Your First Business Days in Prague: Transport, Money, Alcohol and Staying Safe

Prague is generally safe, well connected and easy to enjoy. The practical problems for a business visitor are usually smaller: allowing too little time after landing, getting stuck in traffic before a meeting, accepting an unnecessary currency conversion or forgetting that Czechia applies zero tolerance to alcohol behind the wheel.

These details matter more when you are travelling for work. A missed connection is inconvenient on holiday. It feels different when a client, candidate or new Czech colleague is waiting for you.

This guide is for people coming to Prague for a business meeting, a short work assignment or their first days in a new job. It is not a tourist itinerary and it is not meant to make the city sound dangerous. It explains a few local rules and habits that make the first days easier.

Do not schedule the first meeting too close to landing

Václav Havel Airport Prague is close to the city, but there is no completed direct rail or metro connection from the terminals to central Prague. The last part of the journey therefore begins by trolleybus, bus or car.

The main options are:

For most travellers heading to the centre, trolleybus 59 and Metro A offer a predictable and inexpensive route. The standard 90-minute Prague public-transport ticket costs CZK 50 in the 2026 fare published by Prague Airport. It covers the trolleybus and the following metro journey.

The Airport Express is different. It runs directly to the main railway station, has more space for luggage and uses its own fare. A regular Prague public-transport ticket is not valid on it. The published one-way fare in September 2026 is CZK 200.

The official taxi service at the airport is Uber Airport. A ride can be ordered in the app, at a self-service kiosk or at the staffed counter in the arrivals hall. This is usually the simplest car option for someone who wants the destination and price recorded before entering the vehicle.

The theoretical journey time is not the same as the time from aircraft door to meeting room. You may still need to pass passport control, wait for baggage, find the correct stop, check into the hotel and cross the city.

For an important meeting in central Prague, allowing at least two hours between the scheduled landing and the appointment is a sensible planning minimum. Add more time after a non-Schengen arrival, with checked luggage or during a period of disruption. This is a planning recommendation, not a guaranteed airport transfer time.

Public transport is often more predictable than driving

Prague has a dense network of metro lines, trams, buses, trolleybuses and suburban trains. For many central business journeys, public transport is more reliable than a car because the metro avoids road congestion and trams have their own corridors on many routes.

I say this from personal experience. I lived in Prague for 30 years and have also spent time abroad. I consider its public transport one of the best systems in the world. Every tram and bus stop displays a timetable, and services generally run closely enough to schedule that people can organise their day around the published times. Locals sometimes joke that you can set your watch by the arrival of a Prague tram.

The easiest tool for a newcomer is the official PID Lítačka application. It provides journey planning, disruption information and ticket purchase. A ticket bought in the app needs to be activated before entering the paid area or boarding; the activation includes a short protection period. If you use a paper ticket, validate it when required and do not stamp the same ticket repeatedly.

Prague tickets are usually time-based rather than limited to one vehicle. A valid 90-minute ticket can cover a trolleybus, metro and tram journey within its validity period.

Three practical rules prevent most problems:

• Every traveller needs their own valid ticket.
• Activate or validate it before the inspection takes place, not when you see an inspector.
• Check whether a special service such as Airport Express uses a separate fare.

A taxi or company car can still be the right choice for an industrial site, several passengers, heavy equipment or a destination outside the dense public-transport network. For meetings in Prague 1, Prague 2, Karlín, Holešovice, Dejvice or another well-connected district, always compare the live public-transport route before assuming that a car will be faster.

Build a buffer between meetings

Prague looks compact on a map. A journey can still involve a long escalator, a change between lines, several minutes of walking and a building entrance on the other side of a city block.

Road travel is less predictable. Weekday traffic, construction work, accidents, weather and an event in the centre can change the arrival time quickly. A route that takes 25 minutes at one point in the day may take much longer later.

For a normal trip across central Prague, add at least 15 to 20 minutes beyond the journey planner when the appointment matters. Add more when:

• you are using an unfamiliar route;
• the meeting is in a large office or industrial complex;
• you need reception registration or a security check;
• you are travelling in morning or afternoon traffic;
• rain, snow or a major event is affecting the city;
• you must park a car near the historic centre.

Arriving early is rarely a problem. Prague has many cafés and hotel lobbies where you can prepare before a meeting. Arriving late because the taxi did not move is harder to explain.

Beer is part of social life, but it is not an obligation

Beer is visible in Czech social and business life. A colleague may suggest one after work, and a restaurant may offer it as naturally as water or coffee.

That does not mean everyone is expected to drink. Saying that you are driving, preparing for an early meeting or simply do not want alcohol is normal. A short, polite answer is enough.

The important legal difference is driving. Czechia applies zero tolerance to alcohol behind the wheel. There is no permitted “one beer” allowance for a driver. Official Czech road-safety guidance states that drivers may be required to take a breath test.

For a business visitor, the practical rule is simple:

If you plan to drink alcohol, do not plan to drive afterwards.

Use the metro, a tram, a reputable taxi service or arrange a sober driver. Be careful the following morning as well: alcohol may remain in the body longer than expected after an evening event. Do not rely on coffee, sleep or a calculation from the internet to prove that you are fit to drive.

The social side is also worth understanding. “Going for one” may turn into a longer conversation, because the point is often the time together rather than the number of drinks. If you need to leave, say so before the next round is ordered.

Pay in Czech korunas, not in your home currency

Czechia uses the Czech koruna, identified as CZK or Kč. Cards are widely accepted in Prague, but a visitor can still encounter two separate currency decisions:

1. which currency the terminal or ATM uses;
2. who performs the conversion into the currency of the card account.

When a terminal or ATM offers to charge the card directly in euros, dollars, pounds or another home currency, it is offering dynamic currency conversion, known as DCC.

The amount may look convenient because it is already shown in a familiar currency. The exchange rate is set by the DCC provider and is often less favourable than the rate used by the card issuer. The Czech National Bank notes that the payer must be offered the possibility of paying in the merchant’s currency.

In Prague, that usually means selecting CZK and allowing your own card issuer to perform the conversion. Check your bank’s foreign-transaction conditions because the best result still depends on the card and account you use.

The same principle applies at an ATM:

• use an ATM operated by a recognised bank when practical;
• check any withdrawal fee before confirming;
• select Czech korunas rather than conversion into your home currency;
• cancel the transaction if the screen does not clearly show the amount and conditions;
• do not accept help from a stranger standing beside the machine.

For a short business trip, card payment plus a modest amount of cash is usually more practical than exchanging a large sum immediately after arrival.

A small exchange office is not automatically bad—and a bank is not automatically best

Prague has legitimate exchange offices as well as places offering unattractive rates. The size of the office does not by itself tell you whether the transaction is good.

The Czech National Bank recommends using a designated bureau de change, reading the exchange-rate list carefully and understanding the difference between the buy and sell rates. Different offices set their own rates, so the amount can vary significantly.

Before handing over money:

• confirm how many Czech korunas you will receive in total;
• check that you are reading the rate from the office’s perspective;
• compare the result with a current reference rate;
• ask for and keep the receipt;
• never exchange money with someone approaching you in the street.

Czech rules give a customer the right to cancel an exchange transaction within three hours at the same office. The right applies without giving a reason and covers up to the equivalent of EUR 1,000. The receipt is important if you need to exercise this right.

Using a bank can feel safer, but it is not a guarantee of the best cash-exchange rate and some branches may not provide the service you need. The better principle is to compare the final amount, use a regulated provider and avoid making a rushed decision in a highly visited location.

Prague is safe, but crowded places still reward attention

Prague is widely regarded as a safe European capital. A business visitor can normally walk, use public transport and attend an evening meeting without unusual concern.

The most relevant risk is ordinary petty theft. Official foreign-travel advice highlights busy tourist areas, crowded public transport and some routes between the airport and the centre as places where pickpocketing can occur.

This is not a reason to avoid the historic centre. It is a reason to use the same habits you would use in any busy international city:

• keep a phone and wallet in a closed pocket or bag;
• close a backpack in the metro and keep it where you can feel it;
• do not hang a work bag on the back of a chair in a crowded café;
• do not leave a phone openly on an outdoor table;
• keep your passport, laptop and company access devices under control;
• stay aware when taking photographs or looking up at buildings;
• separate backup cards and emergency cash from the main wallet.

Prague’s architecture makes people stop and look up. That is part of the pleasure of the city. It also creates the moment when someone may forget that a phone is still on the table or a bag is open.

If something is stolen, report it to the police and obtain documentation for your insurer or employer. The general European emergency number is 112. The Czech Police can be reached at 158, and Prague Municipal Police at 156.

Protect work information as well as personal belongings

A business traveller often carries more than a wallet. A laptop, company phone, access card, customer documents or prototype may be more difficult to replace than cash.

Before travelling, separate practical security decisions from IT policy:

• use a screen lock and device encryption;
• avoid discussing confidential information loudly in public transport or a hotel lobby;
• do not leave a work device unattended while ordering at a café;
• use the company’s approved connection method for sensitive systems;
• know whom to contact if a device, token or access card is lost;
• carry only the documents needed for the trip.

The goal is not to treat Prague as a high-risk destination. It is to recognise that a crowded business trip creates opportunities for ordinary mistakes.

A practical first-day sequence

A simple arrival plan can remove most of the avoidable stress:

1. Before landing, save the hotel and first meeting address offline.
2. Check the live route from the airport only after arrival conditions are known.
3. Buy or activate the correct transport ticket before boarding.
4. Leave enough time to check in and put luggage in a secure place.
5. Carry one payment card, a backup and a modest amount of Czech cash separately.
6. Pay and withdraw in CZK unless you have deliberately chosen another conversion.
7. Use public transport or an ordered taxi after an evening involving alcohol.
8. Keep work devices and documents with you until they can be stored securely.
9. Recheck the next morning’s route and any planned road journey.

This is not complicated preparation. It is simply easier to decide these things before the first client is waiting.

What a local Czech partner can help with

Airport transport and currency exchange are only the first layer of working in a new country. A longer Czech assignment may also require accommodation, employment and immigration support, a Czech business address, local banking, a phone number, supplier contacts and an understanding of how the company will operate locally.

Kodo helps international companies prepare the commercial and practical side of entering Czechia: local positioning, Czech and English web content, partner mapping, recruitment communication, digital setup and coordination with specialist providers.

We are not a travel agency, bank, immigration adviser or transport operator. We help connect the local work so that the Czech entry becomes understandable and manageable.

If your company is sending its first employees to Prague or building a Czech operation, tell us what you are preparing.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Prague safe for business travellers?+

Prague is generally considered a safe European city. The most relevant everyday risk is petty theft in crowded tourist areas and public transport. Normal big-city habits—closing bags, watching phones and keeping work devices under control—are usually sufficient.

Can I drive after one Czech beer?+

No safe legal allowance should be assumed. Czechia applies zero tolerance to alcohol behind the wheel. If you drink, use public transport, an ordered taxi or a sober driver.

Should I exchange money at Prague Airport?+

Do not exchange a large amount simply because it is the first service you see. Compare the final amount and conditions. Card payment in Czech korunas and a small cash withdrawal from a bank-operated ATM may be enough for the first day.

Which currency should I choose on a payment terminal or ATM?+

Choose Czech korunas, or CZK, unless you have intentionally compared and accepted the offered conversion. Paying in your home currency usually means that dynamic currency conversion is being used.

How long should I allow from Prague Airport to a city-centre meeting?+

The public-transport journey itself can take approximately 30 to 40 minutes, but passport control, baggage, hotel check-in and disruption add time. For an important appointment, leaving at least two hours between the scheduled landing and a central Prague meeting is a sensible minimum, with more time for non-Schengen arrivals or checked baggage.

Is the Airport Express included in a normal Prague public-transport ticket?+

No. Airport Express uses a separate fare. Standard Prague tickets are valid on regular airport connections such as trolleybus 59 and the following metro journey, but not on Airport Express.

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Related reading

• Where to go after work in Prague: three places to slow down
• Going for One? What Czech Beer Culture Says About Life in Czechia
• Entering the Czech Market: What International Businesses Should Prepare Before They Launch

Sources

• Václav Havel Airport Prague — public transport buses
• Václav Havel Airport Prague — Airport Express
• Václav Havel Airport Prague — transport FAQ and current fares
• Václav Havel Airport Prague — official airport taxi
• Prague Integrated Transport — tickets and fares
• BESIP — basic traffic rules in the Czech Republic
• Czech National Bank — ten golden rules for currency-exchange clients
• Czech National Bank — information about dynamic currency conversion
• Prague City Tourism — practical information
• UK Government — Czechia safety and security advice

Cover photo by Predrag Pavič.