Day Trips From Prague, Czech Republic - The Top 50 Destinations

Prague's central location in the Czech Republic and role as the capital means that all transport connections lead to and from the city, making it possible to reach many destinations around the country as a day trip and even a few across the border in Germany. For the purposes of a day trip I've limited the options to places that can be reached in less than 3 hours of travel by public transport; many travellers prefer short day trips of around one hour of travel and I've included many in that category, but for those who are short on time in the Czech Republic and staying in Prague it can be worth the effort of making longer day trips to see top attractions like Český Krumlov or the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. I've given each destination a star rating out of 5 and grouped them into destinations of one hour of travel or less, two hours or less, and three hours or less. I've included details on how to reach each place using public transport and where the buses/trains depart from in Prague. For more details about things to see in each of these destinations, see the post Top 100 Destinations in the Czech Republic. The photos included in this post show, from top to bottom, Loket, Kolín, Jičín, Jindřichův Hradec and Nelahozeves.

Destinations Within One Hour of Prague:

***** Karlštejn castle - (40 minutes) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Karlštejn village

**** Konopiště castle - (45 minutes) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Benešov, then walk 1.5 km west through Konopiště park to reach the castle

**** Kutná Hora - (50 min to 1 hour) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Terezín - (50 min to 1 hour) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station

** Mělník - (35 min to 45 min) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station

** Nelahozeves - (50 min) Train from Prague Masarykovo nádraží station

** Veltrusy - (35 min) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station

** Litoměřice - (1 hour) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station

** Pardubice - (1 hour) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

** Lidice - (20 min) Bus from outside Prague Dejvická metro station

** Lány - (50 min to 1 hour) Bus from outside Prague Hradčanská metro station

* Kolín - (40 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

Destinations Within Two Hours of Prague:

**** Křivoklát Castle - (1 hour 20 min to 2 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station, change to a second train in Beroun

*** Tábor - (1 hour 35 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Plzeň - (1 hour 40 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Hradec Králové - (1 hour 40 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Kokořín Castle - (1 hour 10 min to 1 hour 30 min) Bus from outside Prague Holešovice train station, change to a second bus in Melník

*** Sobotka & Kost Castle - (1 hour 10 min) Bus from outside Prague Černý Most metro station to Sobotka, a hiking trail leads from there through the forest to Kost castle

** Liberec & the Ještěd Tower - (1 hour 15 min) Bus with the company Student Agency which departs from outside Prague Černý Most metro station, take a local tram from outside Liberec train station to reach the Ještěd Tower

** Český Šternberk Castle - (1 hour 45 min to 2 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station, change to a second train in Čerčany

** Jičín - (1 hour 25 min) Bus from outside Prague Černý Most metro station

* Říp Hill - (1 hour 20 min) Train from Prague Masarykovo Nádraží station, change to a second train in Vraňany, then get out in Ctiněves village and walk 1 km along a hiking trail to reach the hill

* Sázava - (1 hour 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží, change to a second train in Čerčany

* Blatná Castle - (1 hour 45 min) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station

* Jihlava - (1 hour 45 min) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station

* Žatec - (1 hour 20 min) bus from outside Prague Zličín metro station

Destinations Within Three Hours of Prague:

***** Český Krumlov - (2 hours 55 min) Bus with the company Student Agency which departs outside Prague Anděl metro station. Buy tickets in advance for this bus, especially in summer

**** Karlovy Vary - (2 hours to 2 hours 15 min) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station

**** Dresden (Germany) - (2 hours 15 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

**** Saxon Switzerland National Park & Bastei Bridge (Germany) - (2 hours 20 min to 2 hours 30 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Bad Schandau, then change to a second train to reach Kurort Rathen. Take the local ferry across the river to beneath the Bastei Bridge, where many hiking trails lead into the park

**** Brno - (2 hours 40 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

**** Olomouc - (2 hours 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

**** Telč - (3 hours) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station to Jihlava, change to a second bus to Telč

**** Loket - (3 hours) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station to Karlovy Vary, change to a second bus to Loket

**** Nové Město nad Metují - (2 hours 30 min) Bus from Prague Florenc bus station

**** Litomyšl - (2 hours 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Česká Třebová, change to a local bus outside the train station to reach Litomyšl

**** Jindřichův Hradec - (3 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Veselí nad Lužnicí, then change to a second train to reach Jindřichův Hradec

**** Bohemian Switzerland National Park - (2 hours 50 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Děčín, then outside the train station take a local bus to Mezní Louka, where hiking trails begin in the park

**** Czech Paradise National Park - (2 hours 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station to Turnov, then change to a second train to reach Hrubá Skála, where hiking trails lead into the park

**** Hluboká nad Vltavou Castle - (2 hours 45 min to 3 hours) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station to Strakonice or Tábor, then change to a second bus to reach Hluboká nad Vltavou

**** Mariánské Lázně - (3 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží station

*** Kuks - (2 hours 25 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Jaroměř, then change to a second train to reach Kuks

*** Třeboň - (2 hours 50 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Veselí nad Lužnicí, then change to a second train to Třeboň

*** Orlík Castle - (2 hours 30 min to 3 hours) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station to Písek or Mirovice, then change to a second bus to reach the village of Orlík nad Vltavou where the castle is

*** Zvíkov Castle - (2 hours to 3 hours) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station to Písek, then change to a local bus to reach the village of Zvíkovské Podhradí where the castle is

*** Červená Lhota Castle - (2 hours 45 min to 3 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Soběslav, then outside the station take a local bus to Červená Lhota (this local bus only operates from Monday to Friday, not on Saturday or Sunday)

** Bezděz Castle - (2 hours 50 min to 3 hours) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží to Bakov nad Jizerou, then change to a second train to reach Bezděz village

** Prachatice - (2 hours 45 min) Bus from outside Prague Anděl metro station

* Pelhřimov - (2 hours 10 min) Bus from outside Prague Roztyly metro station

* Písek - (2 hours 20 min) Train from Prague Hlavní Nádraží