Ferries have returned to Prague's Vltava river after winter break

After winter hibernation, ferries carrying pedestrians across Prague's Vltava river have returned to the Czech capital's main waterway for the 2021 season.

The ferries provide quick access between Prague districts across the Vltava river in areas where the distance between bridges may be lengthy. In 2020, nearly 700,000 passengers made use of Prague ferry services.

The boats include the popular HolKa ferry that connect Prague 7 and Prague 8 near the city center, bringing travelers from Prague Market in Holešovice to the banks of Karlín.

This one even stops at Štvanice island halfway through its journey, which is undergoing numerous renovations for the 2021 summer season.

Prague's ferries are part of the city's integrated public transport system, and access is covered through standard public transport tickets and passes.

Prague Public Transport operates a total of seven ferries through the city, all of which provide barrier-free access for passengers. Bicycles are also transported free of charge.

Due to the expansive Vltava river that runs through the center of Prague, ferries have a long history of operation in the city. The first recorded instance of a ferry in the Czech capital, which brought passengers from Old Town to Malá Strana, dates all the way back to the year 857.

Below are the boat connections that are back in operation as of today; the P1 and P2 (ferry or přívoz, not Prague) connections operate year-round, while the rest have been restored as of March 27 and will run through October.

Most of the connections operate daily at intervals of 20-30 minutes. More information about Prague's ferry services and full schedules can be found at the website of Prague Public Transportation.

Another ferry, launched last year, connects central Prague's Náplavka embankments at Rašínovo and Hořejší nábřeží. This one is privately operated and costs 20 crowns to ride, and has been running continuously since last year without a winter break.