Prague Public Transport Secures

World's Second Best Ranking

June 5, 2023

In April 2023, global travel magazine Time Out released the results of a comprehensive survey conducted amongst 20,000 residents in 50 major world cities, examining their contentment with public transportation in their city. Amongst the world's top cities, Prague earned the second rank, trailing the winning city, Berlin, by merely a single percentage point.

The Czech capital city's public transportation is no stranger to international acclaim. In 2017, it placed 5th in the Sustainable Cities Mobility Index report compiled by the Arcadis consultancy group. The survey scrutinised 100 cities across 23 sustainability indicators in social, environmental, and economic categories.

Time Out's research methodology was straightforward but effective. Participants were asked, "Is it easy to get around your city by public transport?" A staggering 96% of Prague citizens responded affirmatively, compared to 97% in Berlin. Further confirmation of Prague's transport popularity was found in a 2021 survey featured in the Transport Yearbook by the City of Prague's Technical Road Administration. The survey revealed that 59% of Prague's residents and those from surrounding areas favoured public transport over car travel.

IMAGE: Prague Convention Bureau / Shutterstock

Travellers on Prague's public transport not only value the convenience and punctuality but also appreciate the system's financial affordability. With an annual card – the Lítačka – the average daily fare is a mere ten Czech crowns. Single-fare tickets are also reasonably priced at CZK 30 for a 30-minute ride. Certain travellers, such as registered delegates of large international association congresses, can even ride for free. Organisers of such meetings can apply for free congress tickets through the Prague Convention Bureau. All they have to do is fill in the application and demonstrate their compliance with a set of defined criteria.

The Transportation Company is tirelessly improving the city's transit system, modernising equipment, expanding lines, and building lifts and platforms at older stations (which come as standard at newer stations). As of the end of 2022, 76% of metro stations have been made barrier-free, and the removal of barriers continues. In the same year, 70% of tram and 85% of bus routes were also accessible without barriers. The new vehicles are not only accommodating for passengers with mobility issues, but they also have a significantly lower environmental impact.

IMAGE: Prague Convention Bureau / Shutterstock

IMAGE: Prague Convention Bureau / Shutterstock

Prague's relentless efforts to enhance its public transport system assure its citizens and visitors that this mode of transport will continue to be a top choice in the future. The city's commitment to this can be seen in its Climate Plan for 2030, which expects public transport to carry 150 million more passengers annually compared to the 1.4 billion passengers in 2019. In addition, the plan aims to reduce fossil fuel consumption by 17%. In April 2023, a new municipal committee was established to update the Climate Plan adopted in 2021. Four expert working groups within the committee will analyse transport, energy management, climate change adaptation measures, and circular economy, to modify the plan and adjust deadlines accordingly.

Prague's Sustainable Mobility Plan, adopted in 2019, started its update process in 2021. The first step, a new analysis published in 2022, takes into account the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and underscores the imperative to incorporate recently introduced strategic documents. However, the first pillar of the plan remains the same: prioritising "public transport above all".