Czech Republic: Emma Donohue (My “We’re not in Madison Anymore” Moment)

Program: CIEE Central European Studies in Prague, Fall 2026

My most surprising and biggest moment of understanding and interacting with the culture in Prague, and just in Europe in general, has been dealing with the public transportation. At Wisconsin, we’re lucky to have free transportation cards that get us around campus and to places like Hilldale. However, I always felt like the 80 was so overcrowded, and it was more hassle to take the bus than to just walk. So, I have only used it to avoid walking up Bascom Hill occasionally or to get to the Hilldale Target. Besides that, I like to walk everywhere. At home, in the Chicago suburbs, I can’t really walk everywhere I want to. I mean, I can, but it just takes me a little longer than in Madison. So, I mostly drive everywhere, or during the summertime I ride my bike. When I go into the city, I take public transportation, but again, I always feel like it is overcrowded and dirty. Overall, I don’t like relying on public transportation in America and would rather walk.

However, in Prague, I don’t have that option. It is surprisingly hilly here, like Madison, and while it is a city, it is a very big and spread-out city, almost like Chicago, in which it would be impossible to walk everywhere. So, we must take public transportation everywhere. The first day I got there, I was dreading taking public transportation because of my past experience, but on the second day CIEE provided us with free transportation cards for the semester, which is great to have another free mode of transportation instead of relying on Ubers or Bolts when my own two legs give out. We took the tram and the metro that day for the first time without CIEE guides, and it honestly wasn’t that bad. I was surprised that it was clean, on time, and efficient. I can take the tram almost anywhere and get to and from school easily.

When the trams won’t take me there, I can take the bus or the metro. Neither is as nice as the tram and feels more like the standards of the 80s, but they are nowhere near as dirty or overcrowded as normal American public transportation. Having this ease of getting around the city was so amazing and so helpful in saving money in Prague. It also helped prepare me for public transportation when traveling to other destinations. Getting familiar with a nice, safe, and clean system prepared me for others that are a little more complicated or overcrowded. Some things about Prague’s public transportation were distinctly Prague and a little surprising.

At orientation, they told us that the locals would stare at us. And they do. Not to be rude, but just because they are curious. They are not used to many people who look or talk differently than they do. Also, a lot of them are fascinated with America. I volunteer at a Czech school teaching English, and they are the same way. They just see so much of American culture through movies and TV and are genuinely just so curious about it since we look and act so differently from Czech culture.

There are also simple manners that are expected when riding public transportation. Firstly, if there is an older person or people with kids on the tram, you should get up and offer them your seat. Also, it is more helpful to stand sideways, facing the window, than to face the front of the tram. It might seem awkward to face someone sitting down, but it is better for balance, I promise. Lastly, most people are quiet on the trams. Like, yes, you can talk, but I’ve found that more people sit quietly and read or use their phones while commuting, out of respect for other passengers. I like this, as it gives me time to read more while in school. Overall, public transportation here in Prague has been a delightful surprise