How to Get from Prague to Cesky Krumlov
How you can pay
- Cash to the driver — euros, Czech crowns, US dollars or pounds sterling
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- Card or PayPal online, before the trip — Visa, Mastercard, American Express; the payment processor adds a 6% fee
- Crypto, before the trip — USDT (TRC-20) or Bitcoin
Payment details · no deposit, pay at the end of the trip if you like
Cesky Krumlov is 175 kilometres south of Prague and, for a place that appears on every list of the prettiest towns in Europe, surprisingly awkward to reach. The single most useful thing to know before you plan the day: there is no direct train. This page compares the ways to get there; if you have already decided on a car, prices and booking are on the Prague to Český Krumlov transfer page.
Weather in Cesky Krumlov
Updated 13 Nov, 17:39
Exchange rate
| 1 EUR (Euro) | 24.39 CZK |
| 1 USD (US dollar) | 22.01 CZK |
| 1 GBP (British pound) | 29.17 CZK |
ČNB rate, 12 Nov 2026
Route from Prague to Cesky Krumlov
The three ways to get there
| Option | Time | Roughly | What it is really like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train | ~3 h 30 | €12–20 | Prague to Ceske Budejovice on a fast train, then a change onto a slow regional line. The Krumlov station is a fifteen-minute walk downhill from the old town, which is fine empty-handed and less fine with luggage. |
| Coach | ~3 hours | €8–15 | Direct from Prague, comfortable enough, and the cheapest option. Fixed departures that fill up in summer, so book ahead. Arrives at the bus station on the edge of town. |
| Private transfer | ~2.5 hours | from 170 € per car |
Door to door, any departure time, luggage and child seats not an issue. Priced per car, so it divides between everyone travelling. |
Which one should you take
Travelling alone on a budget? The coach. It is direct, it is cheap, and three hours on a modern Czech coach is no hardship.
Two, three or four of you? Do the arithmetic before assuming the bus is cheaper. Four coach tickets each way come to a meaningful sum, and a car is priced per vehicle rather than per seat — the gap closes quickly, and you get your own departure time and your hotel door at both ends.
Staying overnight in Krumlov? Worth knowing that the old town is pedestrian. Several hotels sit on lanes no vehicle can enter, so whichever way you arrive there is a walk with the suitcase at the end. A driver will at least carry it to the door.
Going for the day and coming back? This is where the options really separate, and it is worth thinking about before you book anything.
A day return by public transport means roughly six or seven hours of travelling for four or five hours in the town, on someone else’s timetable. Our day trip does the same thing differently: we collect you at your hotel in Prague, drive down, wait while you explore — usually five or six hours — and bring you back the same evening, from 230 € for the whole car, both directions included.
Practical notes
Start early. Two and a half hours each way means a day trip needs a morning departure. Leaving Prague at eight puts you in Krumlov at half past ten, when the castle tours begin.
The town is small. You can cross the old town on foot in fifteen minutes. Four hours is enough to see it properly, including the castle grounds and the tower; a full day lets you add an interior tour without rushing.
The baroque theatre needs booking. It runs small guided tours, usually May to October, and places go. If it is on your list, reserve before you travel — it is one of very few theatres in the world that still has its original stage machinery.
Summer is busy. July and August fill the main square with day groups. Arriving before ten or staying past five gives you a noticeably different town.
Stops on the way. If you are driving or taking a transfer, Hluboka Castle is a short detour and one of the most photographed buildings in the country, and Ceske Budejovice is the home of the original Budweiser brewery.
What to see once you are there
The castle is the second-largest complex in the Czech Republic after Prague Castle — some forty buildings across five courtyards, much of it walkable without a ticket. The round tower, renaissance-painted in the 1580s, gives the view everyone photographs. Below it are the Cloak Bridge, the Latran quarter, St Vitus Church and the Egon Schiele Art Centrum, and in the castle moat, bears — kept there since the sixteenth century.
Going the other way: Cesky Krumlov to Prague
The return is the same 175 kilometres and the same two and a half hours, but it tends to be the harder half of the trip to arrange. Cesky Krumlov is a small town: the bus back fills up in season, the last useful departure is earlier than people expect, and there is no railway station in the old town to fall back on.
If you are coming back to catch something — a flight, a train onward, a booked dinner — the return is the leg worth putting in a car.
If you are doing this leg by car, see the Cesky Krumlov to Prague transfer.
Arriving at Prague Airport
There is no direct public transport from the airport to Cesky Krumlov. The coaches and trains leave from the city, so you first cross Prague — about 45 minutes by trolleybus 59 and the metro — and the whole journey comes to four hours or more, longer if the flight is late and you miss a departure. A car from the terminal drives south directly and takes about two and three quarter hours: see Prague Airport to Cesky Krumlov.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct train from Prague to Cesky Krumlov?
No, and it is the thing to know before planning the day. You change at České Budějovice onto a slow regional line, and the whole journey takes about three and a half hours. The Krumlov station is a fifteen-minute walk downhill from the old town.
How long does it take to get from Prague to Cesky Krumlov?
About two and a half hours by road, around three by direct coach, and three and a half by train with the change. The distance is 175 kilometres.
Is the coach or the train better?
The coach: about three hours direct, against three and a half by train with a change at České Budějovice, and the Krumlov bus station is closer to the old town than the railway station.
How much is a day trip to Cesky Krumlov from Prague?
A full twelve-hour day, with the driver waiting while you explore and the return drive included, is from 230 € for a car with up to four passengers and 260 € for a minivan with up to eight.
Is Cesky Krumlov worth a day trip from Prague?
Yes. The old town is small enough to cross on foot in fifteen minutes, and four hours is enough to see it properly including the castle grounds and the tower. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1992.
Can a car reach my hotel in the old town?
Often not. The old town is pedestrian and several hotels sit on lanes no vehicle can enter, so there is a short walk at the end whichever way you arrive. A driver will at least carry the suitcase to the door.
Is the journey back to Prague any different?
It is the same 175 kilometres, but the coaches back fill up in season and the last useful departure is earlier than people expect, so book the return before you go.
How do I get from Prague Airport to Cesky Krumlov?
By public transport, first into Prague and then the coach or train — four hours or more in all. By car from the terminal it is about two and three quarter hours.
Going by car
Decided on a car? Prices for every class, airport pick-ups and online booking are on the Prague to Český Krumlov transfer page. Questions first? Write to us on +420 773 477 799 (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram) or cz@cztransfer.com.
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