Prague train zones

[paddington]

I could probably work it out given enough time, but going to Prague tomorrow, then taking the night train to Zurich later on and I haven't finished planning the Swiss routes yet...

While in Prague I want to take some of the suburban R- and S-trains.

The ticket zones seem to be rings like London, but starting with P, O, B then 1 to 9.

I know about the regular Prague tickets for 24/32/110kc, and from dpp.cz:
A 24-hour ticket valid in all PID tariff zones – CZK 240.
A 24-hour ticket valid in PID Prague plus 1 – 4 tariff zones – CZK 160.
A 24-hour ticket valid in the Central Bohemia Region (Zones 1 - 7) – CZK 150,

So does the first one mean zones P to 9, and the second mean zones P to 4? And the third doesn't include P to B?

Can I buy the 240kc ticket at the airport? If not then where?

Are the Prague 24hour tickets for 110kc valid in zones P to B on the suburban trains? Or only zone P (which limits you to 4 stations)?

Why couldn't they just call them zones 1 to 12?

 

[87015]

Basically, yes as you state, but check using R trains as only some are valid on PID pieces.

I think P, O, B are the old Praha zones with the numbered ones being recent (last year?) additions when the scheme was massively increased ie the Central Bohemia zones created and brought inside the PID ticketing. Most other regions did similar.

 

[paddington]

Basically, yes as you state, but check using R trains as only some are valid on PID pieces.

OK, but how to check? Most info seems to be in Czech and/or not translated to English very well.

What's the difference between R and S trains?

 

[rg177]

OK, but how to check? Most info seems to be in Czech and/or not translated to English very well.

What's the difference between R and S trains?

'R' trains (Rychliky Vlaky) are fast interregional trains, sort of like the German IRE or British CrossCountry. So selected stations only but slower than IC trains.

S Trains are all stations stoppers just like the German S Bahn.

 

[swt class 450]

The ticketing system in Prague can definitely seem very confusing. Although it is fairly simple once you work it all out.

Yes you have it correct about which zones the day tickets are for:

• The 110.00CZK 24hr ticket is valid in zones P O B

• The 150.00CZK 24hr ticket is valid in zones P O B 1 2 3 4

• The 160.00CZK 24hr ticket is valid in zones 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

• The 240.00CZK 24hr ticket is valid in zones P O B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

You can also buy single tickets for any combination of zones which give unlimited travel for between 30 minutes and 360 minutes depending on how many zones that you choose (the more zones you choose the more time you get).

Also note that Ceske Drahy sell a 579.00CZK day ticket covering all trains in the Czech Republic which is amazing value if you want to go further out (but it is only valid on trains and not on buses or trams or metros). It can be bought from any railway station ticket office or from guards onboard trains (with a 40.00CZK surcharge if boarding at a staffed station with an open ticket office).

The ticket machines in Prague only sell 30 minute POB tickets for 24.00CZK and 90 minute POB tickets for 32.00CZK and (most but not all machines will sell) 24 hour POB tickets for 110.00CZK. A very few of the ticket machines will also sell single tickets (valid for between 30 minutes and 360 minutes) covering zones 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 (but not day tickets).

The 240.00CZK day ticket can only be purchased from bus drivers or from railway station ticket offices or from guards on the train (with a 40.00CZK surcharge if boarding at a staffed station with an open ticket office).

Note that only bus drivers of the suburban bus routes (300 to 740 and 951 to 979) can sell these tickets (and there is no surcharge for buying on the bus).

The bus drivers of the city bus routes (100 to 290 and 901 to 930) can only sell a 90 minute POB ticket for 40.00CZK (which is slightly more expensive than buying before boarding).

The easiest way to get the 240.00CZK ticket at the Airport is from the bus driver of routes 319 / 322 / 323 / 324 which all run frequently. Just simply board one of these buses and buy the ticket from the driver. You don't need to travel on the bus. You can just buy one from the driver and immediately alight without actually riding the bus. This is the only way to get a 240.00CZK ticket at the Airport.

Yes the 110.00CZK ticket can be used on all L/R/S/U trains within the P O B zones.

The 240.00CZK ticket is valid on all L/R/S/U trains shown on this map:

https://www.cd.cz/assets/typy-jizdenek/regionalni-jizdenky-ids/vlakove-linky-s.pdf

You can use it on any L/R/S/U train on this map within the P O B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 zones. As long as you travel on any of the lines shown on that map and stay within the zones then you will be fine.

This is an alternative less detailed (but more geographically correct) version of the railway map:

https://www.cd.cz/assets/typy-jizdenek/regionalni-jizdenky-ids/zeleznice-v-pid-8-10.pdf

There is lots more information on the CD and DPP and PID websites on their Czech language versions. But unfortunately the English language versions have a bit less information (although Google Translate helps).

Hope this answers your questions. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[dutchflyer]

Consider Praha-city (exact city boundaries) as zone 0, whcih includes P and B, which are for people coming into town by train/bus but not using local DPP.
ALL NEW machines with touch screen at ALL metro stops (but they also have old ones-taking coins only) and at airport can sell ALL these tickets, only payment by card.
AND the PID area was enlarged last oct '18 and now covers all of the stredocesky region and new zones 8-9. CD also offers a dayticket for this region at I think 229 CZK-thats train ONLY.
For those >65 much reduced or free travel is available. (ONLY from EU!). In zone 0 its free, a dayticket for zones 1-9 is 37 CzK (75% discount). But a special card must first be gotten from PID-office.
Very good maps with all zones/boundaries/lines etc are for free at PID-info offices, a large one is inside the ticket hall of the main station.

 

[atraindriver]

<deleted>

 

[U-Bahnfreund]

OK, but how to check? Most info seems to be in Czech and/or not translated to English very well.

You can find all Rychlík trains that accept PID fares in the document linked here (Zařazení rychlíků do PID (únor 2019)). It's in Czech but fairly easy to understand.

 

[30907]

For those >65 much reduced or free travel is available. (ONLY from EU!). In zone 0 its free, a dayticket for zones 1-9 is 37 CzK (75% discount). But a special card must first be gotten from PID-office.

According to the PID website the senior card is only required in the city itself, outside a passport (or EU ID card) is sufficient evidence of age for the 75% discount. This is the same as the new offer for CD nationwide.

 

[paddington]

Hope this answers your questions. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Wow that's very comprehensive info. As I may have said before, I wish public transport authorities could explain things in this sort of way on their own websites....

Czech is on my list of languages to learn... but I think I'll just do the trams tomorrow as I'm only here for 1 day, and search for this thread when I come back next year.