Places you can reach in the morning and leave in the evening. Public transport first; the car only where it really helps.
Kutná Hora
Medieval silver-mining town with two UNESCO-listed sights: the Sedlec Ossuary, decorated with the bones of tens of thousands of people, and the Gothic St Barbara's Church. Good for history and architecture lovers; an easy train day from Prague.
How to get there
- Train · České dráhy (ČD) · 51 minFrom Praha hlavní nádraží
Departures: direct R9 trains about hourly (e.g. 08:04, 12:04 on a weekday); other hours via a change at Kolín (60-80 min)
Fare: PID integrated ticket valid: Kutná Hora hl.n. is PID zone 7, so 10 zones (P,0,B,1-7) = 120 CZK in the PID Lítačka app / 130 CZK paper, 180 min validity (pid.cz, checked 2026-10). ČD's own fare: not verified 2026
Get off at Kutná Hora hl.n. (in Sedlec, closest station to the ossuary). For St Barbara's and the old town take the S28 shuttle train to Kutná Hora město (S28 also stops at Kutná Hora-Sedlec). R9, S20 and S28 at Kutná Hora are part of PID (data.pid.cz stop list). Timetable from IDOS/CHAPS national planner, checked 2026-10 for 15 Oct 2026.
What to see
- Sedlec Ossuary (Cemetery Church of All Saints). Timed-entry ticket; the lower chapel (ossuary) visit is limited to 30 minutes, the upper chapel is not time-limited. No photography inside. Self-guided, leaflets in the chapel.
- Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady and St John the Baptist, Sedlec. Included in the Sedlec Area ticket (220 CZK adult); allow about 30-45 minutes.
- St Barbara's Church. Late-Gothic church of the miners in the old town; self-guided with audio-guide or printed guide, stay as long as you like (about 45-60 minutes). 180 CZK adult.
- Historic town centre. UNESCO-listed old town between St Barbara's and the main square; 1-2 hours on foot.
Closed days
Sedlec ossuary open daily, 9:00-17:00 on the day checked in October (seasonal hours not published on the official site); Sedlec info centre Apr-Sep 8:45-17:45, Oct and Mar 8:45-16:45, Nov-Feb 8:45-15:45, closed 24 Dec. St Barbara's open daily: Jan-Feb 10-16, Mar 10-17, Apr-Oct 9-18, Nov-Dec 10-17, closed 24 Dec; hours shift on some Sundays for Mass (sedlec.info, chramsvatebarbory.cz)
Best time to go
all year
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Driving time, tolls and parking not verified from an official source; train is direct and frequent.
Good to know
- Buy the Sedlec ossuary ticket online in advance for a fixed date and time: capacity is limited and entry is not guaranteed without a reservation. Arrive 5 minutes before your slot; entry is not guaranteed if you are more than 10 minutes late, and the time cannot be changed.
- Sedlec tickets are sold only online (eshop.sedlec.info) or at the Sedlec Information Centre, Zámecká 279 - not at the churches. Refunds only up to 3 days before, as voucher credit.
- Photography is prohibited in the ossuary (official FAQ, checked 2026-10). It is a functioning church and burial place; keep quiet.
- The ossuary is under restoration until at least 2030 but stays open; access is via a temporary wooden staircase, so it is not wheelchair accessible.
- St Barbara's: only the ground floor is barrier-free; guided tours must be booked at least 2 weeks ahead.
Karlštejn Castle
Gothic castle founded in 1348 by Charles IV to keep the imperial regalia and crown jewels, above a village in the Berounka valley. A short, easy half-day by suburban train; best for castle and history fans.
How to get there
- Train · České dráhy (ČD), PID line S7 · 33 minFrom Praha-Smíchov (normally also from Praha hl.n.)
Departures: every 30 minutes (e.g. 8:24, 8:54, 9:24 from Smíchov, weekdays and Saturdays)
Fare: PID ticket: Karlštejn is zone 3; from central Prague (zone P) 6 zones (P,0,B,1,2,3) = 72 CZK in the Lítačka app / 78 CZK paper, 120 min; or 24-hour 'Prague and zones 1-4' ticket 192 CZK app / 210 CZK paper (pid.cz, checked 2026-10)
From 10 Oct to 19 Oct 2026 S7 trains do not run between Praha hl.n. and Praha-Smíchov (PID planned restriction); start at Smíchov (metro B Smíchovské nádraží). Check pid.cz/en/zmeny for further S7 works. Timetable from IDOS, checked 2026-10.
What to see
- Imperial Residence of Charles IV (basic tour). Guided only, 55 minutes, max. 45 people: Imperial Palace floors 1-2, Knights Hall with St Nicholas Chapel, Emperor's Bedchamber. 300 CZK adult.
- Karlštejn Castle Chapels (exclusive tour). Guided, 100 minutes, max. 16 people, reservation needed: Marian Tower with the Church of the Virgin Mary and St Catherine Chapel, Great Tower. 640 CZK adult. Runs only in season (closed 1 Nov 2026 - 30 Apr 2027).
- Walk up from the station. Cross the Berounka and walk through the village to the castle; the village is a pedestrian zone (no cars or bikes).
Closed days
Basic tour: 1-31 Oct 2026 Tue-Sun 9:30-16:30; 1-30 Nov Fri-Sun 10-15 (also Mon 16 and Tue 17 Nov); 1-20 Dec Fri-Sun 10-15; 21-25 Dec closed; 26-31 Dec daily 10-15. Chapels tour Oct Tue-Sun only, closed 1 Nov 2026-30 Apr 2027. Summer 2027 hours not yet published (hrad-karlstejn.cz)
Best time to go
Apr-Oct (main season); limited weekend opening Nov-early Jan
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Castle site: D5 motorway towards Plzeň, exit 10 Loděnice, then via Bubovice and Hlásná Třebaň; the only car park is in the town below the castle (15 min walk up); the town is a pedestrian zone. Driving time and vignette not verified.
Good to know
- Interiors are by guided tour only; buy tickets online on the castle site, especially for the small Chapels tour (max. 16 people).
- Audio-guide (ENG/DE/ESP/FR/JAP/IT) for the basic tour: 120 CZK plus 500 CZK cash deposit.
- The castle is closed on Mondays in October and opens only Fri-Sun in November and most of December; closed 21-25 Dec.
- The castle site gives about 15 minutes' walk from the car park in the town; from the station you first cross the Berounka river, so allow longer (walking time from the station not verified).
Český Krumlov
UNESCO-listed Renaissance town in a loop of the Vltava, below the second-largest castle complex in the country with a rare original Baroque theatre. A long but rewarding day; better as an overnight if you can.
How to get there
- Bus · RegioJet · 2 h 40 minFrom Praha, Na Knížecí (by metro B Anděl)
Departures: hourly, about 06:00-19:00 (Saturday 17 Oct 2026 sample); returns e.g. 17:00, 18:00
Fare: 209-299 CZK one way, dynamic pricing (RegioJet booking API, checked 2026-10 for 17 Oct 2026)
Direct, arrives Český Krumlov bus station (aut.nádr.), a short walk to the old town. Book a seat on regiojet.com. FlixBus also runs from ÚAN Florenc (about 2.5-3h; fare not verified 2026).
- Train · České dráhy (ČD) + RegioJet bus · 2 h 19 minFrom Praha hlavní nádraží
Departures: e.g. IC 08:21 to České Budějovice (arr. 09:59), then RegioJet bus 10:10 to Český Krumlov (arr. 10:40)
Fare: not verified 2026
Train to České Budějovice, change to a bus at the České Budějovice bus station (about 5 min walk). Connection from IDOS, checked 2026-10.
What to see
- Český Krumlov Castle, Tour Route I. Guided, 55 minutes: Renaissance and Baroque interiors incl. St George's Chapel and the Masquerade Hall. 300 CZK adult (2026).
- Baroque Castle Theatre. Guided at fixed times (10, 11, 13, 14, 15 h in late Sep-Oct); one of the best-preserved Baroque theatres in Europe. 400 CZK adult.
- Castle Museum and Castle Tower. Self-guided, about 55 minutes; open longer into the year than the interiors (to 20 Dec).
- Castle Garden and old town. Baroque garden behind the fifth courtyard (Oct daily 7-17); 1-2 hours for the town lanes and river.
Closed days
Tour Route I: 1 Sep-31 Oct 2026 Tue-Sun 9:00-16:00. Baroque Theatre: 21 Sep-31 Oct Tue-Sun at 10, 11, 13, 14, 15. Museum and Tower: Sep-Oct daily 9:00-16:30, 1 Nov-20 Dec Tue-Sun 9:00-15:30. Spring 2027 dates not yet published (zamek-ceskykrumlov.cz)
Best time to go
May-Oct (castle interiors close after 31 Oct)
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Not verified from an official source.
Good to know
- Allow at least 5 hours on the ground; with about 2h40 each way by bus, take a 7:00 or 8:00 bus and a 17:00 or 18:00 return.
- Castle interior tours (Route I, Theatre) end on 31 Oct 2026; in Nov-Dec only the Castle Museum and Tower are open (Tue-Sun to 20 Dec).
- Castle is closed on Mondays for guided tours (Route I and Theatre run Tue-Sun); the Museum and Tower are open daily in September-October.
- The Baroque Theatre has a limited number of fixed tour times; book online on the castle site.
Terezín Memorial
18th-century fortress town used by the Nazis as a Gestapo prison (Small Fortress) and as the Theresienstadt ghetto. A sombre, important memorial for visitors interested in WWII and Holocaust history; not suitable as a light outing.
How to get there
- Bus · ČSAD Střední Čechy, PID line 413 · 1 hFrom Praha, Letňany (metro C)
Departures: hourly on weekdays (8:37, 9:37, 10:37 ...), every 2 hours on Saturdays (8:37, 10:37, 12:37)
Fare: PID zone ticket: Terezín is PID zone 8; exact zone count from Letňany not verified 2026. PID single-ticket prices: 9 zones 108 CZK app / 117 CZK paper, 10 zones 120 / 130 CZK (pid.cz, checked 2026-10)
Line 413 now starts at Praha Letňany (new timetable from 28 Sep 2026), not Nádraží Holešovice as in older guides. Get off at Terezín, U Památníku (for the Small Fortress) or Terezín, aut.nádr. (town, Ghetto Museum). Alternative: ČD R20 train from Praha-Holešovice to Bohušovice nad Ohří (about 54 min), then a local DÚK bus about 7 minutes to Terezín.
What to see
- Small Fortress (Malá pevnost). Former Gestapo police prison: cells, courtyards, National Cemetery in front; 1.5-2 hours.
- Ghetto Museum. History of the Theresienstadt ghetto in the former school; about 1 hour.
- Former Magdeburg Barracks, prayer room and attic replica. Art, music and theatre in the ghetto; secret prayer room; about 45 minutes.
- Crematorium and Jewish cemetery. South of the town; closed on Saturdays.
Closed days
All sites closed 24-26 Dec and 1 Jan; 23 and 31 Dec close at 15:00. Small Fortress daily 9-17 (Apr-Oct), 9-16 (Nov-Mar). Ghetto Museum, Magdeburg Barracks, prayer room daily 9-17 all year. Crematorium closed on Saturdays (pamatnik-terezin.cz)
Best time to go
all year
By car
Public transport is the better way to go here. Not verified from an official source.
Good to know
- One ticket (valid 4 days) covers the Small Fortress and the former ghetto sites: 310 CZK adult, 240 CZK reduced, family 630 CZK; each site may be visited once. Buy only at the Small Fortress or Ghetto Museum ticket desk (cash or card).
- Small Fortress and the ghetto sites are about 10-15 minutes' walk apart; start at the Small Fortress (bus stop U Památníku).
- Guided tours in English and other languages are included in the price but must be booked in advance (required for groups of 10+, recommended for small groups).
- Dress and behave as at a cemetery; children under 10 enter free but think about whether the content suits them.
- The 'Transports' exhibition is permanently closed except by prior arrangement with a memorial guide.