Day trip from Prague Pilsen
A West Bohemian city built around the Pilsner Urquell brewery, which sits a 5-minute walk from the main station, 1 h 13 min from Prague by train.
Is Pilsen worth a day trip from Prague?
Go for the beer. Half a day.
Go if beer is the reason, and keep it to half a day. Direct trains from Praha hlavní nádraží take 1 h 13 min at best and 1 h 29 min on average, with about 33 direct services a day. The brewery is a 5-minute walk from Plzeň hlavní nádraží, the tour lasts 100 minutes and costs CZK 430. Groups are capped at 40 people and tours run in Czech, German and English, so reserve your language and time before you buy the train ticket. The cellars stay at about 5°C. Bring a layer. Without the brewery, the city alone does not justify the trip.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 1 h 13Fastest direct train; average 1 h 29 min · one way · Trainline (reseller for ČD and RegioJet)
- Transport
- Direct train
- Self-guided cost
- CZK 790–930Train return (CZK 180-250 each way, depending on train and ticket type) + Pilsner Urquell brewery tour adult ticket (CZK 430). · Pilsner Urquell brewery tour, official site (tour price); train fare range from Prague Trip guide
- Tour price
- –
- Time needed
- 3–5 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- 24-26 Dec and 1 Jan
- Best time
- Year-round; visitor centre daily 9:00-18:00 May-Sep, 10:00-18:00 Oct-AprDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth half a dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Pilsen
- 01
Pilsner Urquell brewery tour
A 100-minute guided route through the modern brewhouse, the bottling hall and part of 9 km of sandstone cellars. It ends with unfiltered lager poured from an oak barrel.
- 02
St Bartholomew's Cathedral
The Gothic church in the middle of Republic Square has the tallest church spire in the country, at 102 metres. Climb 301 steps to the gallery for the view.
- 03
Great Synagogue
A twin-towered synagogue from 1893, among the largest in Europe, restored and open to visitors. It stands 5 minutes west of the square. Allow 30 minutes.
- 04
Historical Underground
A guided 50-minute walk through medieval cellars, wells and passages under the old town, starting from the Brewery Museum. Helmets are provided and the temperature is about 6°C.
- 05
Republic Square
One of the largest medieval squares in Bohemia, with the Renaissance town hall, a plague column and three modern gold fountains. It is free, and a farmers' market sets up on some days.
Good forOld towns and villages
How to spend the day
Take a direct train from Praha hlavní nádraží around 9:00 and reach Plzeň hlavní nádraží by about 10:30. Walk 5 minutes over the footbridge to the brewery; the visitor centre opens at 10:00 from October to April. Join a late-morning tour you booked ahead and you are out 100 minutes later. Have lunch, then walk about 15 minutes to the old centre if you want it. A train around 15:00 puts you back in Prague by 16:30.
Pilsen in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustThe brewery visitor centre opens from 9:00 between May and September and tours run through the day. The cellars are 5°C whatever the weather outside, so carry a jumper even at 30°C. English tours start in the early afternoon and fill at weekends. Book ahead and spend the morning on the square and in the synagogue.
Winter
December to FebruaryA good cold-weather trip, since the brewery, the underground and the synagogue are all indoors. The brewery is open all year except 24-26 December and 1 January, from 10:00 in winter. An Advent market fills Republic Square in December. Trains run as usual and the 15-minute walk from the station is flat.
How crowded it gets
Quiet- Busiest
- Saturdays, the Liberation Festival in early May and Pilsner Fest in early October
- Quietest
- Weekdays all year
The only thing that sells out is the English brewery tour, capped at 40 people. Reserve a time online several days before, then fit the rest of the day around it.
How do you get to Pilsen from Prague?
- Travel time
- 1 h 13 min to 1 h 29 min
- Frequency
- About 33 direct trains a day
- Cost
- CZK 180-250 each way
- Departs from
- Praha hlavní nádraží
The fare depends on the train and the ticket type, so check the price on the České dráhy site before you go. Get off at Plzeň hlavní nádraží. Head for Nádražní street and follow it to the footbridge, which leads into the brewery complex at U Prazdroje 64/7.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Bring a warm layer and closed shoes at any time of year: the brewery cellars and the underground are cold and wet underfoot. Ordinary city clothes are fine for the rest.
What to eat
Eat at the brewery's own beer hall or in the pubs around Republic Square: pork knee, goulash with dumplings, pickled cheese and sausages, all built to go with lager. The tank beer here is as fresh as it gets.
What you will spend
The train from Praha hlavní nádraží and the brewery tour ticket are the two real costs. The underground and the cathedral tower are small extras. Republic Square, the cathedral nave and the walk through the old town are free. Tasting is included in the brewery tour for adults.
How to get the most out of the day
- The tasting is for visitors aged 18 and over. Children can join the tour and get a ticket of their own.
- English tours have run at 12:45, 14:15 and 16:15. Confirm the times when booking and pick a train that arrives an hour before.
- The brewery gate is a 15-minute walk from Plzeň hlavní nádraží. Do the tour first or last, to avoid crossing town twice.
- A combined ticket for the brewery, the Brewery Museum and the underground exists. Ask for it at the first desk if you want all three.
How long do you need in Pilsen?
Plan 3–5 h on site, plus 1 h 13 of travel each way from Prague.
When is Pilsen closed?
24-26 Dec and 1 Jan. Best time: Year-round; visitor centre daily 9:00-18:00 May-Sep, 10:00-18:00 Oct-Apr.