famished.

After you leave the modern terminal hall, a 5-minute walk to the left puts you at the top of Wenceslas Square and 15 minutes by foot to Old Town Square.

Metro line C connects the station easily to the other two subway lines and the rest of the city. Metro trains depart from the lower level, and tickets, costing 8Kc to 12Kc, are available from the newsstand near the metro entrance. Gouging taxi drivers line up outside the station and are plentiful throughout the day and night but are not recommended.

Nádrazí Holesovice
Partyzánská at Vrbenského, Praha 7
02/2461 7265
Prague's second train station, is usually the terminus for trains from Berlin and other points north. Although it's not as centrally located as the main station, its more manageable size and location at the end of metro line C make it almost as convenient.

Prague contains two smaller rail stations.

Masaryk Station
Hybernská ulice at Havlíckova
02/2461 7260
Is primarily for travelers arriving on trains originating from other Bohemian cities or from Brno or Bratislava. Situated about 10 minutes by foot from the main train station, Masaryk is near Staré Mesto, just a stone's throw from Námestí Republiky metro station.

Smíchov Station
Nádrazní ulice at Rozkosného
02/2461 7686
Is the terminus for commuter trains from western and southern Bohemia, though an occasional international train pulls in here. The station contains a 24-hour baggage check and is serviced by metro line B.

Prague City Transport Fares
Travelling by city transport is only possible with a valid ticket. Passengers have to obtain their tickets before boarding the vehicle or entering the Metro system. Tickets can be bought at selected Metro stations or in Dopravni podnik Information Centers, hotels, at news stands, travel bureaus, department stores, etc. Single tickets can also be bought from the slot machines located at Metro stations or near some stops of surface transport. To see Prague properly, there is no alternative to walking, especially since much of the city center is off-limits to automobiles. And the walking couldn't be more pleasant-most of it along the beautiful bridges and cobblestone streets of the city's historic core. Before venturing out, however, be sure you have a good map.

By Bicycle
Though there are no special bike lanes in the city center and smooth streets are unheard of, Prague is a particularly fun city to bike in, when the crowds are thin. Vehicular traffic is limited in the center, where small, winding streets seem especially suited to two-wheeled vehicles. Surprisingly, few people take advantage of this opportunity; cyclists are largely limited to the few foreigners who have imported their own bikes. The city's ubiquitous cobblestones make mountain bikes the natural choice. Check with your hotel about a possible rental or try Cyklocentrum at Karlovo nám. 29, New Town and fax 02/294 312 www.cyklocentrum.cz

By Public Transportation
Prague's public transportation network is one of the few sound Communist-era legacies and is still remarkably affordable. In central Prague, metro (subway) stations abound. You can buy tickets from yellow coin-operated machines in metro stations or at most newsstands marked Tabák Or Trafika. Hold on to your validated ticket throughout your ride--you'll need to show it if a plainclothes ticket collector (be sure to check for his or her badge) asks you. If you're caught without a valid ticket, you'll be asked, and not so kindly, to pay a fine on the spot with all the locals looking on, shaking their heads in disgust. The fine is 200Kc on trams and the metro, double that on buses.

By Bus & Tram
The 24 electric tram (streetcar) lines run practically everywhere, and there's always another tram with the same number traveling back. You never have to hail trams, for they make every stop. The most popular trams, nos. 22 and 23 (the "tourist trams" and the "pickpocket express"), run past top sights like the National Theater and Prague Castle. Regular bus and tram service stops at midnight, after which selected routes run reduced schedules, usually only once per hour. Schedules are posted at stops. If you miss a night connection, expect a long wait for the next. Buses tend to be used only outside the older districts of Prague and have three-digit numbers. Both the buses and tram lines (which have two digits) begin their morning runs around 4:30am.

By Metro & Light Rail
Metro trains operate daily from 5am to midnight and run every 2 to 6 minutes. On the three lettered lines (A, B, and C, color coded green, yellow, and red, respectively) the most convenient central stations are Mustek, at the foot of Václavské námestí (Wenceslas Square); Staromestska, for Old Town Square and Charles Bridge; and Malostranská, serving Malá Strana and the Castle District. The Prague Metro network consists of 3 lines designated by letters and differentiated in colour: green colour (Skalka station - Dejvicka station), yellow colour (Cerny most station - Zlicin station), red colour (Nadrazi Holesovice station - Haje station), with transfers possible at Museum station (lines A and C), Mustek station (lines A and B), Florenc station (lines B and C). Metro operates daily from 5 a.m. to 12 a.m.. The time interval between train departures is approximately 2 minutes during the rush hours and 4 to 10 minutes during off-peak hours.

By Car
Don't rent a car if you intend to visit only Prague. Most of the center of the city is closed to traffic, and it is best to stick to public transportation. The Czech Republic follows the usual Continental rules of the road. A right turn on red is permitted only when indicated by a green arrow. Signposts with yellow diamonds indicate a main road where drivers have the right of way. The speed limit is 110 kph (70 mph) on four-lane highways, 90 kph (55 mph) on open roads, and 60 kph (40 mph) in built-up areas. The fine for speeding is 300 Kc, payable on the spot. Seat belts are compulsory, and drinking before driving is absolutely prohibited. A permit is required to drive on expressways and other four-lane highways. Permits are sold at border crossings and some service stations.

In the Czech Republic your own driver's license is acceptable. An International Driver's Permit is a good idea; it is required in Slovakia for car rentals of more than one month and in the Czech Republic for rentals of over six months. It's available from the American or Canadian automobile associations, or, in the United Kingdom, from the AA or RAC.

By Taxi
Dishonest taxi drivers have been known to alter the meter and charge extra. This can be prevented by walking or taking the subway. In an honest cab, the meter will start at 10 Kc and increase by 12 Kc per kilometer (1/2-mile) or 1 Kc per minute at rest. Most rides within town should cost no more than 80 Kc-100 Kc. The best alternative is to phone for a taxi in advance. Some reputable firms are AAA Taxi ( 02/3399) and Sedop ( 02/6731-4184). Many firms have English-speaking operators.