Car in Prague
 

Is Prague "Car friendly"? Or is it better to leave it at the outskirts and go to the centre by train? And how difficult is it to move from point A to point B in the centre?

parking in the city is the main problem,i certainly would never consider a car in the city .several park and ride places on the outskirts.the public transport system within the city itself is excellent and cheap.
This link should give you some great info and there are links to the park and ride sites.
http://www.livingprague.com/driving.htm

A car in the center of any city in europe is nonsense. Typically the oldest and most interesting parts are pedestrian only.

IMHO get a central hotel, put the car in the garage and then just walk everywhere - or take public transit for longer trips (there is a tram from Old Town Square up to the castle complex across the river).

A car in the center of ANY big city anywhere is nonsense, for tourists.

Too many one way streets and pedestrian roads that look like you can drive on them. Just walk and use the tram.

I see... does anybody have an experience with a guide in Prague?

We had a guide who we had booked in advance. We were completely satisfied. We weren't in some group of people, just me, my wife and the guide. You can even find some guides on the main square, you can just join the group, but I think it's not personal, there are about twenty people in the group. It depends what you prefer. We booked this tour - http://ohmyprague.com/en/prague-highlights
If you still prefer the car - my colleague has been to Prague, he took a guide with an oldschool car, he sad it was great as well...

<i> Or is it better to leave it at the outskirts and go to the centre by train?</i>

This implies that you will have a car when you visit Prague and need to know what to do with it. There are two answers, stay outside the city and commute or stay inside the city and pay to park at the hotel. Central Prague has trolleys, buses, metro trains and from Mala Strana to Josefov to Old Town to New Town is easy to walk (although doing all that in a day would be a bit much). Going up to Hradcany requires a trolley ride unless you like climbing hills.

Driving in Central Prague is bad: narrow streets, many taxis and trolleys to contend against, native drivers drive like Europeans. Thus, if you can avoid the car, do.

Check the Prague Post (English language local paper) for guide information.

The above responses omit one aspect:

How is LisaColeson's lingual ability with the Czech language?

The traffic signs are NOT in English.
For example: 'pesi zona' means -pedestrian zone, don't park here or you'll be fined on the spot--
And, speaking from experience, you will be.
Similarly the road signs.

Having driven (by mistake) into downtown Prague once, I strongly suggest you NOT drive there.

Anyone who opts to drive a car in a foreign country should learn the meanings of traffic signs there.

Surprise! Traffic (and parking) signs in Poland are in Polish, Norwegian in Norway, Turkish in Turkey, etc. Especially challenging are countries with languages using different alphabets, like Greece.

>If you still prefer the car - my colleague has been to Prague, he took a guide with an oldschool car, he sad it was great as well...

When we visited friends in Prague they took us on one of these tours. I can't speak to the cost but it was an excellent way to see a lot of Prague at once, and the driver was quite knowledgeable. Plus I had my friend telling her own side of the story. So do look out for the oldtimer cars (or whatever they are called); they are on one side of the old town square.

Lavandula

<i>Surprise! Traffic (and parking) signs in Poland are in Polish, Norwegian in Norway, Turkish in Turkey, etc. Especially challenging are countries with languages using different alphabets, like Greece.</i>

Get, OUT! (said in Elaine Benes's voice)

Or Nev Wilshire's voice

Hi,
As mentionned several times, the ar is indeed not a great option in Prague. Still I also wanted to underline that the public transport network in Prague is excellent.
Getting around is easy and not expensive!

Enjoy your time in Prague
Nicolas