Going to Kutna Hora

Discussion in 'Travel Tips & Advice' started by kitty46, Feb 24, 2008.

  1. kitty46

    kitty46 Well-Known Member

    I am wondering the best way to go to Kunta Hora from Prague. I see I can take either bus or train. I have taken a bus to other places and am somewhat familiar with the Florenc station. I was in the main train station once (to go to the thrift store at the top) and thought it was rather intimidating, so would need advice on how to do it and where to go and what kind of ticket to buy etc. The reason I ask about the best way to Kunta Hora is I know that sometimes bus is faster and sometimes train is faster. Also, we will be carrying overnight bags (not big suitcases) so I am wondering if train station or bus station would be the better place to end up when I get there. I understand it is a day trip, so MAYBE we would be better off keeping hotel room in Prague and just going for the day???? The situation is this: We will be in Prague Fri, Sat & Sun and then going to Cesky Krumlov for Monday night and Tuesday night via bus. I asked if I could take bus from there to Kunta Hora and they said no, have to take it from Prague. We are leaving big suitcases in Prague and just taking overnight bags to Krumlov. Have to decide if when we return to Prague that we will go to hotel and rummage through bags for clean clothes to take to Kunta Hora or just spend Wednesday night in Prague. At this time we have no reservations for Wed, or Thurs nights. What do YOU think would be best??? I stay at U'Lillie in Prague. It is an excellent location at an excellent price. Thanks in advance for your opinions.
     
  2. Dana

    Dana Well-Known Member

    What all do you want to do in Kutná Hora? It is an easy place to go for just a day.

    I've taken both the train and bus to/from K. H. The train is a little faster but the station in K. H. is unfortunately a little far from downtown and you need to take a local city bus to get to the center. The bus station is not very conveniently located either, but it is within walking distance from the town square. It is not a particularly nice walk and I wouldn't want to walk it with heavy bags but light ones would be fine.

    Taking a bus from Český Krumlov to Kutná Hora doesn't work well and would probably be tiring and dragged out. The trip would take over five hours, you'd have to transfer several times and most likely end up going through Prague anyway. If you leave Krumlov on Wednesday morning, you won't be in Prague before lunch time and you probably won't feel like jumping on another bus to rush off to Kutná Hora. If I were you, I would have a leisurely breakfast or even lunch in Krumlov, take a direct bus to Prague and spend the rest of Wednesday in Prague. I would then head to Kutná Hora in the morning, either for the day or to spend the night.
     
  3. Lilac

    Lilac Member

    Hi
    I agree with Dana's suggestion, Kutná Hora is an excellent day trip, unless you have a particular interest in something there (some kind of activity or visit) that may take more time. I visited Kutná Hora when I was in Prague, I took the train from Prague Hlavní Nadrazi at 09:54 and I arrived about one hour later, so it doesn't take too long. You just have to pay attention, because there are two train stations in town: Kutna Hora Hlavní Nadrazi and Kutná Hora mesto.
    Kutná Hora nadrazi is not in the city center, it is near the famous Sedlec Ossuary. I got off the train there, because I wanted to visit the ossuary, and then I walked to the center, but it is quite a long way (about 30 minutes walking). Then I spent the day visiting the town and at the end of the day I caught the train back to Prague, but I used the other train station: Kutná Hora mesto, that is a short (not so short if you're carrying bags) walk from the main square. So if you don't intend to visit the Ossuary, this is the nearest train station.

    The trip to Ceský Krumlov is a very tiring one, even from Plzen (I went from Prague to Plzen, and then to C.K. from there). I remember I had to catch a train to Ceské Budejovice and then a bus (50 minutes standing, trying to prevent my bags to roll with the many bends along the way) to C.K., so I imagine that the way back to Prague is similar to this. But it sure was worth :wink:
     
  4. kitty46

    kitty46 Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the opinions and advice. We want to see the Ossuary. so I will check more into the second train station. I think you are right that we should go the next day.
    I have learned to buy a bus ticket WITH SEAT and did so last time I went to Krumlov. It was 3 hours but with a seat it was no problem.
    The Ossuary is the place with all the bones, right? What else might we want to see there? Has anyone taken a guided tour there from Prague? I know it cost more, but might be simplest and better in the long run. What do you think?
     
  5. Dana

    Dana Well-Known Member

    Yes, the Ossuary is the place with all the bones. A little creepy. I'm glad I've seen it and I have no plans of going back. :)

    [​IMG]

    More Ossuary pics

    I recommend visiting the interior of the Cathedral of St. Barbara. There's also the Wallachian Court with the former royal mint and underground passages through the silver mine shafts (supposedly quite claustrophobic) but I haven't been there.

    Although we sell guided tours from Prague to Kutná Hora, I recommend going on your own as long as you don't need a guide to accompany you and provide commentary on the sights. A guided tour is a comfortable way of visiting K. H. because everything is taken care of for you. On the other hand, you have to follow instructions and stick to a schedule that can be a little rushed sometimes. Not all guided tours include lunch (ours doesn't) and that can make the trip less enjoyable in my opinion. If you can't decide, you could always go to K. H. with a guided tour, separate from the group towards the end and spend a couple of extra hours in town on your own.
     
  6. kitty46

    kitty46 Well-Known Member

    O.k. I have definitely decided to stay in Prague every night and do day trips. I think I would like to see the ossuary, catherdral of St. Barbara, and silver mine. I will take the bus to KH. Can anyone tell me how to get to the above places? What would be most practical to go to first? Is there a tour from near the bus station out to the ossuary? That is what I most want to see. Or do I have to take a taxi? Thank you for your responses.
     
  7. Dana

    Dana Well-Known Member

    I'm not sure what the best order would be for seeing the different places. I'd probably do 1) ossuary, 2) cathedral, 3) silver mine. I don't remember seeing ossuary tours leaving from K. H. but we weren't interested in one, so I wasn't looking. We took a taxi from the town square. It's a pretty short ride. I don't think there were any taxis waiting at the ossuary to go back to K. H., but you could always ask the taxi driver for his card and call him when you're done at the ossuary, or get a taxi company phone number at the K. H. information center beforehand.

    The sights in Kutná Hora are within walking distance from each other, so you could just have the taxi driver drop you off at the first one you plan on visiting.

    I hope you're not doing a day trip to Český Krumlov...
     
  8. kitty46

    kitty46 Well-Known Member

    No, I have a friend in Krumlov who owns a pension and will stay with them for 2 nights.
    Maybe my first stop in KH should be the information centre. I am going to try to find a city map and more info on line. I like to get as much as I can figured out ahead of time so I don't waste time when I get somewhere.
     

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