From city streets to castle towns: Prague-South Bohemia soon linked by public transport

Commuters and weekend travelers from Prague will soon find it much easier to head south. Starting July 1, the Central Bohemian and South Bohemian regions will formally link their public transport networks, allowing passengers to travel across regional borders using a single ticket.

The integration combines the Prague Integrated Transport (PID) network with the newly established South Bohemian IDESKA system. Under the unified tariff, travelers can seamlessly combine train and bus connections without needing to purchase separate fares when crossing from one region into the other.

For travelers, the change unlocks simpler day trips to popular southern destinations. Passengers using PID tickets will now be able to travel directly to spots like Tábor, Planá nad Lužnicí, and Orlík nad Vltavou. Conversely, travelers using the South Bohemian fare can reach Central Bohemian hubs such as Benešov, Sedlčany, Vlašim, and Příbram.

"The connection of the transport systems is another step towards public transport functioning as a single unit regardless of administrative borders," said Petr Borecký, the Central Bohemian regional councilor for public mobility.

He added that passengers will benefit from greater comfort, easier orientation, and wider travel options on a single ticket.

Beyond simpler ticketing, the integration brings an overhaul to local route networks, particularly around the Votice, Benešov, and Sedlčany areas. To prevent confusion, several bus routes will be renumbered to avoid overlapping digits between the PID and IDESKA systems.

Long-distance connections connecting Prague with the Písek, Strakonice, and Prachatice regions will see increased service. A major backbone route, line 401, will also be rerouted to connect Prague directly with Tábor via Sedlec-Prčice, operating under the new designation of line 408.

Zdeněk Šponar, Director of Integrated Transport for the Central Bohemian Region, stated that the new timetables were shaped directly by feedback from municipalities and passengers to meet actual commuting patterns.

For cross-border travel, passengers will have the freedom to choose which individual tariff suits them best, or simply combine the two. Combined fares can be bought directly from bus drivers or train attendants. Drafts of the upcoming timetables and regional route changes are now available on the official PID website.