Day trips from Pilsen
A spa town, a Baroque monastery and catacombs under a small town — all three are reachable without a car, and each comes with how many days Plzeň has to hold first.
- Karlovy Vary
- coach (ČSAD Plzeň), up to 1 h 30
- Plasy Monastery
- train (Plzeň–Žatec line), about 30 min
- Klatovy Catacombs
- train (Plzeň–Klatovy line), about 55 min
Plzeň itself holds 2 days, so any of these three trips is only for a third day. Heading back afterwards, the same train or coach also reaches Prague, where there is far more than a single day could cover.
Worth it, but takes a full day
Karlovy Vary is a spa town with colonnades along the Teplá river, known for the thermal springs that once drew European monarchs. The ČSAD Plzeň coach takes up to 1 h 30, a return ticket €8.20. The town itself, the colonnades and the climb to the lookout take a full day — a shorter stay feels rushed, since the main part of town is walked along a single street, but it's a long one.
A Baroque treasure half an hour by train
The monastery was once a Cistercian abbey, and after its Baroque rebuilding in the 18th century it became known for its collection of old books and for the foundations engineer Jan Santini Aichel built to hold in wet ground. The train on the Plzeň–Žatec line takes about 30 min, the ticket for the whole area €5.75, and half a day is enough for the monastery visit.
Another town's underground
Klatovy has an underground of its own, beneath a Jesuit church, with the mummified remains of 18th-century priests — a different story from the underground in Plzeň itself. The train on the Plzeň–Klatovy line takes about 55 min, the ticket €5.75, and half a day covers the visit.
Back towards Prague
Anyone not heading straight home after Plzeň can take the same line that brought them from Prague back to it — and Prague itself holds far more than a single day, so it's worth treating as an extension of the trip, not just a stop along the way.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
Which day trip from Plzeň is best if you only pick one?
Karlovy Vary, for the colonnades and thermal springs, though it takes a full day. Plasy Monastery and the Klatovy Catacombs each fit into half a day.
Do these trips need a car?
No, all three are reachable by train or coach, on the same lines that connect Plzeň with Prague.
Is it worth returning to Prague after Plzeň?
Yes, the same line runs back, and Prague holds far more than a single day can cover.
Ready for Pilsen?
Where to next
What to eat in Pilsen
→The beer is drunk where it was brewed, at the pub in the brewery yard, and Czech dishes are found at two…
Karlovy Vary · 65 km
→This is a town you drink your way through, from a spouted cup, along colonnades over twelve mineral springs.
How well does Pilsen suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
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