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The city of Prague is expanding the functionality of its Lítačka app, announcing a host of useful new features including the ability to pay for parking.
Navigating the city's notoriously complex parking system should become a bit easier as, in addition to paying for parking, users can view a map of paid parking zones, navigate to a parking spot, set notifications for the end of parking validity, extend it and securely save a card for future one-click payments for parking and transit tickets.
"Already, paying for parking via mobile apps is becoming increasingly popular. With it, we want to make parking more comfortable for drivers and make switching to public transport more attractive. The application makes it possible to easily extend the parking fee without having to return to the vehicle," says Adam Scheinherr, Deputy Mayor for Transport.
The Prague Integrated Transport system's (PID) app can be linked to a payment card, Apple Pay, and newly to Google Pay. Previously, it was possible to pay for parking by redirecting to a third-party application. The city began testing the app's new function in the last week of January.
The PID Lítačka mobile app also allows people to search for current transport connections in Prague and Central Bohemia. It is updated with info on closures and route changes. A map shows transit stops.
Further improvements are planned for later this year. Praguers can now sign up to trial a planned function geared at helping travelers easily plan out routes that combine public transit with shared bikes and scooters. A pilot project allowing residents of the capital to use the app to access shared bikes became a permanent feature in 2022.
A replacement for the the Lítačka card
The PID Lítačka app was launched in 2019 as an alternative to the Lítačka chip card, which can also carry a travel coupon. A single travel coupon can only be active in one place at a time, meaning that if you transfer your monthly or annual coupon to the app, then the card ceases to function as a way to prove you have paid your fare.
Passengers can also buy a digital ticket in advance to activate later. An unactivated ticket can be forwarded to another passenger who can use it in their own app. Notifications can be set in the app to find out about exclusions and exceptions, the end of validity of tickets and coupons, or transport news.
"Paying for parking directly in the application is another intermediate step towards fulfilling our goal to create a universal tool that will facilitate transportation in and around the metropolis," the city said of the PID Lítačka app's latest features.
