The cheapest and best way to travel between Munich and Prague is usually by bus (Flixbus and RegioJet coaches) while the Alex direct train is a comfortable rail link connecting München and Praha. Travel time is around five hours.
Intercity long-distance buses are usually the cheapest and fastest transportation between München in Bavaria and Praha in the Czech Republic. Flixbus has the highest number of buses on the Munich to Prague route but coaches by RegioJet also compete on this route. Direct Alex trains are convenient but slightly slower than the bus and usually more expensive (but good return deals are often available). Currently, no direct German Railways high-speed train covers the Munich to Prague route. The cheapest one-way fare discount bus tickets from Munich to Prague can be as cheap as €10 on Flixbus and paying less than €20 is quite common if reserving a few days in advance. Trainline is a good option for comparing both train and bus timetables and ticket prices — the best prices and cheapest deals are usually by bus.
Travel by Bus or Train between Munich and Prague
München and Praha, two historic cities very popular with international travelers, are generally not linked by the most modern and fastest railways or roads. Public transportation options between the two cities have improved in recent years but long-distance buses often provide the fastest, most comfortable and above all cheapest way to travel between Munich and Prague.
Direct railways are now running between München and Praha but direct intercity buses are usually still faster and cheaper. Traveling times between Munich and Prague range from 4:40 to just over six hours.
Several direct transportation options are now available for travel between Munich and Prague:
- Intercity buses: Flixbus and RegioJet coaches are usually the fastest and cheapest option (free wi-fi).
- ALEX regional trains — slightly slower than the bus but train travel remains very comfortable.
- Blablacar — shared private car service — harder to book but the price may be right.
- Gettransfer quotes around €500 for a private minibus transfer between Munich and Prague.
- Sightseeing transfers — stopping at other sights en route may be handy for sightseeing but more expensive.
- Lufthansa – flying is possible but usually expensive and rarely very time-efficient. Sometimes Lufthansa has good deals, especially when the flight is added to a connecting intercontinental ticket.
One-way bus prices from Munich to Prague can be as cheap as €10 for special deals or around €70 for full fare. Tickets are generally around €15 – €25 if booking a few days in advance and not traveling during a busy holiday period. Train tickets range from €32 special deals but expect to pay nearer €40 (or €80 full price).
Trainline searches include train and bus options – buses are usually the best choice on the Munich to Prague route. Avoid suggestions that require more than a single change and direct buses are so frequent transfers are rarely a necessity.
→ If traveling from Munich Airport to Prague, flying is often a sensible option (flight time less than an hour). Alternatively, hope a Flixbus coach stops at the airport. Sometimes, it is possible to connect to the Alex train by taking a train or bus from the airport to Freising or Moosburg. Otherwise, use the S-Bahn train from Munich Airport to München-Hackerbrücke ZOB (for the intercity bus) or Hauptbahnhof (for the Alex train to Prague).
Flixbus and RegioJet Inter-City Buses from Munich to Prague
Flixbus, Germany’s and Europe’s largest long-distance coach company, operates up to six daily buses between München and Praha, while the Czech company RegioJet (Student Agency) usually has two daily buses. RegioJet buses are usually yellow while Flixbus uses easy-to-spot lime green buses.
Traveling times could be as fast as five hours from downtown Munich to central Prague. Buses from the edges of the cities are slightly faster while some buses stop more en route for slightly longer travel times. Common stops en route are Munich Airport and Regensburg in Germany and Pilsen in Czechia.
Long-Distance Bus Stops in Munich
Flixbus and RegioJet use the following bus stops in Munich (not all stops are used on every journey and although traveling time is shorter, ticket prices are the same):
- Long-distance, intercity buses usually depart from Munich’s central bus station (ZOB), which is a 700-meter walk from the München Hauptbahnhof (central station). If walking, follow the train lines west on Arnulfstraße on the north side of the station. If on an S-Bahn train, continue one stop to the west of the central station — S-Bahn station München-Hackerbrücke ZOB is directly next to the long distance bus station.
- Many buses stop en route at München Fröttmaning, which is to the north of Munich near the Allianz Arena. (The ZOB is probably a nicer place to wait, especially at night but if traveling to Munich, the stop is very convenient if continuing the journey into the city on U-Bahn train line 6.
- Some buses stop at Munich Airport Terminal 2 (MUC Airport T2) — check the map, German airports tend not to prioritize intercity bus stops
Intercity Bus Stops in Prague
In Prague, most buses from Munich terminate at the central bus station (UAN Florenc) near the Florenc metro station, one stop to the north of the central station, with convenient connections to both Metro Lines C (red) and B (yellow).
Many buses also stop en route at the main train station in Wilsonova Street. The train station stop is handy for connecting to trains but UAN Florenc is better for transfers to the metro or trams.
Some intercity buses stop in the outskirts of the city only — avoid those if traveling to the city center, especially at night
Cheaper Bus Tickets
Bus tickets are usually cheaper when booked in advance — even a few days could mean big savings. However, last-minute tickets on Flixbus are often very cheap too but risky if having to travel on a specific date or time. Generally, a bus ticket at peak hours is still cheaper than a full-fare train ticket bought shortly before travel.
Flixbus often has very good discount deals available but even normal bargain fares available to all if booking a few days in advance can be as low as €10 one-way. Discounts are not given to children, pensioners, or students but group fares are available for groups as small as three traveling together and booking in at least a day in advance. (RegioJet may have good group and student fares.)
Intercity coaches usually have toilets, snacks, power outlets, and free wifi.
The luggage compartment is under the bus and tickets usually include a suitcase and hand luggage. Book in advance for larger suitcases, extra baggage, bicycles, musical instruments, and sports equipment. Front row (best views) and seats with extra legroom often have a small surcharge, otherwise, it is usually open seating on buses. Every ticket includes a guaranteed seat — no standing.
Travel on ALEX Trains from Munich to Prague
Direct trains from Munich to Prague are operated by a private company Alex but all German Railways tickets and discounts are valid. Alex trains (ALX or RE25 in Germany and EX from Prague) follow the travel route Munich Hbf – Regensburg – Furth im Wald – Pilsen — Prague. Travelers from other parts of Bavaria, could often easily connect to the Alex Prague train in Regensburg (or Moosburg and Freising from Munich Airport).
The journey time by train from Munich to Prague is around 5h45 with up to seven daily departures in each direction. Alex trains are slow compared to the ICE trains that connect German cities and many other neighboring countries.
Alex trains are regional trains so no seat reservations are possible. Most coaches are second class but a small first-class section is usually available. (First class is popular with pass holders — few locals find the surcharge worth it on a regional express train!)
Train Tickets and Deals for Munich to Prague
As Alex trains are considered regional trains in Germany, all applicable discount tickets may be used for travel in Germany up to Furth im Wald — after Furth, Czech Railways rules apply.
The Bayern Ticket may be used from Munich to Furth while the Bayern-Böhmen Ticket may be used from Regensburg to Pilsen – the onward ticket to Prague can be bought in advance or onboard ALX trains.
Other Deutsche Bahn discounts are also valid on the Alex trains while in Germany, including the Deutschland-Ticket.
Tickets may be bought from Deutsche Bahn outlets or from Trainline (a useful journey planner). The best deals are often only on the Alex website — look for the “Prag Spezial”. Return tickets and limiting travel to specific trains may also give some discounts.
Tickets may also be bought on the ALX train but some of the cheapest tickets are not offered. After boarding the Alex train, find the “alextreff” to buy the ticket, don’t wait for the conductor to come down the train. (NB, this is an exception, it is almost never possible to buy tickets after departure on trains in Germany!)
An extra charge is payable if traveling with a dog bigger than a house cat or a bicycle.
Buying a train ticket last minute is generally much more expensive than buying a full-price bus ticket in peak times. A round trip ticket on train journeys usually gives discounts while bus tickets are priced as one-way journeys.
Comfortable trains are often a good option for families — not only may children move around in the train but children receive discounts on trains, and even travel for free under 14, while buses usually charge per seat irrespective of the age of the traveler.
It is also possible to travel by train from Munich to Prague via Nuremberg. Although the traveling time is not much slower and special cheap deals are often available, THREE train changes are required, which not only add inconvenience but serious missed-connection risk.
Private Car Trip and Transfers from Munich to Prague
It is, of course, possible to arrange a private car transfer between Munich and Prague but these tend to be relatively expensive, although for small groups traveling with luggage, it may be sensible and even price competitive with the train. Driving time should be slightly faster than traveling by bus but not much, as buses follow the direct route.
Private shared car services such as Blablacar often offer cheap deals and conveniently fast journeys but these are often only advertised a few days before traveling.
Car rental in Europe is expensive and one-way car hire, especially when crossing borders, especially so.
Gettransfer quotes as low as €250 one way for a budget car but a more comfortable vehicle or a minibus with comfortable seats will be closer to €500 one way.
Get Your Guide also has many transfer options. Some private transfers allow for stops en route — a great way to do some sightseeing at interesting places along the way.
Taking a day-trip tour from Munich to Prague, or Praha to München, is sometimes advertised but really borders on the ridiculous — it will require 8 hours of traveling and a maximum of four hours in the destination city. Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, the Jewish Quarter, and old town deserve so much more time, and ditto for the best places and museums in Munich
Traveling from other German cities to Prague is also often easier, faster, and cheaper by bus than by train. Even cities such as Nuremberg and Leipzig, which had traditionally strong ties with Bohemia and Prague, are not directly linked to the Czech capital by train. From Berlin (and Dresden) taking the train is the easier option and best way to travel to Prague.
See also: