Prague's tram system is the oldest continuously operating part of the city's public transport network, with horse-drawn lines dating back to 1875 and the first electric tram running in 1891. Today, the system is among the ten largest urban tram networks in Europe by track length, covering more than 140 km of double and single track and serving over 350 stops across 25 municipal districts.

Network Scale and Line Structure

As of 2026, DPP operates 24 numbered daytime tram lines and 9 night lines (prefixed with the number 9). During weekday peak hours, the central routes — lines 22, 17, 9 and 1 — run at intervals of three to four minutes. The outer suburban lines typically operate on 8–12 minute headways during the day, extending to 20 minutes in late evenings.

The network is organised around a dense inner core radiating outward from the historic city centre. Routes along the embankment (nábřeží) form a natural arterial spine running north-south, while the east-west axis passes through Wenceslas Square and across Vítkov hill to Žižkov and Vinohrady.

Integration note: Prague tram tickets are not separate from the wider Integrated Transport System (PID). Any valid PID ticket — including Lítačka monthly and annual passes — covers trams, metro, buses, ferries and most suburban rail within designated zones.

Historical tram car number 88 at Prague Public Transport Museum

Tram 88 at the Prague Public Transport Museum. The museum documents the full evolution of the city's tram fleet. © CC BY-SA 4.0

Rolling Stock: From T3 to Škoda 15T

The workhorse of the Prague fleet for several decades was the Tatra T3 — a Czech-built single-articulated tram introduced in 1962 and still found on occasional heritage runs. By the early 2000s, DPP began replacing the aging fleet with low-floor articulated vehicles better suited to wheelchair access and boarding speed.

The current fleet is dominated by three modern types:

  • Škoda 14T (ForCity) — introduced 2006, low-floor, bidirectional, primarily on Lines 9 and 14.
  • Škoda 15T — a larger 5-section variant, used heavily on high-frequency central routes.
  • Škoda 45T (ForCity Smart) — the most recent addition, with USB charging ports and real-time passenger load displays.

The older KT8D5 Tatras, originally designed for Bratislava, were acquired by Prague in the 1990s and continue to operate on several lines that require heavier vehicles, though gradual replacement is ongoing.

Key Interchange Points

Several tram stops double as transit hubs where passengers transfer between trams, metro and buses. Understanding these nodes simplifies navigation considerably:

  • Náměstí Republiky — where lines 5, 8, 15 and 26 converge near metro line B and the Florence bus terminal.
  • Anděl — south of the river, a major interchange on metro line B with lines 4, 7, 10, and 12 continuing toward Smíchov and Radlice.
  • Hradčanská — metro line A, with tram lines 1, 2 and 18 connecting to Malá Strana and the castle district.
  • Národní třída — intersects metro line B; one of the busiest central stops with 5 tram lines.
  • Palacký Square (Palackého náměstí) — connects lines running along the embankment with those heading toward Vinohrady.
Prague tram 4092 at the transport museum

Tram type 4092, which served Prague for decades before fleet modernisation. © CC BY-SA 4.0

Night Trams: The 9x Lines

Between roughly 00:00 and 04:30, the standard daytime tram network is replaced by nine night tram routes. These are numbered 91 through 99 and run at 30-minute intervals. The hub of the night network is Lazarská stop, where all lines overlap and connections between routes are possible without missing a vehicle for long. Night trams accept the same valid PID tickets as daytime services, including the short-term visitor passes available at Václav Havel Airport and DPP service centres.

Ticketing and Validation

Tram tickets are purchased from yellow SMS-ticket machines at major stops, from vending machines at metro stations, or via the PID Lítačka mobile app. The short-term paper tickets (24-hour, 3-day, 30-minute, and 90-minute options) must be validated upon boarding by inserting them into the yellow validators inside the tram. Monthly and annual passes linked to the Lítačka card are validated automatically on entry via contactless readers.

Fare inspectors (revizoři) operate both in uniform and plain clothes on all lines. Fines for fare evasion are 1,500 CZK when paid immediately or 1,000 CZK when settled within 15 days. A single-ride short-term ticket starts at 30 CZK as of 2025 pricing.

Reliability and Disruptions

DPP publishes real-time vehicle positions through the PID app and through departure boards at stops. Engineering works on the track — particularly in the city centre — frequently cause temporary route diversions; these are announced on the DPP website (dpp.cz) and via QR codes posted at affected stops. The PID Lítačka app provides up-to-date re-routing information when substitution buses (náhradní doprava) are in operation.

External references: Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy (DPP) · PID — Prague Integrated Transport

Last updated: April 14, 2026 · Czech Transit Media s.r.o.