I’d never been to Prague before but 4 days of only city sightseeing seemed a bit much, so I wanted to take a day trip from Prague. I took the train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov (Český Krumlov) for a day of castles and cute views. But how does it work? How to book tickets if you don’t speak Czech and how do the trains in the Czech Republic work? I walk you through each of the steps in this DIY Guide for your day trip from Prague to Cesky Krumlov.
I paid for everything in full myself. I was not paid or sponsored. All my opinions and experiences are my own.
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What is Cesky Krumlov and why should you go?
Cesky Krumlov is a small town, in South Bohemia, a province of the Czech Republic, 3 hours from Prague. Unesco added Cesky Krumlov in 1992 to their World Heritage List to ensure the sights for the generations to come.
Check the beginner’s guide to Cesky Krumlov.
On the top of the list of things to do in Cesky Krumlov is the castle.
Perched up on the hill, overlooking the rest of the orange-roofed town, the Cesky Krumlov castle shows many generations of royalties and royal building styles. It is like walking through history in a cute little village.
Little Prague
Some people call Cesky Krumlov “little Prague” which I do not agree with.
Yes, it is just as busy as the capital but Cesky Krumlov is cute and small. The old streets ooze with cuteness and small-town charm, whereas Prague is hitting you with grandeur and urban hip-ness.
In my opinion, a day trip from Prague to Cesky Krumlov is really a nice addition to your city trip.
I loved to zoom across the countryside of the Czech Republic by train and I wandered the streets of Cesky Krumlov for a whole day. It is a great way to learn more about the complex history of the Czech Republic and the Bohemian region and who doesn’t like to see a real-life castle?
How to get from Prague to Cesky Krumlov by train?
There are several ways to travel from Prague to Cesky Krumlov and back on a day trip.
There are numerous tours on offer that leave Prague, drive you to Cesky Krumlov, show you around, and feed you lunch along the way.
As I find these tours too massive and too expensive, I looked into my options to travel to Cesky Krumlov independently.
You can take a bus but as soon as I learned you can also take the train to Cesky Krumlov, I was sold! For as little as €11 (265 CZK) you can take the train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov and explore for the whole day (or longer)!
Prague to Cesky Krumlov Train
As I liked to be prepared, I booked and paid for my train tickets to Cesky Krumlov in advance. I didn’t want to be puzzled at a big crowded train station while my train is leaving, so I researched the schedule online.
I went to cd.cz, the national train website of the Czech Republic.
At the top, you can select the English language. I easily found trains from Prague (select Praha) to Cesky Krumlov (Český Krumlov) with their prices. I was able to book online and pay with my credit card.
Prague Central Train Station
All trains to Cesky Krumlov leave from Praga hl.n. This is the main train station in Prague, connected with all the trams and metro lines.
It took me 5 minutes on the tram from my hostel to the train station. Everything is indicated in English and really easy.
Direct train to Cesky Krumlov or change trains?
Just a few years ago, you could only travel on the Prague to Cesky Krumlov train if you switched trains in České Budějovice.
Just recently, a direct train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov was added to the itinerary. This is very new and even local people from Prague do not know this all the time, so don’t be surprised if locals tell you it is not possible on a direct train.
Cesky Krumlov by direct train
The direct train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov takes 2 hours and 30 minutes. You hop on the train in Prague and you do not need to get off until you arrive at your final destination: Cesky Krumlov.
This train only runs once a day (at the moment). At 9.21 am (arriving at 11.51 am) from Prague to Cesky Krumlov and return at 2.07 pm and you’ll arrive in Prague at 4.39 pm.
As I found this is a bit too early to return, I decided to return on the train from Cesky Krumlov to Prague with a change in České Budějovice.
Train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov via České Budějovice
The regular service runs much more often per day but takes between 3 to 3.5 hours depending on which train you’ll take. This is also pretty straightforward as the station of České Budějovice is not that big.
The train calls out to the station and you need to leave the train and change the platforms. It might take 5 minutes for the connecting train to arrive but everything runs fairly smoothly.
Reserved seating for the Cesky Krumlov train
I thought it was a bit extreme to reserve seats on this train to the tourist village in the south, but it was at no extra charge and it turned out to be necessary.
You can reserve seats on the stretch from Prague to Cesky Krumlov if you take the direct train and on the stretch from Prague to České Budějovice. It is not possible to reserve seats on the train between České Budějovice and Cesky Krumlov.
I traveled on the Monday after Easter, the end of a long weekend. On the train from Cesky Krumlov to Prague, it was absolutely packed! I was happy with my reserved window seat as the journey takes quite some time.
TIP: Make sure to make a seat reservation providing the right details and bring your passport or ID. The train conductor does check and asks for your passport.
Arrive at the Cesky Krumlov train station
I looked at the map and I thought the Cesky Krumlov train station was rather far from the historical center of town. But it turns out, it is a very easy stroll.
Just head to the main pathway on your right (when you leave the station) and follow it. You’ll find some steps that lead down towards the movie theatre that give you the first sights of Cesky Krumlov.
(On the way back it is a lot less fun as it feels like a grueling Stairmaster workout; especially if you’re afraid you’ll miss your train!).
It took me maybe 10 minutes to walk from Cesky Krumlov train station to the town and castle of Cesky Krumlov.
Prices for a day trip from Prague by train
I booked my train tickets a week in advance online. I paid 199 Kč per journey, which totals to €15 ($16) for this day trip from Prague by train. Prices have gone up since then, now it is more likely that you’ll pay 256 Kč (direct train) or 352 Kč (with 1 change).
If you book further in advance, you might be able to save a few Krona. I tried a few searches and you can book 60 days in advance for 235 Kč.
Best time to visit Cesky Krumlov
You can take a day trip from Prague and visit Cesky Krumlov any time of year. But the Cesky Krumlov castle is the top thing to see in the little town, so I suggest you plan your Cesky Krumlov day trip when the castle is open.
The castle tours are every day of the week, except Mondays from 1 April till 31 October. They take about 1 hour and take you through the interior of the castle. I paid 260 Kč for my tour (€9,50 or $10).
Other interesting things to do in Cesky Krumlov are visit to the Cesky Krumlov Castle museum and castle tower.
They are open year-round but it is more fun to visit the grounds and the gardens when everything is open.
For more detailed information, check the website of the castle of Český Krumlov.
Day Trip from Prague to Cesky Krumlov by train
All in all, I was glad I took the train to Cesky Krumlov and got to see more of the Czech Republic on this day’s trip from Prague. Although 6 hours on a train in 1 day is a bit much for me, it was worth it to see this Unesco Heritage site and I got to snooze a bit on the train.
If you have a little bit more time in Prague or visit the Czech Republic for a longer period of time, I definitely recommend paying Cesky Krumlov a visit!
The best way, in my train lover’s opinion, is to take the train from Prague and explore the little town on your own. It is easy, fast, and cheap, so why not?
More useful links
- Find hotels in Český Krumlov
- Find hotels in Prague
- Book railway tickets in Czech online via cd.cz website
- Český Krumlov tourism website
- Website of the castle of Český Krumlov
Have you visited Cesky Krumlov? What did you think of the little village? How did you travel there from Prague? Let me know in the comment section below!
Unfortunately, the price has gone up quite a bit since you visited. A round trip now is closer to 30EUR. Strangely, a round trip to Vienna which is much further is a bit cheaper.
Thanks for the update on pricing Joe.
Hi Naomi I’m so glad to read about your day trip by train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov. Thank you for the detailed information which is so helpful. I would like to ask if you would recommend staying one night in CK since return trip takes about 6 hours. I read from trip advisor that it is not worth to stay overnight as it is a small town and by evening it is quite dead especially during fall. I will be heading to Hallstatt after Prague and not sure if it makes sense to do Prague-CK-Hallstatt or do day trip to CK and then travel from Prague to Hallstatt.
I will be travelling in May this year and would appreciate your feedback. Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you 🙂
Hi Tay, it sounds like you’ll have a great time! Yes, Cesky Krumlov will be quite dead at night. It is a small village indeed, but there are restaurants and bars. You can roam around, take in the views or get a bottle of wine/beer and just enjoy yourself. It would make more sense to go from Prague to CK and then continue onwards to Austria. If you return to Prague and then continue to Austria, you’ll probably travel the same route again. Both options are possible, you can choose what you’d like to do. I like quite villages so I would stay overnight and continue to Austria from CK. But if you feel a day trip is easier, then it is also very well possible. Either way, I hope you’ll have a great time in Prague and Austria!
Hi Naomi
Thank you for your reply and advice. One quick question about the train. Does it have luggage compartment? I’m lugging around a large luggage.
It depends a bit on the train you’ll take. I’d see if you can bring as little as possible, or bring a convenient backpack. Make sure you’ll reserve tickets in advance and arrive early at the station so you’ll have enough time to store your luggage.
It is an excellent introduction. We will be visiting Prague in April this year, and any information on the city and its transportation is helpful. I am so glad to find your web-page and read about the detail. Thank you!
Thank you Alexander. I hope you’ll have a great time!
Very useful, concise information. I’m an American and my family is coming to visit me in Europe in 3 weeks. I’d been told we should see Krumlov but the guided day trips sounded pricey, and the reviews were mediocre.
Glad to see we can do it ourselves.
THANK YOU!
You sure can and it is super easy! Have fun Jeannine
Thats great information. Is it a good place to stay the night? I am planning to carry on to Vienna the next day so wanted to check if it would be good to do that.
Also any idea how it will be in December?
How scenic was the train ride? I am thinking of driving if it is picturesque.
It was ok Kushal. I mainly focused on getting there. If you go in December, it can get really cold! And check the opening times as it might be more quiet. Have fun!
Thanks so much for the information. I know you only did a day trip, but we are planning on staying in Cesky and I’m wondering how much storage space is on the train for our luggage. Also, is there a bathroom onboard?
Hey Jen. Great plan! There was a toilet on the direct train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov. There were luggage racks to put your bag or suitcases. Also above your head there is some storage. Hope you’ll have a great trip.
Really useful post, thanks:)
Thanks for sharing the information. Very informative and interesting.
Plzen is worth to visit from Prague. 90 minutes by train, nice small town, home of the Urquell brewery.
Thanks Tony! I definitely want to check it out when I go to Czechia again.
Your day trip reminds me of a day trip I took from Prague. My destination was Kutna Hora. I went to see the Bone Church but found the Church of St Barbara much more interesting.
Very informative!
A big help to me here!
Appreciate very much!
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Very detailed, thank you! It’s very interesting.