Prague to Liberec: How to Get There & Get Around Like a Local

Planning a trip from Prague to Liberec and wondering how to get there and get around the town once you arrive? I’ve travelled to Liberec many times on day trip from Prague and recently also stayed in Liberec for week long trip exploring the town and nearby attractions.

Liberec is one of the Czech Republic’s most exciting cities, packed with cool sights like the charming old town, oldest ZOO and Botanical garden, muzeums, independent cafes and the amazing countryside around including the futuristic Ještěd Tower.

The best part? Getting here from Prague is super easy, and Liberec’s public transport system makes exploring the city—and even nearby places like Ještěd Mountain and Jablonec nad Nisou—a breeze.

In this post, I’ll walk you through the easiest ways to reach Liberec from Prague, how to use trams and buses like a local, and how to make the most of your day trips in the region—all without needing a car.

Getting to Liberec from Prague by bus

This is the most popular, most affordable and also the fastest option to get to Liberec from Prague. I’ve done this journey many times and always found it the best way to travel to Liberec.

There are two main bus companies – Regio Jet (yellow bus) and FlixBus (green bus) that provide the fastest direct service from Prague to Liberec.

My tip

The main thing I’d strongly recommend here, is to book your tickets in advance, especially for the journey from Prague to Liberec in the morning. These get very quickly booked up. I’ve noticed that the return journey is usually not that busy, but still I feel better having the ticket in advance.

Prague departures from Cerny Most (Underground B)

Buses to Liberec leave from Prague’s Central Bus Station Florenc or Černý Most bus station, which is the terminal station of underground line B. Most buses start from Cerny Most and only few Flixbus connections start at Florenc Bus Station (usually the ones that carry on to Poland from Liberec), so I always go to Cerny Most.

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Bus journey time

The journey takes officially 1 hr and 15 min based on the timetable, but in reality it can take anything up to 1 hour and 30 – 45 minutes. This is because there are long term roadworks on route and the main road gets very congested around Mlada Boleslav.

There are also buses (bus no. 345 run by a local bus company) that take up to 2 hrs, because they are not direct and have about 17 different stops on the way to Liberec. So avoid this one, unless you have no other option.

Ticket prices & booking your ticket

The good news is that tickets are really affordable and start from 109 CZK. Regio Jet is much cheaper than FlixBus, that also charges for seats reservation. The easiest way to book your ticket is to download the Regio Jet or FlixBus app on your phone and book the tickets online.

I really like that Regio Jet allows you to change the bus (cancel and re-book) up to 15 minutes before the bus departure time. I had to do this once when the underground was unexpectedly closed and I just couldn’t get there on time. I was able to cancel and re-book on the next available bus without any problems.

You can also buy tickets at the station, online, or even from the driver if he/she still has any tickets left.

Bus Timetables

Buses depart every hour (on the hour) from Prague with the first direct bus leaving at 7 am. The last bus from Liberec back to Prague is at 8 pm in the summer and about 5 pm in the winter.

The buses are very comfortable with good wifi and charging points for your phone.

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Best stop to get off at Liberec

Once you get to Liberec you can either get off at the main bus station in Liberec, called “Liberec, autobusové nádraží” (Liberec Bus Station). This is ideal if you have other bus or train connections to catch. The main train station is right next to the main bus station.

If you are just heading to Liberec, it’s better to get off at “Liberec, Fügnerova,” stop which is a central tram and bus hub right in the city centre.

Getting to Liberec from Prague by train

You can also take a train from Prague’s main train station (Praha Hlavní Nádraží) to Liberec. The journey is a bit longer, usually around 2.5 to 3 hours, and may require a change at Turnov, Mlada Boleslav or Decin. Trains are comfortable and a good option if you want a more scenic ride.

The other good thing about the train is that you don’t need to book in advance and if needed you can stand, if the train is completely full. The bus companies don’t allow this, so if they sell all the seats, they won’t allow you to stand on the bus.

Train journey times & ticket prices

The trains leave every hour (and more frequently if you are happy to make 2-3 changes) and the most direct and affordable route is with Arriva trains leaving Prague Main Train station and changing at Turnov. One way adult ticket is 295 CZK and journey takes 2,5 hrs. The last reasonable connection from Liberec back to Prague is at 8 pm, has 3 changes and takes 3 hrs.

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Getting to Liberec from Prague by car

If you prefer, you can rent a car and drive—Liberec is about 110 km north of Prague and the trip takes just over an hour via the D10 motorway.

But a word of warning here, you will need to take the same route as the non-stop bus and you will get stuck in the same traffic which will not make it any quicker than by car.

But if you want to leave before the first direct bus at 7 am, you might find that the car is quicker (plus if you have a whole family with you or have friends who are joining you for the trip, it might be worth to rent a car).

How to use the public transport in Liberec

When I visit Liberec, I usually walk everywhere, because I feel that’s how to discover the town best. Saying that last time I walked all the way to the Lidove Sady to see the ZOO and all the museums, cafes and galleries along the way and I was super grateful for being able to get tram back directly to my bus departure terminal in the centre.

Getting around Liberec by tram is super easy, convenient, and affordable! The city’s tram network is run by Dopravní podnik měst Liberce a Jablonce nad Nisou (DPMLJ) and is one of the best ways to explore Liberec and even reach nearby Jablonec nad Nisou.

Main tram & bus station

The central tram and bus hub is Fügnerova, right in the city center. It’s easy to switch between lines or hop on a bus here.

Ticket cost

A basic adult ticket for 60 minutes costs CZK 28 and you can change trams and buses within Liberec as long as it’s within the 60 minutes.

If you are planning to take the tram to ZOO, museums or Botanical garden or to Jested, you can also buy a 24-hour ticket which cost CZK 95.

You can buy tickets at ticket machines at major stops, in some newsstands, downloading the mobile app, or even by contactless payment directly on board of most trams.

How to use the trams

Buy your ticket before you board, or use a contactless card/app on newer trams immediately after you get on board.

Validate your ticket as soon as you get on (look for the yellow validation machines). If you are buying your ticket from the tram machine, the time and date will be already stamped on.

Trams run frequently, especially during the day, with schedules posted at stops and online.

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Tramlines in Liberec

Tram Line 2: Runs from Lidové Sady (north of the city, near the zoo and park) through the city center (Fügnerova stop) to Dolní Hanychov

Tram Line 3: Connects Lidové Sady and Horní Hanychov, which is the stop for the Ještěd cable car and connecting bus to Jestedka bus stop (the closest you can get to the top of Jested). This tram has the same route as no. 2 but it continues from Dolni Hanychov to Horni Hanychov).

On tram line 2 & 3 you will find all the main attractions including the Babylon Centrum, iQlandia, Dino Park, Museum, Gallery Spa, Botanical Garden or ZOO.

Horní Hanychov (Terminal ) – change for bus to Jestedka (for Jested), Skiareál Ještěd, Bikepark
Staré Pekárny – Home Credit Arena and Sport Park Liberec
Nádraží – main train station & main bus station with connections out of town (and Prague)
Rybníček – Centrum Babylon and iQlandia
Fügnerova – lower part of the historic town centre, main tram and bus station (also buses for Prague), walk up to Liebieg town quarter
Šaldovo Náměstí – upper part of the town centre, main square, town hall, tourist information centre, shopping and DinoPark
Muzeum / Galerie Lázně – Museum, Technical Museum, Galerie Lázně (Spa), walk to Harcov Water Dam, wide streets with 19th century villas
Botanická zahrada
Lidové sady/ZOO (terminal) – ZOO, start of hiking trails to Jizerske Mountains and Liberecka Vysina – Viewing Tower & Restaurant (1 km – 30 minutes up the hill).

Tram Line 11: Liberec to Jablonec nad Nisou

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Liberec to Jablonec nad Nisou tram route

The tram number 11 running between Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou is a fantastic ride and it’s actually the longest tram line between two towns in the Czech Republic! The journey takes about 30–35 minutes to cover the roughly 13 km through outskirts of Liberec, beautiful forests, meadows and small villages.

A regular adult ticket for the full journey costs 45 CZK or it’s included in the 24 hr ticket. You can buy tickets at machines at the main stops, in newsstands, or directly on the tram using a contactless card or mobile app.

The tram starts in Liberec (usually from the Fügnerova or Rybníček stops) and ends at Jablonec nad Nisou, Tyršovy Sady. The tram leaves regularly from Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou until late at night.

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How to get to Jested Tower from Liberec

Jested hill with Observation Tower is fairly close to Liberec and it’s quite easy to get to by public transport. I’ve done this trip as a day trip from Liberec, together with a walk down to Christopher’s Valley (Kristofovo Udoli), but you can easily get to the top of the Jested and back again to Liberec within 2-3 hrs.

It’s very easy to use tram from the centre of Liberec and bus to take you nearly to the top of the hill. The only difficult bit is that the cable car is out of service for another 2 years, so the trip includes a short hike at the end.

The total travel time – one way is about 50–70 minutes, depending on tram/bus connections and your walking speed.

From Liberec city center (Fügnerova stop), take the tram to Horní Hanychov

Take the tram no. 3 to Horni Hanychov. It’s the last stop, so the tram will have that written on the front. The number 3 tram runs frequently throughout the day and takes about 20 minutes from the center. It is also the same tram that goes all the way to the Liberec Zoo, so if you are on the other side of the town you can use this tram too. Make sure that you have a valid ticket (28 CZK ticket valid for 60 minutes will be fine and it’s also valid on the bus).

From Horní Hanychov, take the bus to Jestedka bus stop

Take the 19 or 39 bus (depending on the schedule) heading towards the Ještědka bus stop (the last stop on the bus route). The bus stops at the tram terminal. The bus ride is about 10–15 minutes and gets you to the Ještědka stop, which is the closest you can get to the top by public transport.

From Ještědka, hike to the Jested Tower

The walk from Ještědka to Ještěd Tower is less than a 1 km, but it can take a good 20–30 minutes to walk to the top. You can either walk on the road or last part of the walk you can take the red hiking trail through the woods (but it’s much steeper and it’s a woodland path).

Liberec day ticket

If you’re planning to do more hiking or exploring, consider a day ticket for unlimited travel in the Liberec region—it’s good value if you’ll be hopping on and off trams and buses.

A day ticket (24-hour ticket) for Liberec costs CZK 95 for adults and concessions are available for students, children and over 60s. This ticket allows unlimited travel on all trams and buses within the Liberec-Jablonec nad Nisou integrated transport system (IDOL).

The day ticket also covers the tram to Jablonec nad Nisou. You can use it for unlimited rides on tram line 11 between Liberec and Jablonec nad Nisou, as well as on all city buses and trams in both cities during its validity.

Where to buy public transport ticket in Liberec

Ticket machines at major stops (takes change and cards)
Newsstands
On board with contactless card (make sure you buy your ticket straightaway, time is already stamped)
Mobile apps (like Sejf or PID Lítačka)

Tip: Always validate your ticket when you first board!

Attractions & places to visit near Liberec

Liberec is great for a day trip, but it’s also great base for shorter day trips from the town. I’ve recently spend a whole week in Liberec and enjoyed travelling around the region visiting castles, hiking in Jizerske Mountains and exploring other smaller towns and villages.

I’ve chosen destinations, that are close to Liberec, so that if you want to you can easily do this as day trip from Prague (just make sure you get the earliest bus from Prague you can to give yourself enough time).

Frýdlant
A lovely historic town famous for its impressive Frýdlant Castle and Chateau, which combines medieval and Renaissance architecture. The town’s square and old town are also great for a stroll. (Train ride: about 30 minutes)

Chrastava
A small, peaceful town known for its picturesque setting, old churches, and local museums. It’s perfect for a quiet half-day trip and offers nice walking trails along the river. (Train ride: about 15 minutes)

Turnov
Located at the edge of the Bohemian Paradise (Český ráj) region, Turnov is a gateway to beautiful sandstone rock formations, castles, and scenic hiking routes. The town itself has a lovely square and a renowned gem museum. (Train ride: about 30 minutes)

Hejnice
A pilgrimage town famous for the Baroque Basilica of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary and its peaceful setting at the foot of the Jizera Mountains. Great for a bit of history and some nature walks. (Train ride: about 25 minutes)

Jablonné v Podještědí
Known for its stunning Basilica of St. Lawrence and St. Zdislava, one of the most important Baroque churches in the region. The town has a relaxed vibe and is surrounded by lovely countryside. (Train ride: about 30 minutes)

Bedřichov
A super popular mountain village in the Jizera Mountains, Bedřichov is a year-round favorite for hiking, cycling, and especially cross-country skiing in winter. The area is full of scenic trails and cozy mountain huts. (Bus line 18 or 145, about 25–30 minutes)

Hejnice
This peaceful town is famous for its beautiful Baroque basilica and is a gateway to hiking in the Jizera Mountains. It’s a great spot for a mix of history and nature. (Bus line 650, about 30 minutes)

Kryštofovo Údolí
A charming little village known for its picturesque wooden houses, historic railway viaduct, and a unique astronomical clock. It’s like stepping back in time and is especially pretty in spring and autumn. (Bus line 16, about 25 minutes)

Hodkovice nad Mohelkou
A small town with a nice historic center, Hodkovice is a good base for exploring the surrounding countryside and caves, or just enjoying a quieter pace. (Bus line 345, about 30 minutes)

Jablonec nad Nisou
Although you can also get here by tram, the bus is sometimes faster. Jablonec is famous for its glass and jewellery museum, Art Nouveau architecture, and a lovely lakeside promenade. (Bus line 141 or tram line 11, about 30 minutes)

This blog post was originally written on 3 September 2025 and last updated on 3 September 2025

Prague to Liberec: How to Get There & Get Around Like a Local

Getting to Liberec from Prague by bus

Getting to Liberec from Prague by train

Getting to Liberec from Prague by car