Prague sits at the heart of Bohemia, with fast, cheap trains and buses fanning out to some of Central Europe's most rewarding excursions. Within a couple of hours you can reach the eerie bone church of Kutná Hora, the fairytale riverside town of Český Krumlov, an emperor's Gothic treasure-castle, a moving Holocaust memorial, an elegant belle-époque spa town, or even cross the border to baroque Dresden. Here are 6 of the best day trips, with travel times, costs and how to do each one.
Train ~110 KčKutná Hora & Sedlec Ossuary
Area
Central Bohemia
Distance
1h east
“Do the eerie bone church first by the station, then walk into town for St Barbara's Cathedral.”
Bus ~200 KčČeský Krumlov
Area
South Bohemia
Distance
2h30 south
“It's a long trip — go early, or better still stay a night to enjoy the town once the day-trippers leave.”
Train ~60 KčKarlštejn Castle
Area
Central Bohemia
Distance
40 min southwest
“Book the Chapel of the Holy Cross tour (Route II) ahead — it's limited and the castle's true highlight.”
Bus ~90 KčTerezín Memorial
Area
North Bohemia
Distance
1h north
“A sombre, moving visit — allow a guided tour to fully understand the fortress town's harrowing history.”
Bus ~160 KčKarlovy Vary
Area
West Bohemia
Distance
2h west
“Buy a traditional porcelain sipping cup, taste the hot springs, and try the herbal Becherovka liqueur.”
Train ~350 KčDresden (Germany)
Area
Saxony, Germany
Distance
2h15 north
“Bring your passport (it's another country) and euros — the baroque old town is a short walk from the station.”
Prague day trips in detail
1.Kutná Hora & Sedlec Ossuary
Kutná Hora, an easy hour east of Prague, grew fabulously rich on silver in the Middle Ages, rivalling the capital itself, and today its UNESCO-listed old town makes one of the most rewarding day trips from the city. Its most famous — and famously macabre — sight is the Sedlec Ossuary, a small chapel decorated with the artistically arranged bones of some 40,000 people, including a vast chandelier said to use every bone in the human body, a haunting and unforgettable spectacle right by the train station. A short walk or bus ride away lies the historic centre, crowned by the breathtaking Gothic Cathedral of St Barbara, a soaring, flying-buttressed masterpiece built by and for the miners, with beautiful frescoes and views over the valley. Between the two you can explore cobbled streets, the Italian Court former royal mint, a silver-mining museum with the chance to descend a medieval mine, and charming squares and cafés. Reachable on a simple direct train, Kutná Hora combines the eerie, the sacred and the historic in one compact, walkable town, and comfortably fills a half or full day away from Prague's bustle.
Hours
Ossuary & cathedral ~09:00/10:00–18:00 (seasonal)
Price
Train ~110 Kč each way; combined sights ticket ~300 Kč
Getting there
Direct trains from Prague hlavní nádraží (~55 min) to Kutná Hora
Insider tip: Do the eerie bone church first by the station, then walk into town for St Barbara's Cathedral.
2.Český Krumlov
Český Krumlov is the Czech Republic's most enchanting small town, a near-perfectly preserved medieval and Renaissance gem cradled in a tight double bend of the Vltava in South Bohemia. Its UNESCO-listed old town is a storybook maze of cobbled lanes, painted façades, arched bridges and red rooftops, presided over by a sprawling castle — the second largest in the country — whose distinctive round painted tower is the town's icon. The castle complex rewards exploration with its baroque theatre (one of the oldest surviving in the world), lovely terraced gardens and sweeping views over the huddled town below. Down in the centre you'll find charming squares, the Gothic St Vitus Church, cosy restaurants, craft shops and museums, and in summer you can even paddle a canoe or raft through the town on the river. At around two and a half to three hours each way, it's a long day trip, so start early — or, far better, stay overnight to wander the magically quiet streets after the coach parties have left. Romantic, photogenic and steeped in history, Český Krumlov is the standout excursion from Prague and, for many, a highlight of a whole Czech trip.
Hours
Town always open; castle ~09:00–17:00 (Apr–Oct)
Price
Bus/train ~200 Kč each way; castle tours ~250 Kč
Getting there
Direct buses (Regiojet/Flixbus) from Prague (~2h45); or train with a change
Insider tip: It's a long trip — go early, or better still stay a night to enjoy the town once the day-trippers leave.
3.Karlštejn Castle
Karlštejn is the most popular castle day trip from Prague, and with good reason: this grand, turreted Gothic fortress, rising dramatically from wooded hills above a pretty village, is one of the most striking castles in the country. It was founded in 1348 by Emperor Charles IV as a fortified treasury to safeguard the Bohemian crown jewels and the imperial regalia of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as his collection of holy relics. Its crowning glory is the exquisite Chapel of the Holy Cross, its walls encrusted with over 2,000 semi-precious stones and gilded panels — access is strictly limited and requires the special Route II tour, which must be booked well in advance. The standard Route I tour takes in the imperial residence and halls. Reaching it is straightforward: a direct 40-minute train from Prague drops you in the village, from where a scenic 20–25 minute walk uphill (past souvenir stalls and eateries) leads to the gates. The setting, the views and the history make it a satisfying half-day escape, easily combined with a walk in the surrounding Bohemian Karst countryside. Go early to beat the crowds.
Hours
Tue–Sun ~09:00–17:00 (Apr–Oct); reduced in winter
Price
Train ~60 Kč each way; tours ~250–450 Kč
Getting there
Direct train from Prague hlavní nádraží to Karlštejn (~40 min), then a 25-min walk uphill
Insider tip: Book the Chapel of the Holy Cross tour (Route II) ahead — it's limited and the castle's true highlight.
4.Terezín Memorial
Terezín (Theresienstadt), an hour north of Prague, is a profoundly moving and important place to visit — a former 18th-century garrison town that the Nazis turned into a Jewish ghetto and transit camp during the Second World War. Tens of thousands died here of disease and starvation, and it served as a way station from which some 88,000 people were deported to the extermination camps further east; it was also cynically used as a propaganda 'model ghetto' shown to Red Cross inspectors to disguise the reality of the Holocaust. Today the memorial encompasses the Ghetto Museum, the barracks and the chilling Small Fortress prison, with its cells, execution grounds and the notorious 'Arbeit Macht Frei' gate, alongside cemeteries and a memorial to the dead. It is a sombre, harrowing but deeply worthwhile experience, best approached with time and, ideally, a guided tour or audio guide to fully grasp the human stories behind the sites. Not a trip for young children, it offers older visitors an unforgettable, unflinching encounter with 20th-century history. Reachable by direct bus, it makes a meaningful half or full day, and a powerful counterpoint to Prague's fairytale beauty.
Hours
Daily ~09:00–18:00 (to 16:30 winter)
Price
Bus ~90 Kč each way; museum & fortress ticket ~250 Kč
Getting there
Direct buses from Prague Nádraží Holešovice (~1h) to Terezín
Insider tip: A sombre, moving visit — allow a guided tour to fully understand the fortress town's harrowing history.
5.Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), two hours west of Prague, is the grandest of the Czech spa towns, a genteel belle-époque resort strung along a wooded river valley that has drawn emperors, tsars, composers and aristocrats to take its curative waters for centuries. Its handsome centre is lined with pastel-coloured 19th-century buildings and ornate colonnades sheltering the town's dozen-plus hot mineral springs, where visitors sip the warm, mineral-rich (and famously odd-tasting) water from traditional spouted porcelain cups sold everywhere as souvenirs. Strolling the elegant promenade between the Mill Colonnade, the Market Colonnade and the geyser-like Vřídlo hot spring, browsing the spa shops, and riding the funicular up to the Diana lookout tower for views over the rooftops fills a pleasant full day. The town is also famous for its herbal Becherovka liqueur, its glassmaking heritage (Moser crystal), traditional spa wafers, and its international film festival each summer. A relaxed, refined and picturesque contrast to Prague's medieval bustle, Karlovy Vary makes a lovely full-day excursion, especially for those who enjoy architecture, gentle strolling and a taste of old European spa culture. Comfortable direct buses make the journey easy.
Hours
Town & colonnades always open; spa hours vary
Price
Bus ~160 Kč each way (~2h15)
Getting there
Direct buses (Regiojet/Flixbus) from Prague Florenc (~2h15) to Karlovy Vary
Insider tip: Buy a traditional porcelain sipping cup, taste the hot springs, and try the herbal Becherovka liqueur.
6.Dresden (Germany)
Just over the German border, two and a quarter hours north by direct train, Dresden makes a rewarding cross-border day trip and a fascinating contrast to Prague. Once the glittering baroque capital of Saxony and nicknamed the 'Florence on the Elbe', the city was devastated by Allied firebombing in February 1945, and its painstaking post-war and post-reunification reconstruction is a moving story of rebirth in its own right. The compact old town, an easy walk from the main station, packs in a cluster of magnificently restored landmarks: the domed Frauenkirche, rebuilt from its rubble and reconsecrated in 2005; the sprawling Zwinger palace with its ornate courtyards and galleries; the Semperoper opera house; the Royal Palace; and the Brühl's Terrace promenade along the Elbe, dubbed the 'Balcony of Europe'. World-class museums, including the Old Masters Picture Gallery (home to Raphael's Sistine Madonna) and the dazzling Green Vault treasury, reward those with more time. Remember it's a separate country, so carry your passport and some euros. For visitors keen to add a slice of Germany and some superb baroque architecture and art to their Czech trip, Dresden is a splendid, easily reached full-day excursion.
Hours
Old town always open; museums ~10:00–18:00 (closed Mon)
Price
Train ~350 Kč each way (~2h15); euros needed
Getting there
Direct EC trains from Prague hlavní nádraží to Dresden Hbf (~2h15)
Insider tip: Bring your passport (it's another country) and euros — the baroque old town is a short walk from the station.