Hotel Central
Why we like it: A four-star hotel on Republic Square, opposite the cathedral, with 77 rooms, a restaurant, a wellness area with sauna and courtyard parking by reservation.
Duration2 nights
From PragueTrain · 1 h 30 to Plzeň
Between the twoDirect train Plzeň – České Budějovice, about 2 h
Where to sleepHotel Central and Grandhotel Zvon
Budget€150–240 pp
The route
2 stops, one after another
- 11 nightPlzeň
- 21 nightHluboká and České Budějovice
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to leave Prague by train on a Thursday or Friday morning and return two days later in the afternoon, without a car at any point. Both breweries are open all year; Budvar closes from 24 to 26 December and on 1 January, and in January and February also on Sundays. The English tour of Budvar for independent visitors is at 14:40: the second day revolves around it.
Day 1
- 108:00Train to Plzeň
From Praha hlavní nádraží; you arrive around 9:30. Leave your bag at the Hotel Central or in left luggage.
- 210:00Pilsner Urquell
The brewery tour: brew house and cellars, 100 minutes, 430 CZK, with an unfiltered glass in the cellar for over-18s. Book the time slot on its website and bring a coat.
- 312:00Lunch at Na Spilce
Inside the brewery grounds, with the house unfiltered beer. Open from 11:00 every day.
- 414:30Brewing Museum
In a brewers' house in the old town, 150 CZK, one hour.
- 516:00The tunnels beneath Plzeň
The historic underground, one hour, 250 CZK.
- 619:30Dinner and night at the Central
In the hotel restaurant or at a beer hall on the square. You sleep facing the cathedral.
Day 2
- 109:00Train to České Budějovice
Direct, about two hours. You arrive around 11:00 and leave your bag at the Grandhotel Zvon.
- 212:00Lunch at Masné krámy
Tank Budvar and Czech cooking in the town's old butchers' stalls.
- 314:40Budweiser Budvar
The 14:40 tour in English, 70 to 80 minutes, 290 CZK, with a tasting of the tank beer for over-18s. Book it beforehand: there are few places.
- 417:30The square and the Black Tower
One of the biggest squares in Europe, with arcades and the Samson fountain; the tower has 225 steps and opens in season.
- 519:30Dinner at the Pivnice Zvon
The hotel's brewery restaurant, with tank Pilsner Urquell: you close the trip with both beers on the same square.
Day 3
- 110:00The square in morning light
A leisurely stroll through the centre of Budějovice.
- 213:00Train to Prague
A little over two hours to Praha hlavní nádraží.
The two best-known Czech beers outside the country are made about two hours apart by train, with a direct service between their towns. This getaway links them without passing through Prague twice: the first night in Plzeň, where the first pilsner was brewed in 1842, with the Pilsner Urquell brewery, the brewing museum and the tunnels beneath the old town; the second in České Budějovice, with the Budweiser Budvar tour and dinner at Masné krámy, Budvar's brewery restaurant in the town.
Why by train?
Because every visit ends with a tasting and every meal with a mug. Prague to Plzeň is an hour and a half; Plzeň to České Budějovice, about two hours by direct train, and České Budějovice to Prague, a little over two. In both towns you get around on foot from the station: the Pilsner Urquell brewery is ten minutes away, and in Budějovice the Budvar brewery, the square and the hotel are linked on foot or by city bus.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Area | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Central | Republic Square, Plzeň | Four stars facing the cathedral, within walking distance of everything |
| Grandhotel Zvon | Přemysl Otakar II square, České Budějovice | On the square, with its own brewery restaurant downstairs |
If you want a more beer-focused night in Plzeň and do not mind a taxi, the Hotel Purkmistr, in Černice, has its own brewery and beer baths.
What about October?
In early October, the Plzeň brewery celebrates the Pilsner Fest for the anniversary of the first brew: in 2026 it ran from 5 to 10 October, with free entry. If it coincides, change the order and sleep the second night in Plzeň.
With children
The breweries admit children on the tour, but the tasting is only for over-18s; at Budvar children from age 6 pay a reduced ticket. They will like the Plzeň tunnels and the Black Tower more.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Plzeň, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Plzeň
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Fly to Prague and an hour and a half by train to Plzeň
Plzeň has no flights from Spain: you fly to Prague, with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities, and continue by train from the main station, about an hour and a half, or by car on the D5 motorway, about an hour. It is a classic day trip from Prague.
- Getting therePrague Václav Havel (PRG)
- Getting aroundOn foot between the station…
- Where to sleepHotel Central, on the square
- ServicesTrain from Prague
Getting there
- Prague Václav Havel (PRG)
- Airport Express to Prague's main station and train to Plzeň
- Hire car on the D5
Getting around
- On foot between the station, the brewery and the square
- Tram or bus to Techmania
Where to sleep
- Hotel Central, on the square
- Hotel Purkmistr, with beer baths, on the outskirts
Services
- Train from Prague
- Tourist information centre
Train from Prague and everything on foot between the brewery and the square
Plzeň is a perfect excursion by train: the station is ten minutes from the Pilsner Urquell brewery and fifteen from the square. The tram covers what is further away, such as Techmania.
60–120 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Central, on Republic Square
- Getting aroundTrain from Prague's main station…
- Where to eatHospoda Na Spilce, at the…
- ServicesTourist information centre
Where to sleep
- Hotel Central, on Republic Square
- Parkhotel Plzeň, five minutes by tram from the centre
Getting around
- Train from Prague's main station, about an hour and a half
- On foot through the centre; tram to Techmania
Where to eat
- Hospoda Na Spilce, at the brewery
- Hotel Central restaurant
Services
- Tourist information centre
By car on the D5, with a night in a brewery
By car, Plzeň is about 90 km from Prague on the D5 motorway, around an hour. It lets you sleep outside the centre, at the Hotel Purkmistr, or combine it with Karlštejn Castle on the way.
70–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Purkmistr, with parking and…
- DrivingD5 motorway with the electronic…
- Where to eatHospoda Na Spilce
- ServicesTourist information centre
Where to sleep
- Hotel Purkmistr, with parking and its own brewery
- Hotel Central, with courtyard spaces by reservation
Driving
- D5 motorway with the electronic vignette
- Park outside the historic centre and walk in
Where to eat
- Hospoda Na Spilce
- Hotel Central restaurant
Services
- Tourist information centre
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a carif you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Purkmistr
Why we like it: A four-star hotel in the courtyard of a former brewery in Černice, on the outskirts of Plzeň, with its own brewery, a restaurant and beer baths.
Parkhotel Plzeň
Why we like it: A conference hotel next to Borský Park, with an outdoor pool, a restaurant, parking and an electric charger; the centre is 15 minutes' walk or 5 by tram.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Plzeň
Hospoda Na Spilce
What to order: a Czech dish with an unfiltered Pilsner Urquell, after the brewery tour.
Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00; Sunday until 20:00
Hotel Central restaurant
What to order: ask about the house seasonal menu.
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Book the 14:40 Budvar tour first and build the second day around it: it has the fewest places.
We'd skip it
Doing it by car: with two tastings and four meals with beer, the train is quicker and you do not have to choose who drives.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Pilsner to Budvar getaway cost?
About €150–240 per person with two nights in a four-star hotel, the tours, meals and trains.
Is there a direct train between Plzeň and České Budějovice?
Yes, in about two hours, so there is no need to go back to Prague between one brewery and the other.
Can it be done the other way round?
Yes: start in České Budějovice and finish in Plzeň, which is closer to Prague on the way back.
Can children go?
Yes, but the tasting at both breweries is only for over-18s.