Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland from Prague: book a tour, because the train takes three legs and a hike

In this guide

💡 The Short Version: Book a tour. On your own it is a train to Děčín (1 hour 27 minutes to 1 hour 53 minutes, 159 to 185 CZK each way), a bus to Hřensko that runs only a few times a day (21 minutes), and then a walk uphill to Pravčická brána (125 CZK). The Bastei Bridge is in Germany and the train does not go there. Tours cost £84 to £149 for a day with lunch and entries. The Gabrielina trail is closed until further notice. Cayman Travel’s all-inclusive tourad (£87.97 to £149.10, 4.7 stars from 1,632 reviews, 10 to 12 hours) has the most reviews and a hiking or an easier route; the VIP small-group tourad (£84.35 to £126.95, 4.9 stars from 904 reviews) is the lowest-priced of the 4.9-star tours here (GetYourGuide).

Going on your own

The train-and-bus route has three legs, and the third is a hike. Train fares are České dráhy’s; the Hřensko buses are Ústí region lines (IDOS).

• Train: Praha hlavní nádraží to Děčín hlavní nádraží, 1 hour 27 minutes to 1 hour 53 minutes, 159 to 185 CZK each way (for example 8:31, 8:47 and 9:31).
• Bus: lines 434 and 438 from Děčín hlavní nádraží to Hřensko take 21 minutes, but only a few run each day: 10:11, 12:16 and 14:11 on a Tuesday in October.
• On foot: from Hřensko the red-marked trail leads up to Pravčická brána (pbrana.cz). It is uphill.
• The Bastei Bridge: in Germany, and not on this route.

The train alone costs 318 to 370 CZK (£11 to £13) return. A tour covers the connections and the border for £84 to £149, with lunch and entries.

Pravčická brána, the sandstone arch in Bohemian Switzerland. Photo: Pudelek, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Tours from Prague

These tours cross into Saxon Switzerland, so carry your passport or ID. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” price for one adult, with the usual price where it is on offer.

Cayman Travel’s all-inclusive tour

£87.97 to £149.10 · 4.7 stars from 1,632 reviews · 10 to 12 hours

All-inclusive trip to Bohemian and Saxon Switzerlandad offers two routes. The Hiking Tour is 10 to 12 km: the Bastei, Pravčická brána and the Wild Gorge boat. The Narnia Tour is 6 to 8 km: the Bastei and the Tisa Rocks. Lunch and entries are included. It is a GetYourGuide bestseller.

Uniline’s iconic small-group tour

£115.02 to £143.99 · 4.9 stars from 1,251 reviews · 10 to 12 hours

Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland iconic day tripad is a small group with hotel pick-up, lunch and entry fees. The stops are the Bastei, Pravčická brána and the Tisa Rocks. It is a GetYourGuide bestseller.

VIP two countries in one day

£84.35 to £126.95 · 4.9 stars from 904 reviews · 7 to 13 hours

VIP Bohemian and Saxon Switzerlandad by Northern Hikes takes a maximum of 8 people and includes lunch, entries and gear.

Bohemian Walks’ tour with an easy option

£111.47 to £139.34 · 4.7 stars from 680 reviews · 9 to 11 hours

Tour to Saxon and Bohemian Switzerlandad has a normal option (the Bastei, Pravčická brána and the Kamenice boat) and an easy option (the Bastei and the Tisa Rocks).

Semi-private tour

£119.13 to £132.37 · 5.0 stars from 605 reviews · 13 hours

Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland semi-private tourad is the longest day on the list.

Bohemia Adventures’ small group

£93.72 · 4.9 stars from 210 reviews · 9 to 12 hours

Bohemian and Saxon Switzerland with Bohemia Adventuresad takes a maximum of 8 on a 10 km hike, with a 1½-hour walk to the Gate (Pravčická brána). It is a GetYourGuide bestseller.

Which to choose

• Cayman Travel’s tour for the review count and the choice of a hiking or an easier route.
• Uniline’s tour for a small group with hotel pick-up.
• The VIP tour for the lowest price among the 4.9-star tours.
• An easy option or the Narnia Tour if you do not want 10 km or more on foot.
• Terezín as well: one tour combines Terezín and Bohemian Switzerlandad (£169.55, 5.0 stars from 26 reviews, 12 hours). The Terezín guide has the memorial’s own hours and prices.

What to see

Allow a full day. Prices and hours are the operators’ own.

A boat in Edmund’s Gorge on the Kamenice. Photo: Mar del Sur, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

1. Pravčická brána and Sokolí hnízdo. 125 CZK (€5), 50 CZK (€2) for children 6 to 14, students and over-65s · daily, 10:00 to 18:00 from 28 March to October; Friday to Sunday, 10:00 to 16:00 from November to March. A natural sandstone arch. The complex around it, including the Sokolí hnízdo (Falcon’s Nest), is privately owned, and the arch itself is no longer open to walk on. Online tickets skip the queue (pbrana.cz).
2. The Hřensko gorges. Wild Gorge boat 200 CZK, 100 CZK for children 3 and over · daily, 9:00 to 17:00 to the end of October 2026. Edmund’s Gorge boat 350 CZK · daily, 10:00 to 17:00 since 18 June 2026. Two boat rides through sandstone gorges on the Kamenice, opened to visitors by Prince Edmund Clary-Aldringen on 4 May 1890. The Edmund’s Gorge boat leaves every full hour, takes 20 to 25 people, cannot be booked ahead and takes cash or card. Edmund’s Gorge is also called the Silent Gorge (ceskesvycarsko.cz).
3. The Bastei Bridge and the Neurathen rock castle. Saxon Switzerland, in Germany. The tours above are the way to reach them from Prague.
4. The trails. The park allows walking on marked trails only, between 6:00 and 22:00, and warns of a high risk of falling trees across the park (npcs.cz). The Gabrielina trail between Pravčická brána and Mezní Louka is closed until further notice because of fire clearance and falling trees and rock. The Mlýnská trail from Mezní Louka is the substitute, and the road from Hřensko to Mezní Louka is open (kudyznudy.cz).
5. Skip: any route that sends you along the Gabrielina trail.

The Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland, Germany. Photo: Flukes69, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Practical information

• Passport: every tour here crosses the border into Germany. Carry your passport or ID.
• The Wild Gorge boat runs from April to October.
• Pravčická brána in winter: open Friday to Sunday only, from November to March.

Bohemian Switzerland is one of the day trips from Prague. Dresden is the other trip across the border, and its Bastei coach tour starts at £33.23. What to book before you go to Prague has the city tickets, Prague public transport has the metro to Praha hlavní nádraží for the Děčín train, and 3 days in Prague shows where a day out fits.

Common questions

Can you visit Bohemian Switzerland from Prague by train?

Partly. A train runs from Praha hlavní nádraží to Děčín hlavní nádraží in 1 hour 27 minutes to 1 hour 53 minutes (159 to 185 CZK each way). From there a bus to Hřensko takes 21 minutes but runs only a few times a day, and Pravčická brána is a walk uphill on the red-marked trail. The Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland is in Germany and is reached by tour.

How much does Pravčická brána cost?

125 CZK (€5) for adults and 50 CZK (€2) for children 6 to 14, students and over-65s. It is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00 from 28 March to October and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 to 16:00 from November to March. The arch itself is no longer open to walk on.

Is the Gabrielina trail open?

No. The Gabrielina trail between Pravčická brána and Mezní Louka is closed until further notice because of fire clearance and falling trees and rock. The Mlýnská trail from Mezní Louka is the substitute, and the road from Hřensko to Mezní Louka is open.

Which Bohemian Switzerland tour from Prague is best?

The Cayman Travel all-inclusive tour has the most reviews (1,632) and offers a hiking or an easier route. The Uniline iconic tour (1,251 reviews, 4.9 stars) is a small group with hotel pick-up. All include the Bastei Bridge, lunch and entries, and you need your passport.