Coming from the Czech Republic: Prague, Plzeň and what to bring
A comparison of every connection from Prague and Plzeň, how the Czech motorway vignette works, which tickets pay off for a group, and what to watch when you pay.
About the facts in this text: the checked dates and the links to every organiser are in the list of all markets (checked 21 September 2026). Opening hours, prices and programme mentioned in the running text refer to the 2025 season or to the state of the organiser's page when this was written — check before you travel.
Every connection in one place
A substantial share of the Christkindlesmarkt's foreign visitors comes from the Czech Republic — the distance is modest. The times and prices below were checked on 21 September 2026. Coach fares move with occupancy; the “from” figures applied on the day we checked.
| From and how | Time | Frequency | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prague — car (D5, A6, A73) | approx. 3 h 05 / 295 km | — | fuel + Czech vignette |
| Prague — FlixBus | from 3 h 30 | 15+ daily, 02:00–23:25 | from CZK 408 |
| Prague — train (1 change) | approx. 4 h 40 – 4 h 46 | roughly hourly 05:35–17:35 | Prag-Spezial €44.50 / €81.50 return |
| Prague — RegioJet | 3 h 45 | 1 night service (23:00 → 02:45) | CZK 419–479 |
| Plzeň — car | approx. 2 h 10 / 202 km | — | fuel + Czech vignette |
| Plzeň — FlixBus | from 2 h 25 | 4 daily | from CZK 308 |
| Plzeň — train (1 change) | 3 h 05 – 3 h 18 | roughly hourly | Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket €37 / €79.40 up to 5 people |
In short: from Prague the car is fastest, the coach cheapest, and the train not really suitable — close to five hours each way is too much for one day. From Plzeň everything works, because Plzeň sits directly on the route.
Vignette and tolls
The rule is asymmetric, which surprises people:
- In Germany, cars pay nothing. No vignette, no toll. The German passenger-car toll was struck down by the Court of Justice of the European Union in June 2019 and never came into force; tolls apply only to lorries over 3.5 tonnes.
- In the Czech Republic a vignette is compulsory on the D5. A ten-day vignette costs roughly CZK 300 — check the exact figure at edalnice.gov.cz. We say “roughly” deliberately: the official price list would not load cleanly and two sources disagreed.
Which tickets pay off for a group
Two offers matter on this route:
- Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket — €37 for one person, €79.40 for up to five. It is valid in Bavaria and on the line through Furth im Wald to Plzeň, so it covers the whole Plzeň–Nuremberg journey. It is not valid from Prague.
- Prag-Spezial-Ticket — €44.50 one way, €81.50 return, with the return valid for 15 days; up to three children aged 6 to 14 travel free. One caveat: we did not find the Nuremberg–Schwandorf section explicitly named in the validity text — confirm with the operator before buying.
We could not verify Deutsche Bahn or Czech Railways advance fares for Nuremberg, so we quote no figures for them.
On arrival you also need a local ticket: the TagesTicket Plus at €15.50 covers up to six people (at most two aged 18 or over) and includes the trip to Stein, which is in the same fare zone.
Paying
Visitors from the Czech Republic should remember that Czech crowns are not accepted in Nuremberg. Cards are taken at the market — the city explicitly mentions “cash and card” — but individual stallholders are not obliged to accept them. Euros in cash, in small notes, is the approach that always works. Your first mulled wine carries a one-off mug deposit, €5 in the 2025 season.
One piece of advice that applies in both directions: if a card terminal or a cash machine offers to bill you in your home currency rather than in euros, choose euros. In that dynamic currency conversion the merchant or the machine operator sets the rate, and it is usually noticeably worse than your own bank's.
A small practical point: the public toilet in the town hall, entered from the Rathausplatz, costs 50 cents. It is worth carrying a few coins.
Common questions
What is the best way to get from Prague to the Christmas market?
By car in about three hours via the D5 and A6, or by FlixBus from 3 hours 30 minutes with at least fifteen services a day from CZK 408. By train it takes around 4 hours 40 minutes with one change — too long for a day trip.
Do I need a vignette in Germany?
No. Cars pay neither toll nor vignette in Germany; the German passenger-car toll was struck down by the EU Court of Justice in 2019 and never took effect. A vignette is required on the Czech D5, however.
Which ticket is cheapest for a group from Plzeň?
The Bayern-Böhmen-Ticket at €79.40 for up to five people. It is valid on the line through Furth im Wald and covers the entire Plzeň–Nuremberg journey along with local transport in Bavaria.
