Prague to Český Krumlov Road Trip (2 Days)
A 2-day drive from Prague to Český Krumlov — day-by-day route, where to stop, real costs and the towns worth your time.
Rough estimate — fuel + nights at typical rates. Get an exact figure in the calculator.
Prague to Český Krumlov is one of Central Europe’s easiest and prettiest short drives: motorway most of the way south, then a gentle run through South Bohemia to a UNESCO old town wrapped in a bend of the Vltava. In roughly 170 km you swap the capital’s crowds for cobbled lanes and a painted castle tower.
Day 1 — Prague to České Budějovice (150 km)
Pick up the car on the edge of Prague — you drive on the right here, and city-centre traffic isn’t worth it. Before you touch the motorway, buy a Czech e-vignette (dálniční známka) online; it’s required for the D3/E55 and the police check plates automatically. Head south on the D3/E55, then break the drive at Hluboká nad Vltavou to tour its white neo-Gothic château, one of the country’s most photographed. Continue to České Budějovice, home of the original Budweiser Budvar — sleep here and taste it at the source on its arcaded main square.
Day 2 — České Budějovice to Český Krumlov (25 km)
A short regional-road hop brings you to Český Krumlov. The medieval old town is pedestrianised, so leave the car in one of the marked lots outside the centre (P1, P2, P3) and walk in. Spend the morning climbing to the castle for its painted round tower and the views over the terracotta roofs and the tight bends of the Vltava. In summer, rent a raft or canoe and drift through town from the water. Wander the lanes, then start the return leg back up the D3 — or stay a second night if the town has hooked you.
Costs
Use the cost calculator to price fuel and nights for your exact dates. As a rough guide: budget for accommodation in České Budějovice or Český Krumlov, fuel for ~170 km each way, the paid e-vignette, and a few euros for the edge-of-town parking lots. Booking the car and a central room early saves the most, especially in peak summer.
This trip is also in the free Roadcut trip planner: change the number of days and where you sleep each night, pick your vehicle to see the fuel cost, check the weather on the road, and open each day in Google Maps, Apple Maps or Waze.
Where to stay on this route
Night by night, in the towns this itinerary sleeps in.
- Night 1Hotels in České Budějovice →
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The route on video
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⚡ By electric car on this route
63 charging stations within 1.5 km of the road, 42 of them fast (DC). Most powerful: 350 kW.
Longest stretch without a fast charger tagged: 32 km, from km 108 of the route.
According to OpenStreetMap and operators’ websites. Fast = a DC plug or 50 kW and more; not every station has its power filled in, so there may be more. See them on the planner map → · EV charging →
🚦 Know before you go
Vignette · Good to know
Vignette. The Czech Republic requires a digital vignette (dálniční známka) for motorways such as the D3 used on this route — a 10-day car vignette costs CZK 300 (approx. €12) from 1 January 2026, bought from the official state e-shop at edalnice.gov.cz or at petrol stations.
Good to know. Buy the digital vignette before joining the D3 — it is plate-linked with camera enforcement (no sticker), and you can set the start date up to 30 days ahead.
Estimate your exact costs in the cost calculator. Prices are approximate — check official sites before you travel. Some links are affiliate links.
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Where to sleep
Hotels & B&Bs →Holiday homes & apartments →Campsites (bookable) →Campervan & overnight spots →Tours & tickets
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Drive on from here
- Šumava and Lipno Road Trip from České Budějovice: Treetops, Glacial Lakes and the Source of the Vltava in 3 Days356 km · 3 days · +21 km to the start
- Krkonoše, Adršpach and Český ráj Road Trip from Prague: Rock Towns, Castles and the Cable Car to Sněžka in 3 Days494 km · 3 days · +143 km to the start
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