Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the other two bridges worth walking are
Mánes Bridge (Mánes
*
v most),
which pro-
vides a stunning low-angle view of the castle especially at night, and the
Bridge of the
Legions (most Legií),
which links the National Theater to Pet
r
ín Hill.
On the left bank coming off Charles Bridge is
Mostecká Street,
and at the end of
it sits the cozy square under the castle hill,
Malostranské nám
ê
stí.
On the hill out-
side the main castle gate is the motorcade-worn
Hrad
c
anské nám
ê
stí,
on the city side
of which you'll find a spectacular view of spires and red roofs below.
On the east side of Charles Bridge, you can wind through most any of the old alleys
leading from the bridge and get pleasantly lost amid the shops and cafes. The tourist-
packed route through Old Town is
Karlova Street.
Like Karlova, almost any other
route in Old Town will eventually lead you to
Starom
ê
stské nám
ê
stí (Old Town
Sq.),
the breathtaking heart of Staré M
ê
sto. A black monument to Jan Hus, the mar-
tyred Czech Protestant leader, dominates the square. The tree-lined boulevard to the
right behind Hus is
Pa
r
í
z
ská (Parisian Blvd.)
with boutiques and restaurants; it
forms the edge of the Jewish Quarter. Over Hus's left shoulder is
Dlouhá Street,
and
in front of him to his left is the kitschy shopping zone on
Celetná.
Across the square
to Hus's right, past the clock tower of Old Town Hall (Starom
ê
stská radnice), is
Z
elezná Street,
which leads to Mozart's Prague venue, the Estates' Theater. Farther to
Hus's right is the narrow alley
Melantrichova,
which winds southeast to
Václavské
nám
ê
stí (Wenceslas Sq.),
site of pro-democracy demonstrations in 1968 and 1989.
GETTING AROUND
BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Prague's public transportation network is one of the few sound Communist-era lega-
cies and is still remarkably affordable. In central Prague, metro (subway) stations
abound. Trams and buses offer a cheap sightseeing experience but also require a strong
stomach for jostling with fellow passengers in close quarters.
TICKETS & PASSES
For single-use
tickets,
there are two choices. You can ride a
maximum of five stations on the metro (not including the station of validation) or 20
minutes on a tram or bus, without transfers (on the metro you can transfer from line
A to B to C within 30 min.), for 14K
c
(60¢/30p); children 6 and under ride free, 6-
to 15-year-olds for 7K
c
(30¢/15p). This is usually enough for trips in the historic dis-
tricts. Rides of more than five stops on the metro, or longer tram or bus rides, with
unlimited transfers for up to 75 minutes (90 min. on Sat, Sun, public holidays, and
after 8pm on workdays) after your ticket is validated, cost 20K
c
(85¢/40p).
A
1-day pass
good for unlimited rides is 80K
c
($3.35/£2), a
3-day pass
220K
c
($9.15/£4), a
7-day pass
280K
c
($12/£6), and a
15-day pass
320K
c
($13/£6).
You can buy tickets from yellow coin-operated machines in metro stations or at
most newsstands marked
TABÁK
or
TRAFIKA
. Hold on to your validated ticket through-
out your ride—you'll need to show it if a ticket collector (be sure to check for his or
her badge) asks you. If you're caught without a valid ticket, you'll be asked, and not
so kindly, to pay a fine on the spot while all the locals look on, shaking their heads in
disgust. The fine is 500K
c
($21/£10).
BY METRO
Metro trains operate daily from 5am to midnight and run every 2 to
6 minutes. On the three lettered lines (A, B, and C, color-coded green, yellow, and
red, respectively), the most convenient central stations are M
*
stek, at the foot of
Václavské nám
ê
stí (Wenceslas Sq.); Starom
ê
stská, for Old Town Square and Charles
