The Best Ways to Get From Prague to Pilsen

Last Updated June 11, 2023||Czech Republic

One of the popular day trips from Prague is to visit the city of Pilsen which is where Pilsner beer originated from.

Pilzen is one of the biggest cities in the Czech Republic and it is known for its famous Pilsner Urquell Brewery which is an awesome tour to do when you go visit Pilsen.

Pilsen may not be as famous as Prague but it still has some incredible sights and activities to do in the city. If you’re only going for a day or a full weekend you’ll be impressed with everything the city has to offer.

Thankfully, the Czech Republic isn’t that big of a country and you can get to most cities relatively quickly from Prague.

As we mentioned, Pilsen is one of the most popular day trips from Prague which means there are plenty of different trains and buses you can take each day and the trip can usually be done in about an hour to an hour and a half.

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3 best ways to get from Prague to Pilsen

Prague to Pilsen and back can easily be done as a day trip or even a weekend trip. Pilsen is one of the easiest cities to get to from Prague. If you’re looking to explore another stunning city in the Czech Republic then Pilsen is a great choice.

Let’s get right into all the different options on how to get between Prague and Pilsen. In this post, you will find the different options, ticket prices, links to sites where you can book from, and reasons why we recommend each option.

Prague to Pilsen by bus

Average price: $5.5/€5 one way
Average time: Roughly 1 hour
Convenience: 4.5/5
Where to book: Omio

The bus is definitely the quickest option if you’re looking at taking public transportation from Prague to Pilsen. It doesn’t leave from the center of the city so you will have to take the metro to Zličín which is the actual bus station in Prague but it is easy and quick to get to. The bus terminal is right next to the Zličín metro which is convenient.

The good news is that when you get to Pilsen, the bus stops in downtown Pilsen so you can start exploring the city right away.

There are buses that leave 1-2 times an hour from Prague to Pilsen so no matter what time of day you go you should easily be able to find a bus that fits your schedule.

The nice thing about the bus is that it’s the quickest public transport to Pilsen. So you really can get there in under an hour and have the whole day to explore and come back the same evening if you want to.

Plus public transport in the Czech Republic is relatively cheap so wherever you go you won’t pay more than $10 return to get across the country. It’s so cheap and we love it!

Click here to see the bus schedule to Pilsen.

Prague to Pilsen by train

Average price: $6/€7 roughly, depending on the time of day.
Average time: 1.5-2 hours
Convenience: 4.5/5
Where to book: Rome2rio

There’s something relaxing and peaceful about taking trains. It’s one thing we absolutely love about the Czech Republic. We can’t believe how easy it is to get around the country by train and we love the fact that there is wifi on the train which means we can usually get a bit of work done while we enjoy the views.

If you’re like us and just like to enjoy the ride while getting some light work done or reading a book or hanging out on your phone then taking the train from Prague to Pilsen is the best way to get there.

The trains in the Czech Republic are really good and even though at odd times there are some delays, the trains are super reliable. Especially between Prague and Pilsen the trains run very often and it’s an easy ride between the two cities.

Another nice thing about taking the train is that both the train station in Prague and the train station in Pilsen are very central so it’s super easy to get between the two cities!

Click here to see the train schedule to Pilsen.

Pro tip: You can also buy your train ticket on the train! So if you’re running late or didn’t manage to book a ticket beforehand, you can just buy it from a staff member after you get on the train. They usually take a 10 CZK fee which is around 50 cents.

Prague to Pilsen by rental car

Average price: Anywhere from $25-50 a day + gas
Average time: Less than an hour
Convenience: 4/5
Where to book: DiscoverCars

If there are 2 of you or more travelling together, then renting a car is a good option. Especially if you plan to see surrounding places and want to visit other cities and castles along the way. That way you don’t have to worry about catching all sorts of different trains and buses.

We recommend renting a car from the Prague Airport since it’s usually the cheapest way. Plus that way you’re already out of the city and don’t have to drive through busy Prague (it’s honestly quite scary, haha).

Pro tip: The further you book the car rental in advance the more likely you are to get a better discount.

If you’re only visiting Pilsen and are going by yourself, then we’d skip the car rental. Since public transport is so cheap it really isn’t worth it and it’s super convenient and easy to get between Prague and Pilsen.

Check prices for your rental car from Prague Airport here.

Picture of a car rental from Prague Airport in the Czech Republic.

Recap of how to get from Prague to Pilsen

There you have it! All the different ways to get from Prague to Pilsen and back. We hope you enjoy the Pilsner Urquell beer and if you get a chance to do one of the tours at the famous Pilsner Urquell Brewery then do it!

Have a great time visiting the bohemian city of Pilsner and enjoy all the sights and things there are to do in and around the city.

Have fun!

Dom & Jo
Red White Adventures