Day Trips to Prague from Vienna

Having exhausted the itinerary of the best things to do in Vienna, it's time to explore beyond its borders.

Its prime location connects it to other major destinations and cities within Austria and surrounding countries. From Vienna you can explore Budapest, the Salzburg area and unrivalled Prague in just one day.

If you want to know all about excursions to Prague from Vienna, here is all the information you need to know!

You can book your excursion to Prague from Vienna using the search engine available in Hellotickets. You will quickly find yourself in front of a list with all the tour operators offering this excursion in Vienna and general information about the experience such as price, duration, and very important the rating of other travellers.

Read carefully the description of the product or excursion and when you are ready to book select the date of your trip and the participants; when placing the participants pay close attention to the age range as certain experiences and certain companies are free of charge for small babies and with a reduced price for children aged 4 to 12 years.

In the booking window you will need to enter your personal details including name, surname, email, telephone number, hotel accommodation (for some tours) and more. If you don't have accommodation in Vienna yet, you can send the information later. The last window is for entering your payment information.

When it comes to excursions to Prague from Vienna, you will find a wide range of prices depending on the characteristics of the excursion. Here are the two most common ones.

Group Excursions to Prague from Vienna

Group tours to Prague are available for approximately €130 per traveller and are the easiest and cheapest way to experience Prague from Vienna and the most common. You can explore beautiful Prague accompanied by a small group of travellers in private transport. The group can include between 8 to 15 people depending on the company you hire.

Private Excursions to Prague from Vienna

Private tours to Prague are available from €325, depending on the company you hire this may be the base price per traveller. However, in an effort to offer a tailor-made deal, many tour operators offer reduced price packages for private groups at a slightly higher rate depending on the number of participants. A tour of 7 or 8 travellers can cost upwards of €900.

While this depends entirely on the tour operator you hire for the tour, as a rule, Prague tours depart from the centre of Vienna very early in the morning, between 07:00 and 08:00.

If your intention is to see all that Prague has to offer quickly and in one day, you need to spend a few hours exploring the city and an early departure is a must.

In addition to the departure time, when booking the Prague tour, be aware of the departure point stipulated by the company and, of course, the time it will take you to get from your hotel to the departure point.

When it comes to meeting points, there are two general formats for these types of tours: group tours have a meeting point in a central area in the old town, usually at the Vienna State Opera, the Hofburg Palace or in the surrounding area. Private tours, on the other hand, pick you up directly at your hotel.

Excursions to Prague from Vienna have an average duration of 12-14 hours in total. You are obliged to reserve a full day of your Vienna itinerary for the experience.

The main reason for this is the distance between the two destinations. The city of Prague is located about 333.5 km by road from Vienna, the equivalent of a 3.5 hour drive without stopping at any destination. Therefore, this is not a tour that I would recommend for people who are only in Vienna for a short time, for example one or two days.

With this type of experience you travel from your location in Vienna by private transport to see the highlights of Prague. The company you hire for the tour will show you a general itinerary with the main activities, monuments and historical sites you will see on your tour.

It's important to keep in mind that Prague is a historic city with quite a few noteworthy attractions, but a day trip to Prague should not be without the following sights, so your trip can include one or more of them in the itinerary.

• National Theatre: located on the banks of the Vltava, it is a fantastic neo-Renaissance building and home to the Czech Opera.
• Charles Bridge Considered one of the most beautiful bridges in the world, it connects two of Prague's most emblematic areas, Staré Mesto and Nove Mesto.
• The Jewish Cemetery: An ancient cemetery located in the heart of the Jewish Quarter.
• Squares: Prague's two most important squares, Wenceslas and Old Town Square, are lined with historic and emblematic buildings including Gothic cathedrals, museums, hotels and towers.

Additionally you will have time in the centre of Prague, Staré Mesto, to shop, see the beautiful medieval architecture of the area, eat a good meal in a local restaurant andof course taste Czech beer.

The simple answer would be: Totally, the longer answer would be: it depends on the type of traveller you are and the particular conditions of your trip. While it's true that getting from Vienna to Prague is quite simple and that you have several transport options between the two destinations, there are a few things to consider before making your final decision.

I recommend a guided tour if... you have a short three- or four-day itinerary in Vienna and want a hassle-free trip to Prague. Or if you want to save yourself the hassle of planning and just enjoy the experience.

I recommend going on your own if... you want to make a personalised trip and plan stops at other destinations. This will require you to have plenty of time and to organise, possibly an overnight stay in Prague of at least one night, but it can be a really fun and interesting experience.

Choosing a date for your trip to Prague can be closely linked to the personal taste and style of each traveller. However, if you are flexible with your schedule, there are two times of the year when travelling to this part of Europe can be particularly special.

Vienna in spring: The weather is great for being outdoors and walking around the cities of Prague and Vienna, and there are far fewer tourists than during the summer months.

Vienna at Christmas: Despite the cold weather, Prague is well worth a visit at Christmas time because of the festive atmosphere in the streets and the world-famous Christmas markets.

However, keep in mind that no matter when you travel to this part of Europe, an excursion to the Czech capital is always among the best things to do from Vienna and the reason is simple: Prague is spectacular 365 days a year.

If you want to get to know Prague in the most comfortable way and have the opportunity to tailor the itinerary to your liking, a private tour is the way to go. In Vienna you will find several companies offering the service at a wide range of prices, so I recommend you explore your options carefully.

Generally speaking, the companies offering this type of experience focus not only on getting you to experience the best of a trip to the beautiful city of Prague, but also to do so in a hassle-free environment.

The main facilities or differences between these tours and the group tours are: comfortable transportation in a private vehicle that will take you from your hotel in Vienna to the city of Prague and back; and an expert and trained guide to show you the most interesting places in the city on a walking tour. Lunch may or may not be included depending on the company you choose and the price.

Here are some general tips that might help you on your trip to Prague.

• Don't just limit your excursion to museums, cathedrals and architecture. Remember that Prague has a unique gastronomy and some of the best breweries in theworld - don't leave without trying it!

• If you have the opportunity, take advantage of Prague's flea markets to do your gift shopping; you can find unique objects and really interesting handicrafts.

• Wear comfortable shoes, Prague is a city worth walking around and most of the attractions are within walking distance of each other.

• Don't miss the Prague Castle complex. It is truly spectacular and unique in its style.

• Check the weather conditions in advance and take clothing appropriate to the forecast or the time of year of your trip.

• If you are travelling on your own, plan your most important sights carefully. You can read travel itineraries to see Prague in a day and get a better idea of the most important activities or destinations.