Driving in Czechia: Car Hire, Trams, Prague Parking and Vignettes

Czechia drives on the right. Trams, junction priority and electronic motorway tolls deserve particular attention. A car often adds inconvenience in central Prague but becomes useful for smaller towns, countryside and mountain routes.

Prague, Czechia · Moyan Brenn · CC BY 2.0

Rent for the part of the trip that needs a car

Compare Czech car hire on DiscoverCars, selecting the actual pickup location and dates. Check the deposit, excess, road vignette and winter equipment alongside the total price. Obtain cross-border permission for neighbouring countries.

If your trip begins with several Prague days, consider collecting the car only when leaving. Confirm parking at the next hotel and ask for a permitted driving approach if the property is inside a pedestrian or residents-only area.

Documents and collection checks

Bring your original driving licence, passport and an international permit or translation where required for your licence. Confirm the supplier’s document and card requirements before booking; a debit card may not qualify for the deposit.

Photograph bodywork, glass, wheels and the fuel gauge at collection. Locate the warning triangle and reflective vest, save the breakdown number, and obtain suitable child restraints. A booking confirmation does not replace the original documents requested at the counter.

A green light may not protect a left turn

A normal green light can allow opposing traffic to proceed at the same time. Yield to it when turning left and check pedestrians and cyclists across your turn. Do not treat a circular green as a protected arrow.

There is no general right turn on red. Red and amber together still require waiting. Follow the signal and lane arrows controlling your vehicle, not another driver moving in an adjacent lane.

Trams need their own space

Prague trams run on tracks embedded in streets. Do not stop on tracks when the junction exit is blocked. When passing a stopped tram, first establish where passengers board and alight; anticipate its path before turning across rails.

As a pedestrian, do not assume an unsignalised crossing gives you priority over a tram as it would over an ordinary car. Stop, look and wait for a safe crossing opportunity.

Roundabouts and unsigned junctions

Roundabouts circulate anticlockwise. Check the give-way sign at entry to understand priority; do not apply the arrangement from a previous roundabout automatically. Keep within your lane and signal your exit.

At a junction without another priority arrangement, traffic from the right may have priority. A yellow diamond marks a priority road; when that priority ends, reassess. Indicating does not entitle you to cut across another lane.

Speed, lights and alcohol

Ordinary passenger-car reference limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 90 outside them, 110 on expressways and 130 on motorways, subject to signs. A D3 trial section can permit 150 only when its variable signs enable that limit; it is not a nationwide motorway rule.

Use the required daytime lighting and observe zero alcohol for drivers. Residential streets, school surroundings and winter weather demand lower speeds. The maximum limit is not a target in poor visibility or slippery conditions.

Electronic motorway vignettes

Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes generally need an electronic vignette on signed toll sections. eDalnice is the official purchasing system: enter registration country, plate, propulsion category and start date. First check whether the rental already includes it.

Standard 2026 prices are CZK 230 for one day, 300 for ten days and 480 for thirty days. Foreign electric vehicles may need an exemption notification; do not assume every EV is automatically covered. Verify details and retain confirmation before entering.

Read the parking segment, not just its colour

Prague’s blue, purple and orange zones have different arrangements. Read the exact segment sign, maximum stay and charging hours. For longer visits, a garage or peripheral park-and-ride site may be more practical.

The PID Lítačka and EasyPark apps support payment in participating areas. Check the plate, segment and any service fee. Electric vehicles no longer automatically park free in Prague in 2026; relevant discounts require eligibility and registration.

Winter routes and fuel

Between November and March, winter-tyre requirements also depend on snow, ice or expected conditions; signs can require specific equipment. Confirm suitable tyres with the supplier before booking a mountain route, not only at pickup.

Check the filler label rather than relying on pump-handle colour to distinguish petrol from diesel. For a long winter drive, keep fuel in reserve, carry water and download offline mapping before losing reception.

EV charging with the futurego app

ČEZ operates a charging network managed through the futurego app. Complete registration and test your payment setup before relying on it. Select a station by connector and the charging power your vehicle can actually accept.

Check the energy tariff, any post-charging occupancy fee and separate parking charges. Keep a backup station and battery reserve, particularly in cold mountain conditions. A hotel charger is not a guarantee of availability or free charging.