Cycling around Prague: discover Central Bohemia from the saddle

Bring your own bike – or rent one when you arrive

If cycling is already part of your holiday, bringing your own bike gives you the greatest freedom. Central Bohemia offers everything from relaxed riverside trails to hillier routes through the Berounka Valley and longer-distance cycle routes that can easily fill several days.

Trains are particularly useful for cyclists. Instead of planning a circular route, you can start in one town and finish somewhere completely different, then take the train back to Prague. Czech Railways allows bicycles on many trains, although capacity and reservation requirements vary by service, so always check the bicycle symbol when searching for your connection. On some long-distance trains a bike reservation is required.

Renting a bike in Prague

Travelling without your own equipment? You can rent a bike before leaving Prague. Several specialist rental shops in the city centre offer conventional bikes, trekking or mountain bikes and e-bikes. Depending on the provider, rentals may also include equipment such as a helmet, lock and cycling map, with additional family equipment available from some operators.

This can be a particularly convenient option if you want to spend several hours or a full day outside Prague and prefer a bicycle designed for longer rides rather than an urban bikeshare bike.

Nextbike: useful for shorter rides and one-way trips

Shared bicycles are another option in several towns across Central Bohemia. Nextbike operates in places including Benešov, Mladá Boleslav and Mnichovo Hradiště, as well as the wider Beroun area.

The system is simple: register in the app, locate a bicycle, scan its QR code and return the bike to an official station at the end of your ride. Always check the current tariff, season and return zones in the app before setting off.

Some areas are particularly useful for visitors because bikes can be returned in another connected town. Mladá Boleslav and Mnichovo Hradiště form one such zone, while in the Beroun area shared e-bikes connect Beroun with Králův Dvůr, Hýskov, Tetín and Zdice.

Nextbike is best suited to shorter rides, sightseeing and one-way trips where an official docking point fits naturally into your itinerary.

ČD Bike: rent directly at the railway station

For longer cycling trips, another useful option is ČD Bike, the bicycle-rental service operated by Czech Railways. Bikes can be rented at selected railway stations, and the network includes conventional bicycles as well as e-bikes at some locations.

Reservations can be made online, and depending on the route it may be possible to return the bicycle at a different participating station. Accessories such as helmets, panniers and phone holders are also available according to the individual rental offer.

It is a convenient combination: take a train from Prague, collect a bicycle near the start of your route, spend the day exploring and return by rail.

Benešov and Konopiště: an easy cycling escape from Prague

Benešov is an excellent choice for an easy day trip that combines cycling with one of Central Bohemia’s best-known châteaux.

After arriving in Benešov, you can cycle towards Konopiště, surrounded by an extensive park and woodland. If you are using Nextbike, bicycles are available in Benešov during the operating season, making this a simple option even if you have arrived without your own equipment.

Once at Konopiště, leave the bike behind for a while and explore on foot. Tour the château interiors, walk through the park, visit the Rose Garden or simply slow down beside the lake.

This is a good route for travellers who want cycling to be part of the experience without spending the entire day in the saddle.

Beroun and the Berounka Valley: hills, views and an e-bike boost

For a more varied landscape, head west from Prague towards Beroun. The town itself deserves more than a quick ride through. Stop in Husovo Square with its historic townhouses, visit the Museum of the Czech Karst, climb the Plzeň Gate for a different view over the historic centre or walk up to the lookout tower on Městská hora. From here, the landscape opens towards the Czech Karst, Křivoklátsko and the Brdy hills. Beroun is also a useful base for several cycling directions.

Beroun to Tetín

For views over the Berounka River, ride uphill to Tetín. This is exactly the kind of route where an e-bike can make the climb much more comfortable.

Once you arrive, explore the village on foot. Tetín has three churches, a small museum, the remains of a medieval castle and strong links to the story of Saint Ludmila, one of the most important figures of early Czech history.

Follow the Tetín Viewpoints educational trail and take your time above the river. The view of the Berounka winding between the cliffs is worth getting off the bike for.

Shared Nextbike e-bikes can be used between Beroun, Tetín, Hýskov, Králův Dvůr and Zdice, making it possible to create your own point-to-point itinerary through the area.

Along the Berounka to Hýskov

For a gentler ride, follow the Berounka towards Hýskov along the In the Footsteps of Czech Kings cycle route.

Hýskov was the birthplace of Czech writer František Nepil. His former home now houses a small exhibition devoted to his life, books and photographs, with a garden where you can pause before continuing your ride.

If you prefer to stay close to the river, you can also follow the cycle route from Beroun towards the former Alkazar limestone quarry, one of the most striking places along this section of the Berounka Valley.

Beroun to Králův Dvůr and Zdice

Another route follows the Litavka River towards Králův Dvůr. Sections of the In the Footsteps of Czech Kings route also reveal the area’s industrial past.

In Králův Dvůr, stop by the Baroque château, today used mainly for cultural and community events. Nearby Počaply is home to the Baroque Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, standing prominently above the surrounding landscape.

Continue to Zdice and you can exchange contemporary cycling for historic transport at the Výtopna Zdice museum, with its collection of railway and road vehicles. If you still have energy left, walk through Knihov forest park for another view across the countryside.

Greenway Jizera: castles, river scenery and aviation history

North-east of Prague, the Greenway Jizera follows the Jizera River through a landscape of historic towns, castles and countryside.

Long-distance cycle route no. 17 passes through both Mnichovo Hradiště and Mladá Boleslav. You do not need to ride the entire route – choose a section that suits your fitness level and leave enough time to explore along the way.

Start in Mnichovo Hradiště

Begin with Mnichovo Hradiště Château, a Baroque residence of the Waldstein family with richly furnished interiors and a large park. The nearby Chapel of St Anne contains the tomb of Albrecht von Wallenstein, one of the best-known military commanders of the Thirty Years’ War.

From the town, head towards the Jizera and continue along the Greenway. If you are planning a longer ride towards Mladá Boleslav, consider stopping at the ruins of Zvířetice Castle near Bakov nad Jizerou. Closer to Mladá Boleslav, Michalovice is easy to recognise thanks to its dramatically leaning medieval tower. Leave the bike for a moment and climb the steps for a view across the river valley.

Finish in Mladá Boleslav

Mladá Boleslav offers several excellent reasons to extend your stop. At Mladá Boleslav Castle, the regional museum explores the history of the castle, landscape and people who shaped the area.

A completely different experience awaits at the Metoděj Vlach Aviation Museum, located directly at the local airfield. Its collection includes historic aircraft and flying replicas, while a flight simulator lets you swap handlebars for aircraft controls for a few minutes.

And even the Škoda Museum has a place on a cycling itinerary. The history of Škoda in Mladá Boleslav began not with cars, but with Laurin & Klement bicycles. Inside the historic factory halls, you can follow the story from bicycles and motorcycles to the cars that later made the company famous around the world.

Nextbike operates in both Mnichovo Hradiště and Mladá Boleslav, and bikes can be ridden between the two connected zones and returned at an official station at the other end.

The Elbe Trail: easy kilometres along the river

If steep climbs are not your idea of a holiday, head for the Elbe Cycle Route. The landscape around Nymburk and Poděbrady is ideal for a relaxed cycling day. Choose the section between the two towns or continue towards the confluence of the Elbe and Cidlina rivers.

In Nymburk, stop by the surviving medieval town walls before following the river towards Poděbrady. The spa town is an ideal place for lunch, coffee or simply a long break in the park.

The mostly flat landscape makes the route particularly suitable for recreational cyclists and families. You do not have to chase kilometres: choose a shorter section and adapt the day to the least experienced rider in your group.

Along the Berounka: Dobřichovice, Černošice and Radotín

You do not have to travel far from Prague to find a pleasant riverside ride. The route from Dobřichovice through Černošice towards Radotín follows the Berounka and runs for large parts along cycling routes away from major roads. River scenery alternates with places to stop for food and drink, and you can add a walk around Dobřichovice Château along the way.

Some sections run along local streets, particularly in Černošice, so families with young children may prefer a shorter section.

One of the advantages of this route is its railway connection: several stations along the Berounka line make it easy to shorten the ride whenever you feel you have cycled enough.

Lada’s Region: ponds, countryside and a touch of Czech illustration

South-east of Prague, the countryside associated with painter and illustrator Josef Lada makes for another relaxed cycling destination.

Try part of the Do Prahy na kole – Cycle to Prague route linking Prague’s Kolovraty district with Říčany, Světice, Všestary and Mnichovice. Much of the route follows cycle paths or roads adapted for cyclists and is complemented by resting places and signposts inspired by Lada’s work.

Between Říčany and Světice, the route passes ponds and countryside before reaching Ladova ves, a themed rest area and a good place to stop for a snack. You can finish your trip at the railway station in Světice or, if you still have energy, continue towards Mnichovice.

Build your cycling holiday your way

A cycling holiday around Prague does not have to mean covering hundreds of kilometres.

Base yourself in the capital and make individual day trips by train. Spend several days travelling through Central Bohemia with your own bike. Take bicycles with you on a campervan holiday. Rent a trekking bike or e-bike in Prague for the day. Or simply use local bikesharing to add a few kilometres of cycling to a castle or city visit.

Before setting off, always check the current route, possible closures and the conditions for carrying bicycles on trains. When using rental or shared bikes, check the operating season, prices and permitted return locations as well.

Then choose a river, castle or town that looks interesting and start pedalling. Central Bohemia begins just outside Prague – and from the saddle, it often feels much further away.