Tour Options from Prague to Karlovy Vary

Head out on an exclusive day tour to Karlovy Vary, the famous spa town of western Bohemia, a place that has attracted European nobility for centuries. Your day will begin with a pick up from your friendly, English-speaking driver-guide. After a brief introduction you will be on your way together through the verdant, rolling hills Czech countryside. You will travel by a modern, luxury vehicle with all the amenities you need on-board, including Wi-Fi. Your driver will tell you all the history of the country and the background about Karlovy Vary throughout the whole tour. They will also point out the best spots for photo opportunities. Your tour comes with a number of recommended stops.

• Karlovy Vary town center
• Diana Tower
• Grand Hotel Pupp
• Moser Glass Factory

Alongside the recommended stops, you can choose to stop off at any location you would like to visit throughout the tour. The tour length is 8 hours and it is available for a group of between 1 and 8 people. 

This trip to Karlovy Vary from Prague is exclusive to your group, so you will be picked up from the location in Prague that you choose, when you choose. This might be your accommodation or a nearby cafe or site of interest. When you book your day trip you can nominate a location and time to be picked up at the start. The same is the case for being dropped off. Throughout the entire tour you are in the safe hands of your driver-guide.

The whole experience of a Welcome Pickups full-day tour is designed to be the best tour possible. Your tour is in your control: you can be picked up when and where you like, and choose which of the recommended stops you visit and anywhere else you want to see. On board are all the things that you need to make any day trip complete. Throughout the day you have access to your private driver-guide, allowing you to see everywhere through the eyes of a local and experience Karlovy Vary in the most authentic way.

A popular way for tourists to travel from Prague to Karlovy Vary and some of the peripheral locations of the Czech Republic is to take an organised coach tour. Organised coach tours are an alternative way to visit Karlovy Vary with a group that is led by a tour guide. Coaches depart from Prague in the morning and the tour has scheduled visits to locations in Karlovy Vary. Some tours also have scheduled visits to other nearby places, such as Marianske Lazne.

Most companies offer their tours with guides that speak in a variety of languages, particularly English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian. They last approximately 10 hours.

There is more than one company offering organised coach tours, so there is some variety in the price per ticket. The starting price is about €70 for an adult. There may be a discount for young children. It is advisable to book a tour well in advance, particularly if you are travelling in peak season, as prices may increase closer to the travel date.

In the summer months tours run on a daily basis. In the quieter months of the year Karlovy Vary tours may run every other day or a couple of times per week. 

Travelling on a coach tour is a convenient way to see the town of Karlovy Vary and allows for a deep understanding as they include tour guides. The groups that accompany the tour can be quite large and this may limit your access to the guide. This may also restrict your freedom to explore and see all the places you want to in the time you would like. 

The intercity bus is an easy and surprisingly comfortable way to enjoy an excursion from the city of Prague to the outer towns such as Karlovy Vary using public transport. There are two bus operators travelling between Prague and Karlovy Vary: Flixbus and RegioJet (StudentAgency). They both run from the Florenc bus stop in Prague to the Terminal bus station in Karlovy Vary. 

Tickets typically cost €7 each way per person, although some cost a little less. This means a round trip will cost €14 per person. Tickets can be bought online or from the bus station. 

Buses run all day, at least one per hour. They begin running at 06:30 and finish at 21:30. Buses run one per hour on the way back, with the last one at 20:00. Check online for schedules.

There are many buses running throughout the day and they are the cheapest travel option. They take just over two hours and drop you off right in the centre of the city. Tickets can be purchased in advance, ensuring a seat for your whole group. This option does mean that you won’t be able to visit any sights outside of the town. You will also need to hire a guide separately if you are interested. 

The national train network in the Czech Republic is known as the Ceske Drahy. There are direct trains from Prague to Karlovy Vary, as well as a number of trains with changes along the way. Trains are an alternative to the bus, although they take around 3 hours each way. 

Ticket prices vary depending on which time you travel. They can cost as little as €7 (CZK 169) but the typical price is closer to €12 (CZK 300) there. Return trips cost €18 (CZK 459) per person. Tickets can be booked online or from the train station.

There are around 5 direct trains per day to Karlovy Vary from Prague and a few more trains with changes. There are 8 returning direct trains with a few more trains with changes. The schedule can be found online for the day you are leaving.

A train is often an enjoyable way to travel the countryside from town to town and see the sights along the way. The train from Prague to Karlovy Vary is also pleasant and enjoyable, but the journey takes a lot longer than any other mode of transport. It also leaves quite infrequently and is more expensive than the bus, making it an inferior choice for most people. 

A privately hired car gives you freedom and flexibility to visit Karlovy Vary and the surrounding area for as long as you like, and to leave from Prague when you want. Hiring a car is quite easy in Prague as there are lots of rental agencies around. Many of the major brand names including Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, Avis, Budget, ACE and more operate in the city. The roads are fairly accessible, making driving in the Czech Republic fairly pleasant.

The typical cost of a car at its baseline is €40 (CZK 966) for the day. Of course there are other factors influencing the price, such as the number of days you will hire the car, the vehicle you choose, the company you are renting from, how far in advance you book and others. On top of this you will have to pay petrol and parking fees, making a total of €80 (CZK 1932) a likely minimum spend. As this option just covers your transfer, you will have to pay for entrance to all attractions and hire your own guide if you want one.

You must have a valid driving licence that you have held for at least 2 years. This must also be an EU licence, or else you need to have a relevant driving permit with it. You must be at least 21 years old and have with you your passport or EU identity card. 

Having your own rented vehicle can be an excellent choice in terms of cost and flexibility, particularly if you are a family or a 5 person group. A rented car requires a fair degree of personal responsibility and prior planning to make sure you make the most of your day.