How to Get From Berlin to Prague: Train, Bus, & Flight Options

Are you wondering how to get from Berlin to Prague? Or the other direction, how to get from Prague to Berlin? In this post, I’ll show you options for taking the bus or train from Berlin to Prague and for flying to Prague from Berlin.

Prague is a great city to add to your trip before or after visiting Berlin. The distance from Berlin to Prague is too far for a day trip from Berlin, but Prague is a wonderful city to visit for a few days for its own unique history and culture.

I’ve visited Prague several times during my years of living in Berlin, and getting there is simple. Keep reading for details on different options for getting to Prague from Berlin.

How to get to Prague from Berlin

Traveling from Berlin to Prague is easy when you know how to do it. I personally prefer the train option, but the bus could be a good option if you’re traveling on a budget. And while you can technically fly from Prague to Berlin or vice versa, I don’t think it’s a good choice for several reasons.

Let’s take a look at the different ways of traveling from Berlin to Prague.

What is the distance from Berlin to Prague?

The driving distance from Berlin to Prague is roughly 350km (217 miles) depending on exactly which route you take. This means it can take anywhere from four to five hours to drive depending on which route you choose, traffic conditions, and any road work that might be happening.

Driving could be an interesting option if you enjoy road trips, if you understand the road rules in Germany and Czech Republic, and if you want to make stops along the way.

If you’d like to rent a car, grab a quote from Discover Cars. Be sure to indicate that you’ll be driving in other countries besides Germany.

But keep in mind, parking isn’t easy in central Berlin or central Prague, and you have to understand driving laws in both countries. If you’d rather avoid the stress, traveling by train or bus can be faster and easier.

That’s why I have all the details you need for taking the bus or train from Berlin to Prague, and why it probably doesn’t make sense to fly to Prague from Berlin.

How to Get from Berlin to Prague by Train

Getting around in Germany using Deutsche Bahn is pretty simple, and getting from Berlin to Prague is no exception.

It’s also worth looking at the Czech Rail site, České dráhy, because sometimes tickets for the same train are cheaper there. I picked a random day about a week out from when I’m writing this, and there were a few trains that were cheaper on the Czech site, a few that were more expensive, and a few that were the same. So it’s worth looking at both to compare.

The high speed trains between Prague and Berlin take roughly 4 and a half hours with no changes. There’s usually a train roughly once every two hours.

You’ll see a few options on the Czech site that do have changes, and they usually have at least one leg with a regional (slower) train, so I don’t really think those options are worthwhile.

Most direct trains from Berlin to Prague have stops at a few different Berlin train stations, including Südkreuz, Berlin Hbf (central station), and Spandau. Look at where you’re staying to decide which station is best for you, but for most people Berlin Hbf is the most convenient, followed by Südkreuz.

Using high speed trains from Berlin to Prague

When using high speed trains, you are usually bound to the exact train you choose, so you can’t hop on any train on that route. So if you booked a train from Berlin to Prague for 11am, you must take the 11am train. (These are just example times, not indicative of any actual schedule.)

The exception is if you buy the more expensive Flexpreis (Flexible Fare) ticket that allows this. I generally don’t think it’s worth the extra expense, unless you absolutely need that flexibility.

High speed train numbers will start with ICE, IC, or EC. On the Berlin-Prague route, they are almost always run by the Czech rail company, so you’ll see EC with the train number.

>>Check prices and schedules on the Deutsche Bahn website in English.

Subscribe to the Berlin Travel Tips Newsletter

Sign up for tips to help you plan the best trip to Berlin, and get a free printable Berlin packing checklist.

First Name

Email

Subscribe

Success! Please check your inbox and spam folder for a confirmation email. You will need to confirm to subscribe to the newsletter.

Subscribe to the Berlin Travel Tips Newsletter

Sign up for tips to help you plan the best trip to Berlin, and get a free printable Berlin packing checklist.

First Name

Email

Subscribe

Success! Please check your inbox and spam folder for a confirmation email. You will need to confirm to subscribe to the newsletter.

Using regional trains from Berlin to Prague

Using regional trains to get to Prague from Berlin isn’t really a good idea. I’ve seen anywhere from 4 changes to 8 changes, and the journey time is anywhere from 7 to 10 hours.

And it doesn’t even save you any money. Even if you have a Deutschland ticket (Germany’s 49 euro ticket) that will only get you as far as the border, so you’d still have to buy train tickets from the border to Prague.

But in general, I think the distance from Berlin to Prague is too far for using the regional trains, especially since there’s often no cost savings. If you plan ahead, you can usually get a pretty good price on the EC train, and you’ll lose a lot less of your vacation time.

>>Read: Is Berlin Worth Visiting? 23 Reasons to Visit Berlin

Are there seat reservations on high speed trains to Prague from Berlin?

On high speed trains in Germany, your second class ticket does not come with a seat reservation. This means you can sit anywhere within second class that isn’t already reserved.

Seat reservations cost 4.50 euros, and it’s highly recommended that you reserve. At busy times, and on popular routes such as Berlin to Prague, the train could be rather full. I traveled this route recently, and there were quite a few people standing because they couldn’t find seats and hadn’t booked seat reservations.

Whether you book your tickets through Deutche Bahn or through Czech Rail, you can reserve seats on the train from Berlin to Prague.

When I was on the train from Prague to Berlin recently, the digital signs above the seats that normally indicate whether or not a seat is reserved wasn’t showing anything when we boarded in Prague. This caused even more chaos for people who didn’t have seat reservations.

(The picture above is from a Deutsche Bahn train, but this is very similar to how you can see if seats are reserved on a Czech train…as long as the Czech rail people actually turn on their reservation indicators.)

Finally once we crossed the border into Germany, the reservation info appeared. So if you have seats and someone is sitting in your seat, simply tell them you’ve reserved those seats and they should move.

When buying a first class ticket, seat reservations are included as long as you select it at the time of booking.

Regional trains do not have seat reservations. But be aware that most regional trains in Germany do have a small 1st class section, and you can’t sit there on a 2nd class ticket.

How to buy a train ticket from Berlin to Prague

There are several ways to buy a train ticket to Prague from Berlin, and all are fairly simple. High speed trains are often cheaper if you book several weeks in advance, so planning ahead helps.

They have recently made it harder to buy tickets on the train, and in many cases it’s not even possible. You will get checked almost every time, so don’t get on a train without a ticket.

In person
Deutsche Bahn has ticket offices in the train stations in Berlin, so you can buy a ticket in person. They won’t always speak English though, so this can be tricky.

If you decide to buy your ticket this way, I highly recommend going to Berlin Hauptbahnhof (central station) to buy your ticket. Here you’ll have a better chance of finding an employee who speaks at least some English.

If you’re coming from Prague to Berlin, you can also buy tickets at the Prague Main Station at a ticket office. Again, there might be a bit of a language barrier if you can’t find someone who speaks English.

At a machine
There are ticket machines at both train stations, and they have a language option so you can switch it to English. The Deutsche Bahn ones are the same machines used at Sbahn stations in Berlin.

Simply follow the prompts to buy your ticket. Remember that times are often displayed in a 24 hour format, so 5pm would be 17:00, as an example.

Online
Tickets can also be purchased on the Deutsche Bahn website or on the České dráhy website, which are both available in English. Once you’re done with your purchase, you’ll get an email with a PDF of your ticket which you can show on the train.

Deutsche Bahn app
The Deutsche Bahn app is also available in English, and it’s easy to use. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll have it right there in your app. You can also purchase a ticket online and later easily add it to your app.

The Czech rail company also has an app, which is also available in English, but I haven’t used it. Reviews indicate it’s pretty good though.

Types of tickets

When buying tickets online, once you put in your start and end cities, date and time info, and number of people, you’ll get a list of routes for that day. Choose a time, and you’ll have different ticket options to choose from, as seen in the photo below.

In general, cheaper tickets have more restrictions. The Sparpreis tickets bind you to the exact train, while the Flexpreis tickets let you take any train on that route that day.

For more detailed info, jump over to my step-by-step instructions on how to book train tickets on Deutsche Bahn.

Can I go to Prague with 49 euro ticket?

The 49 euro ticket is officially called the Deutschland ticket. It is a subscription ticket that currently costs 49 euros per month. It’s valid on local German transport and regional trains.

However, it is NOT valid on high speed trains or trains from other countries. High speed trains have numbers that start with ICE, IC, or EC, to name a few. So the normal trains that go from Berlin to Prague will require a standard ticket.

The only way you could do it is to use regional trains in Germany to get to the Czech border, and then book a Czech train from there. But this would take 3-4 hours just to reach the border, plus the time to get from the border to Prague. I don’t recommend doing this.

Are there other companies that run trains to Prague from Berlin?

The Czech rail company also sells tickets from Berlin to Prague or from Prague to Berlin. They are usually the ones operating the trains on that route, so you can buy from either company.

Sometimes the Czech site is cheaper, but sometimes Deutche Bahn is cheaper. It’s always worth looking at both to compare, even if you have to convert Czech currency to euros to see the price difference.

How to Get from Berlin to Prague by Bus

If you’re traveling on a budget, FlixBus is another great option.

They have several buses that leave Berlin early morning, mid afternoon, and in the evening. Some of the evening buses go overnight to Prague from Berlin, arriving at painfully early times in the morning.

The bus journey from Berlin to Prague takes anywhere from 4 to 5 hours, without traffic problems. Most options don’t involve switching buses on the Berlin Prague route, although there are a few that have switches in Dresden. This makes your travel time longer and in most cases doesn’t even save money, so I don’t see any advantage in taking one of these over the direct routes.

Berlin has bus services from several stations, though not all stations are on every route. The buses to Prague from Berlin mostly leave from the central bus station, though sometimes there are options from other Berlin bus stations, such as Südkreuz, or the airport.

The central bus station, called Berlin ZOB, is located in the western side of Berlin, quite far from the center. Give yourself plenty of time to get there. If possible, I’d choose one of the other stations to start from, such as Südkreuz.

Join our Facebook group!

Have questions about planning your trip to Berlin?

Join the Facebook group here to chat with Ali (she runs this site) and other people who have been to Berlin for tips.

Join our Facebook group!

Have questions about planning your trip to Berlin?

Join the Facebook group here to chat with Ali (she runs this site) and other people who have been to Berlin for tips.

FlixBus is a comfortable option that will most likely save you money, and it’s roughly the same amount of time, sometimes an extra half hour, for getting from Berlin to Prague.

Always compare Flixbus with Deutsche Bahn and the Czech rail company to determine which price and time combo works best for you.

I’ve taken FlixBus more times than I can count, both in Germany and in other parts of Europe. Their buses are comfortable and safe, and I would highly recommend them if you’re trying to save a few bucks.

The buses do have a bathroom, though I can’t vouch for their cleanliness because I do whatever I can to avoid going to the bathroom on moving vehicles.

Are there seat reservations on FlixBus?

FlixBus does have an option to reserve a seat. This is good for people who want to make sure they’re seated with their family or friends, or if you are particular about where you sit.

But buying a ticket guarantees you a seat, so you don’t have to reserve a specific seat if it’s not important to you. Standing is not allowed on long distance buses.

Prices for seat reservations vary depending on the type of seat the route. They range from 1.50 to 5 euros.

How to buy a bus ticket to Prague from Berlin

There are a few different ways to book a bus ticket to Prague from Berlin.

In person
Technically you can buy a FlixBus ticket from the ticket office at the ZOB (central bus station) but I wouldn’t recommend it.

I’ve been over there to catch a bus several times and almost every time I’ve noticed that the office was closed. Even if they were just closed for a short break, this feels too stressful when there are easier ways to book a ticket.

There are multiple travel agents around the city that can book you a FlixBus ticket, but finding them is even more of a hassle.

Online
The FlixBus website is an easy way to book tickets. It’s available in multiple languages.

You can search your route, and it’ll show you all starting and ending points. So if you want to travel from Berlin to Prague, you can see which stations the bus leaves from and buy based on that.

Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll get an email with a PDF that you can show the bus driver when boarding the bus.

FlixBus app
The FlixBus app is also easy to use to search for routes and buy tickets. It’s available in multiple languages.

Are there other companies that run buses from Berlin to Prague?

Other bus companies operate routes in Germany, but they are not as widespread as FlixBus. I have not seen any others running on the Berlin to Prague route.

Flights from Berlin to Prague, Czech Republic

In general, I don’t recommend flying to Prague from Berlin, unless you’re connecting to another flight from the Prague Airport. Sure, the flight time makes it look faster than traveling by train, but there are so many other factors.

Remember the time it takes to fly from Berlin to Prague doesn’t include getting to the Berlin Airport, being at the airport 1-2 hours ahead of time, waiting for checked luggage once you arrive, and then getting from Prague Airport into the city.

Plus – and this is a big one – I can’t even find any direct flights between Prague and Berlin. They all have a layover somewhere, making the journey take even longer. The shortest I can find is a little over three hours, which ends up as roughly two 1 hour flights with a 1 hour layover.

Once you factor in all of that time, you’re looking at more time than it would take to travel by train or bus to Prague from Berlin. And while prices for flights can vary greatly, they it will usually be more expensive to fly.

Flight time Berlin to Prague

Since I can’t find any direct flights, the best option I can find from Berlin to Prague is a little over 3 hours with one layover. Most flight options are even longer. Layover cities include Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, London, and more.

It’s because of this that I think flying from Prague to Berlin or vice versa isn’t a good option.

What’s the cheapest way to get from Berlin to Prague?

Ticket prices fluctuate for both the train and the bus to Frankfurt from Berlin, but both are affordable.

Taking FlixBus will usually be cheaper than Deutsche Bahn or Czech rail. While writing this post, I searched for trains and buses roughly a month out, and the FlixBus options were 20-40 euros, while Deutsche Bahn was 40-90 euros, and Czech rail was 25-54.

It’s worth noting that when I compared prices using a date a week out, the two rail companies were much closer in price, with some routes showing the same price. FlixBus was only a little higher at one week vs one month out. Planning ahead will almost always save you money, no matter which company you use or whether you choose to travel by bus or by train.

Both the train and the bus are comfortable, but I’d have to give a little more credit to the train for comfort.

The travel time is roughly the same whether you choose the bus or the train. You’ll see a difference of up to 30 minutes one way or the other, so it’s not huge.

Either mode of transportation could have delays, but the train won’t have traffic problems like the bus could encounter. Both are good options for getting from Berlin to Prague.

Berlin Travel Resources

I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this guide for to how to get to Prague from Berlin is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!