Mistakes I Made in Prague — And What I’d Do Differently Next Time

Prague is an easy city to visit, but I still made a few mistakes that cost me money, time and, in one case, a painful toe.

None of them ruined the trip. They’re simply things I understood only after spending a few days in the city.

If I went back to Prague tomorrow, these are the mistakes I wouldn’t repeat.

1. I Paid Around €40 for a Taxi From the Airport

I landed close to midnight on my first visit to Prague and didn’t feel like figuring out public transport after the flight.

So I took a taxi straight to Old Town.

It was fast and convenient, but after seeing how easy Prague’s public transport actually was, I realized I had paid around €40 mostly for comfort.

Even late arrivals have public transport options from Prague Airport, so today I would check Google Maps or PID Lítačka before automatically ordering a car.

What I’d do next time: check public transport first and keep a taxi or Uber as the backup.

I wrote a separate guide about getting from Prague Airport to the city center and what I’d use instead.

2. I Tried to Walk Far Too Much

Prague is very walkable.

That doesn’t mean you should walk everywhere.

My biggest mistake was deciding to walk from Old Town toward Prague Zoo instead of simply using public transport. I eventually got a blister on my toe, and the following day every unnecessary step became painful.

Completely avoidable.

What I’d do next time: walk when walking is part of the experience — Old Town, the riverfront, bridges — and use public transport for getting between distant parts of the city.

There’s no prize for reaching Prague Zoo on foot.

I explain why I relied so heavily on the network in Why Prague’s Public Transport Makes Renting a Car Pointless.

3. I Underestimated Prague’s Cobblestones

This goes together with the previous mistake.

Historic Prague has plenty of uneven cobblestone streets, and shoes that feel perfectly comfortable in the morning may feel very different after several hours.

If you plan to explore the city properly, footwear matters.

What I’d choose: comfortable shoes with good cushioning, a reasonably thick sole and decent grip. In winter, some water resistance is useful too.

I wouldn’t sacrifice comfort for good-looking shoes in Prague.

4. I Should Have Chosen My Transport Pass From the Start

I often bought day tickets because they were convenient.

That worked, but if I knew from the beginning that I would use public transport throughout a three-day trip, I would check the multi-day pass first instead of repeatedly buying shorter tickets.

With the current tariff, a 72-hour pass can be cheaper than buying three separate 24-hour passes.

It’s not a life-changing amount of money, but these small unnecessary expenses add up when travelling.

What I’d do next time: decide roughly how long I’ll use public transport and buy the appropriate pass from the beginning.

I explain ticket options and validation in Prague Public Transport Tickets Explained: What to Buy, How to Validate & PID Lítačka.

5. I Didn’t Pay Enough Attention to Winter Closures

I visited Prague in late January.

Most major attractions were still accessible, but winter changes opening hours and some seasonal outdoor areas close completely.

For example, several gardens around Prague Castle normally close during the winter period.

The mistake is assuming that because an attraction appears on Google Maps, every part of it will be open when you arrive.

What I’d do next time: check the official website of outdoor attractions before building the day around them.

If you’re considering a winter trip, I covered the pros, cons and practical issues separately in Prague in Winter: Is January Worth It? Pros, Cons & Practical Tips.

6. I Underestimated How Much Time Some Attractions Need

Prague Zoo and the National Technical Museum were two good examples.

Both need much more than a quick stop.

The Zoo is huge, while the Technical Museum has entire sections dedicated to cars, motorcycles, bicycles, trains, aircraft, clocks and other technology.

Trying to squeeze either into a spare hour would be a waste.

What I’d do next time: choose fewer major attractions per day and actually give myself time to enjoy them.

For Prague Zoo specifically, I’d reserve several hours. I wrote more about my visit in Prague Zoo: A Breathing Space Away From Old Town.

7. I Didn’t Think About Toilets Until I Needed One

This sounds like a minor detail until you’re walking through central Prague and suddenly need one.

Public toilets do exist, but many in central areas charge a small fee. Free options exist too, but they’re not necessarily where you need them at that exact moment.

So if you’re already inside a restaurant, café, museum or another attraction, use the restroom before leaving.

What I’d do next time: stop assuming I’ll easily find a free toilet five minutes later.

It’s a tiny travel habit that saves both time and unnecessary searching.

8. I Tried Too Hard to Save Time

This sounds contradictory, because I usually travel with the goal of wasting as little time as possible.

But there’s a difference between being efficient and rushing.

Prague has plenty of places where spending another 30 minutes is worth much more than squeezing another attraction into the itinerary.

I would still avoid wasting hours waiting in restaurants or making unnecessary detours, but I’d give the places I actually care about more breathing room.

What I’d do next time: plan fewer must-see attractions and leave some empty space in the day.

Final Thought

Prague doesn’t require complicated planning.

Most of the problems I ran into came from making simple things harder than they needed to be.

The city already gives you good transport, plenty of information, easy card payments and enough options to adjust your plans on the go.

So if it’s your first visit, don’t try to optimize every minute before you arrive.

Know the few things that can actually cost you money, time or comfort — and let the rest of the trip happen naturally.

Prague is much easier once you stop fighting the way the city works.