Prague is not car-friendly, which is one of the reasons why two thirds of the Prague population use the public transport system.
Prague has many (far too many ..) one-way streets and it is often hard to find a parking spot. Driving among trams in the historic city centre requires a lot of attention. If you are a passionate horn user, you should avoid using it in an excessive way, especially during the evening hours and night (there are actually laws regarding this).
Prague is the only place in the Czech Republic where you can travel by metro and it is the most used means of transport there. There are three metro lines: green line A, yellow line B, and red line C. The metro operates daily from 5 AM till midnight.
Taking a bus or a tram at night is a good option when the metro stops operating. At night, the bus and tram frequency is about 30 minutes. The Prague's night buses and trams start with the number 5.
The most important national bus stations are Florenc and Černý most. Florenc also has international connections which connect Prague to many of the European capitals.
Prague's Main railway station (Hlavní nádraží) is the most important point for the international connections such as InterCity, SuperCity and EuroCity. There have been launched new Pendolino trains which are connecting Prague's Main station with the Czech town Ostrava and some European capitals.
The Prague's funicular to Petřín is also a part of the urban transport. It takes you up to Petřín – a replica of the Eiffel Tower. The funicular station is next to the Újezd tram stop. It is operating daily from 9 AM to midnight. The intervals between the departures are around 15 minutes. You can use the same ticket for the funicular as you do for the rest of the Prague public transport.
The public transport tickets in Prague, as well as in other bigger Czech towns, are transferable for metro, bus and tram. You can buy them at newspaper stands, metro stations, at some hotel reception desks, or travel information centres and agencies.
For the metro, it is also possible to buy the ticket by sending an SMS to the number 90206, writing DPT as the text. Within two minutes an electronic ticket arrives to your mobile. In case you delete it, you can ask for a duplicate by sending DPTA as a text of the message. The ticket message is charged according to your tariff. You are charged extra for the duplicate service request.
If you are planning to stay in Prague only for few days, you may want to check the offers of the Prague Card and Passport. This tourist pass covers free entries to several tourist attractions, offers discounted tours or a free guidebook. It will also enable you to use any type of the public transport with no limits during the pass valid period. However, you have to book your ticket online.
It is better to leave your car on the outskirts at a park and ride lot which is usually located at metro stations. A parking lot like this is guarded and the cost for the whole day is very low. They close after the metro stops operating.
Another good place to park in the city is a parking garage. If you do not want to pay, you can try your luck finding a spot at a shopping mall parking place.
Be aware that the Blue zone, i.e. areas marked with a blue line on road, is only for cars with resident parking card. In Yellow zone the parking is illegal and your car may be towed.