Best areas near Prague metro lines A, B and C, and who they suit

Ask a Praguer where they live and plenty will answer with a station: "on the A", "near Anděl", "two stops from Florenc". The metro is how the city sorts itself. Live near a line and you get a predictable commute, an easy yes to evening plans and, one day, a flat that is simple to describe to a buyer.

How the three lines fit together

Line C opened first, in 1974, then A in 1978 and B in 1985. Colour-wise, A is green, B is yellow and C is red. They meet at three interchanges: Můstek (A and B), Muzeum (A and C) and Florenc (B and C). A flat close to any of those puts you one ride from almost anywhere on the network.

Tickets and zones are in our beginner's guide to the metro, trams and buses and the tickets explainer.

Line A (green)

A runs from Nemocnice Motol in the west, past Dejvická and Hradčanská, through Malostranská, Můstek and Muzeum, then on to Náměstí Míru, Jiřího z Poděbrad and Flora, and out to the east. The classic stretch for living is Dejvice, Vinohrady and the Flora end. Dejvice is leafy and calm, with a long habit of hosting students and foreigners. Vinohrady is the café-and-parks answer. Further east, Strašnice offers more room.

Guides: Dejvice, Vinohrady and Strašnice and Malešice.

Line B (yellow)

B crosses the city from Zličín in the west to Černý Most in the east. Anděl is the hub for Smíchov, Karlovo náměstí and Můstek sit in the centre, and then comes Florenc, one stop from Karlín (Křižíkova). Beyond that, the line heads out to Vysočany and the estates at the eastern end. Because it reaches both big western and eastern estates, B is a favourite with people who want a reasonable flat and a direct ride to the middle.

Guides: Smíchov, Karlín, Vysočany and Černý Most.

Line C (red)

C starts at Letňany in the north and passes Nádraží Holešovice, Florenc, Hlavní nádraží and Muzeum before heading south via Vyšehrad and Pankrác to Budějovická, Kačerov, Chodov and Háje. It takes in Holešovice, the Vyšehrad area, Pankrác's offices and the big southern estates. People who travel by train a lot like it, because Hlavní nádraží (the main railway station) sits on this line.

Guides: Holešovice, Vyšehrad, Nusle and Chodov and Háje.

Is metro living always better?

Not always. A flat beside a station can mean street noise, ventilation shafts and rush-hour crowds. Trams can be just as good: Vršovice, Žižkov and Letná depend on them, and they have a village feel to show for it. One PID ticket works across metro, trams and buses within its time limit (check the PID site for current fares), so a flat two tram stops from a metro station is a perfectly ordinary Prague commute. If you live outside the core, suburban trains are worth a look too.

Search by station rather than by district. "Near Flora" or "near Anděl" tells a landlord more than "Prague 3" or "Prague 5". Then check the walk, because five minutes in a straight line can be fifteen through traffic and an underpass.

What about new developments?

Plenty of recent residential projects sit near metro or tram stops, which is exactly why they were built there. The map of new developments on Novostavby.com (in Czech) shows projects by location, handy for seeing what's under construction near a station you like.

If you're deciding on a budget, our guide to where to live on a budget pairs cheaper districts with their transport, and the renting guide covers the search itself.

Frequently asked questions

How many metro lines does Prague have?

Three: A, B and C.

Which metro line is best to live on?

It depends on where you work. Pick a line that gets you there without changes.

Where do the lines cross?

At Můstek (A and B), Muzeum (A and C) and Florenc (B and C).

Is the metro open at night?

No. It closes around midnight, and night trams and buses take over. Check the PID website for current routes.