Day trips from Brno
Caves under the karst, a fortress on a rock that never fell and a Baroque chateau in a park. All three take a full day and run by train and bus, without a car.
- Pernštejn
- train to Tišnov
- Lednice
- R13 train to Podivín + bus 555/570
- No car needed
- All three run by train and bus
If you only have time for one trip out of Brno, make it the Moravian Karst, the closest of the three and the only one where the tour's starting point is under an hour away. Pernštejn and Lednice are further, each needing a full day with a train and a bus, but they carry very different pictures — a fortress on a rock against a Baroque park.
Closest, and easiest to fit into a day
The Punkva Caves, the most visited of the Moravian Karst's caves, combine a walking tour through karst chambers with a boat ride on the underground Punkva river, at the bottom of the Macocha Abyss. The train to Blansko takes about 35 min, and from there bus 226 runs to Skalní mlýn, the tour's starting point. Entry is €3.70 transport + €18.45 entry, and the visit takes a full day.
The fortress that was never taken by force
Pernštejn Castle stands on a rock above the river Svratka, and of all Czech fortresses it's the only one never taken by force. The core interior tour, 'From Gothic to the 20th century', shows how the castle changed across the centuries, not just one era. The route runs by train to Tišnov, then a local train or bus 370 to Nedvědice, about 1 h each way. Entry is €4.70 transport + €10.65 entry, a full day.
A Baroque chateau in a park with a palm house
Lednice Chateau is the centre of a park that, together with neighbouring Valtice, has been on the UNESCO list since 1996; its present neo-Gothic façade dates from the 19th century, alongside a glasshouse palm house for tropical plants. Getting there means the R13 train to Podivín, then bus 555 or 570, about 1 h 20. The main circuit through the chateau's state rooms is €9.45 transport + €10.25 entry, a full day.
Olomouc, Telč and Vienna have their own page
For anyone staying longer than two days, Olomouc and Telč are the next step in the same Moravia, each with its own guide on the site. Vienna, the capital of neighbouring Austria, also has its own page, for a Brno trip stretched across the border.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Which day trip from Brno is best if I pick one?
The Moravian Karst, for the caves and the boat ride, and because it's closest — the train to Blansko takes about 35 min.
Do I need a car for these trips?
No. All three run by scheduled train and bus.
Which trip takes the longest?
Lednice, about 1 h 20 just to reach the chateau, plus a full day for the park and the interior.
Ready for Brno?
Where to next
What Brno costs
→Brno is cheaper than Prague: a hostel bed, a set lunch and most tickets stay under ten euros, and Villa…
Olomouc · 64 km
→The Czech Republic's second-largest heritage-protected town centre, with the Holy Trinity Column and an astronomical clock on two squares, yet rarely on the route of visitors heading straight for Prague.
How well does Brno suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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