Getting Around Prague: Trams, Metro, and Walking Like a Local
The single most useful thing to understand about Prague transport: a ticket buys you a block of time — typically 30 or 90 minutes — during which you can transfer freely between trams, the metro, and buses, rather than paying per boarding. Validate it the moment you first get on, at the little yellow machines on board or at metro entrances.
The metro (three lines, A/B/C) is fast for crossing the city but the trams are how you actually see it — routes 22 and 23 in particular pass the Castle, the National Theatre, and Malá Strana above ground, working almost like a free sightseeing tour.
The historic center itself is compact enough to walk — most of Old Town, Malá Strana, and the way up to the Castle are more pleasant on foot than by any vehicle, and cobblestones plus one-way systems make driving there more trouble than it's worth.
Taxis and rideshare apps make sense mainly late at night or with luggage; during the day, especially across the river or up the hill to the Castle, a tram usually gets you there just as fast without the traffic.
