Is it dangerous to go on a river cruise on the Vltava River in Prague?

The Vltava River is an amazing river as it floats through the city of Prague. More than 30km of the river can be found within the borders of Prague as the river crosses under 18 bridges, including the Charles Bridge. But, is the Vltava River to be considered a dangerous river?

After the river cruise accident in Budapest in May 2019, many tourists have been worried. They are not worried only before visiting Budapest, but also before booking a river cruise in Prague. Should they be worried? Do they have any reason to cancel a reservation or book some other activity instead?

Is it dangerous with river cruises in Prague?
River cruise in Prague – is it safe?

The Vltava River is a beautiful river and it has flooded several times. During floods, the water level rises, and because of the increased amount of water, so does the speed of the water. During times of flooding, one should pay even more attention than normally.

But, if you have ever done a river cruise in Budapest and in Prague, you will notice one big difference – there are no locks/dams/canals in Budapest. Here the boat goes on and on for hours without ever stopping. In Prague, it is very different, and you will normally spend quite some time in the canals moving from one level to another. This can be annoying, but it also makes sure that the current of the river within the borders of Prague is much weaker than it is in Budapest.

Still, you shouldn’t ever go for a swim in the river, and you should stay on board the boat. If you ever end up in the river, make sure to get back on the boat or to dry land as quickly as possible. All boats are equipped with life vests and other necessary safety equipment, in order to make you feel safe all along the way.

Always be cautious, but you don’t really need to worry!

A river might sound scary when you read about it or hear about an accident here or there. But, if you think of flying around 10,000 meters above the ground, it does sound scary as well. Luckily, the plane is keeping you safe up in the air, and the boat is keeping you safe while you enjoy a river cruise in Prague.

It does sound scary to travel on a train, traveling at a speed of 300km per hour (in case of an accident), but luckily, accidents rarely happen. And if they do, they might just as well happen on the way to the train as you walk across the road as during the actual train ride.

The Vltava River in Prague
The Vltava River in Prague

In the same way, river cruise accidents rarely happen, and if they do, the boats and the personel are there to help you out. In addition, the currents in Prague are much “nicer” than they are in Budapest, meaning that you have a much bigger chance of surviving with basic swimming skills in Prague (compared to Budapest). But once again – stay clear of the water!

Conclusion about river cruises in Prague

Enjoy life, and book a river cruise in Prague today. You shouldn’t worry, and you do not have to worry. Of course, you can live life worried and skip out on any program that has a sense of danger to them. But, if that is so, you should most likely stay in your room (which might be dangerous as well), because accidents can happen anywhere.

If you first visit Prague, make sure to enjoy the city and the view from a river cruise, and maybe especially in the evening when the city is more beautiful than ever.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about the river cruises in Prague, related to safety, or about the Vltava river? Ask your question or write your comment beneath this text!

Brewery dinner, river cruises and excursions

There are some activities in Prague only available for a certain period of time. Such can be a concert, a festival or maybe an exhibition. Luckily there are some programs available all the year around in Prague, and in this article you can read about some of them!

If you are looking for some cool activity to do in Prague maybe in January, or in some totally different month, then you will find some suggestion here in this list. Read more about the activities you are interested in, and if you find something interesting, go ahead and book your Prague activity today!

All year events in Prague

Prague activities all the year around!

Check our Prague calendar

First of all you should check out Prague calendar. In the calendar you will find information about different activities taking place in Prague, so of course you should check this list for information about things going on in Prague while you are in town. Check the events calendar here.

Brewery dinner

The Czech Republic and Prague is well known for their beers. That is why you should take this chance and visit a brewery in Prague making the strongest beer in town with an alcohol content more than 12%. Taste this and two other beers, combined with a three course dinner! Read more about the beer dinner here.

River Cruise

The River Vltava is a beautiful attraction in the middle of Prague, and the best way to experience it is walking across the Charles Bridge, or from a boat, on a so called river cruise. The nicest way to experience the river is in the evening, but there are also cruises taking place during the day. Read more about river cruises here.

Guided tour

If you come to Prague for the first time you should, of course, join in on a guided tour. There are shorter trips, longer trips, combined trips where you do a river cruise combined with a guided tour with a bus, and lots of options. Read more about the guided tours in Prague here. You can also read about excursions to Pilsen and the Pilsner Brewery and an excursion to the Terezin Concentration camp at the guided tours page.

Private airport transfers

Did you know that we can help you get safely and efficiently from Prague airport to your hotel in the city-center. We have fixed pries that do not change depending on your amount of luggage, and you always know before exactly how much you need to pay. You do not even have to pay the full amount beforehand, but only a small amount to fix the booking, and the rest is to be paid directly to the driver. Doesn’t that sound smooth? Read more about the airport transfers in Prague right here.

Helping people with river cruises

Many people who come to Prague dream of a cruise or some kind of trip on the River Vltava. We can understand why, especially now as its getting warmer and you can enjoy the atmosphere of beautiful Prague from the river. There are many river cruises available, but we can recommend either the Lunch Cruise, the Dinner Cruise or the extended Dinner Cruise with a sightseeing tour included. Last week we helped a group of six persons and a group of 14 people with such tours, and when you are coming to Prague we would love to help you as well.

You can read more about the different cruises and also arrange with a booking at the following page: Prague River Cruises