Parking in Prague seems simple to one who has not yet been there. Driving to the capital of the Czech Republic by car, there are a few things you need to know, and the most important of them is to find out if the accommodation offers a parking space. Because if it doesn’t, and we stay in the center, we can get into a little trouble.
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Accommodation in Prague. Where to Park the Car?
If you have booked a hotel or apartment in the center, it is worth checking whether it comes with a parking space. Unfortunately, this is not very common, so we have several solutions: looking for a free (and legal) parking space, paid parking lots or parking somewhere further away. The further away from the center, the easier it is to find a place to park your car.
Important! Often you can buy a parking space belonging to the hotel, but it costs approx. 20 euro /day. For me, too expensive.
Where Can You Not Park Your Car in Prague?
First of all, at the restricted areas. Although it seems obvious, a few years ago we always parked at the Staropramen brewery. Parking there is banned, but we didn’t care like other Czechs. And there would be nothing unusual about it, if we didn’t get (countless) fines, and once we were next in line for towing. Yes, towing, because it’s an everyday occurrence in Prague.
Secondly, it’s worth paying attention to zones, lettering on road signs and lines. Yellow means no more and no less that we can’t park (it’s not a zone, but a designated place where you can’t park). Zones are: blue, purple and orange. In each case, it is worth paying attention to the signs, which are located at the beginning of the parking lot. There the conditions, duration of validity or parking time are described. It is worth remembering that the blue zone is parked by those who have the appropriate permits and are most often simply residents of the area. It is possible to park there for a short period of time if you pay for a space in the corresponding app (Virtuální parkovací hodiny), but we did not use it.
Where to Park a Car in Prague?
It’s actually hard to answer this question without taking time into account. It is rare that a parking space will be waiting for you, so it is worth being patient. Certainly, it is easier to park a car in the New Town than in the Charles Bridge area. There, as a rule, it is better not to go with your car. You can also use paid parking lots, for example, in the Smichov district, but it’s about 15 minutes from the center.
Besides, on the other hand, close to Hradčany you can park about 10 minutes from the castle. I wouldn’t count on a closer spot. And as for visiting the Prague zoo, on weekends even the paid parking lots are overpacked, so I recommend parking on the side of Troja Castle.
Is It a Good Idea to Drive Around Prague by Car?
In my opinion, it is so much more comfortable, because there is not much… traffic jams. People use public transportation, which is really efficient. But looking at parking lots, it’s no fun, because there are too few spaces anyway. And you never know if there will be a spot – regardless of whether it’s the weekend or the middle of the week. I remember when I had a job interview downtown, Maciej drove me and it turned out that there was some kind of renovation and there was absolutely nowhere to park. After a while it became vacant, but not only was it very expensive, but until the last moment we were not sure if we could park.
Note: You can check parking spaces on, for example, zaparkuju.cz or use the Park and Ride option – that is, leave your car in a special parking lot and continue to take the subway. More information here.
How Much Does Parking Cost in Prague?
It all depends on the zone. Therefore, it is really hard to say. It is worth checking the official website of parking lots in Prague, there you will find downloadable price lists. Link here. You can also look for those free parking lots, but they are usually located a bit further from the center, for example, such a map was prepared on skrblik.cz 🙂
I hope that your doubts have been resolved. And if you have tips for others about car or getting around Prague – let me know.
Also check out the post: What to see in Prague
