h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I recently took a group of 16-19 year old students to Prague and public transport (in this case the underground) appeared to be the most sensible option due to its cheapness. However, on the first night a number of students were approached by "officials" who demanded to see their legitimate tickets, confiscated them and made them pay on the spot fines. The corrupt underground workers who pull this scam probably single out tourists who do not seem to know where they are going.

Otherwise the students had a fantastic time in this beautiful city. The opening thirty minutes of Brian DePalma's Mission Impossible is shot on location in Prague (around the Charles Bridge). As the group comprised of mainly media students they were able to visit the locations and re-shoot some of the scenes.

Yeah i spent a few months in Prague last year, and I had my fair share of "Officials" demanding to see my ticket. Luckily tho I always bought the monthly travel passes, and for some reason this seems to put them off in their scam.

There are several kinds of underground tickets , according to the time of travelling. ( It means that the price doesnť depend on the route and kilometres. During the day the trains go more often, you donť wait for long and you may pay less for the same distance) So , when you are fined ,it might be because of wrong kind of tickets .
I am a Czech citizen but not the Prague resident and I have sometimes difficukty with the fare myself.

the current (March 2004) state in single use tickets is following:

transfer ticket - 12CZK - 60 minutes during day, 90 minutes during night and on weekend

transfer ticket for children 6-10y - 6CZK

non transfer ticket - 8CZK - 15 minutes at surface or max 4 stations Underground

non transfer ticket for children - 4CZK

There are also long-term transfer tickets - 24hr, 7days, 1month, 3months, 1year, which are more advantageous than those single-use ones.

Transfer tickets may be used even in Railroad inside Prague boundaries, but only normal (slow :O) trains, not fast trains. Non transfer tickets are NOT VALID in trains!

Trains are sometimes the best way how to travel from one side of the town to another or from the center to the borders and vice versa. To use the city transport tickets is cheaper then railroad tickets for the same distance. And I get e.g. vrom the very southern border to the Main station in 16-20 minutes, which is impossible by another type of transportation, maybe except expensive taxis.