Karlovy Vary Travel Forum

I'm planning to be in Prague this month and want to go for a day to Karlovy Vary. I want to go on my own, not with a group.

What is the best way to get there from Prague - bus or train? If bus, where do I get the bus? If train, from which station does it depart and is it a direct train, or do I have to transfer? If you know fares and bus/train frequency, that would be a bonus. Thanks in advance.

Bus is the best option. Direct bus departs from the Florenc bus terminal (pier 24) and then en route to Karlovy Vary stops also at the Dejvicka bus stop (follow signs for airport bus) and at the airport.

One-way fare is 119 CZK (approx. 4 EUR/5.50 USD).

You can buy the ticket:
- before deprture from the driver
- in advance at the Florenc station or in their office in the booth marked Asiana/Letuska in the underpass near the entrance to Mustek metro on the Venceslas Square and also on the airport (look for their "Letuska" logo).

www.asiana.cz/files/Image/hlavne-menu/airport-map.png

Their timetable (unfortunately only in Czech):

www.asiana.cz/autobusy/jizdni-rad.php

Take the Kladno lines express bus from Florenc bus station. It makes only one stop in Kladno. The train route is indirect and slow, and the Karlovy Vary train station is filthy.

I took the bus from Florenc bus station - the one stopping at the Metro station and the airport. There were absolutely no problems, both going to K. Vary and back to Prague.

BTW, please note that there are only disadvantages to buying you ticket in advance. Buy only just before you get on the bus, or from the driver. The reason is that you must state which bus you will be taking - i.e., the time. If you decide to take another bus instead, your ticket will not be valid for it. Also, there is no advantage to a return ticket - they cost the same as two one-way ones.

There is a small international airport in Karlovy Vary but the only regular flights are from/to Moscow, twice a week. If you arrive into Prague you can take a bus from Florence main station (terminal 24) by ASIANA or CSAD. I recommend that you purchase the ticket at the main hall at Florence (ticket office) and not from unknown vendors at the terminal. It takes about 2 hours and so to KArlovy Vary from Praghe and costs about 150 CZK (students with ISIC card have about 15% discount). There is no fast direct connection by train from Prague. Enjoy is a fabulous place!

If you want to go *directly* from Prague airport to Karlovy Vary, you can take the Prague->K. Vary bus which stops at the airport to pick up passengers, thus eliminating the need to go into Prague.

The price of a Prague->K. Vary bus ticket (one-way) is 119 CZK (about US $5.50). Buy it either from the Florenc bus station ticket window or from the driver. BTW, the buses used on this route are excellent air-conditioned tour buses.