The Czech Republic rewards having your own car more than most European destinations, since so much of what makes it worth visiting sits outside the reach of a single train line. Hertz covers the country with branches in Prague, Brno, Ostrava, Liberec, and České Budějovice, making it realistic to fly in, pick up a car, and be on the road to somewhere far more interesting than a hotel lobby within the hour.
Five Categories, From City Runabout to Full Luxury
Hertz’s Czech fleet is organized into five clear tiers rather than a confusing list of nearly identical trims. Economy models like the Peugeot 208 are built for tight city parking and short hops between sights, while Standard cars such as the Škoda Kamiq handle longer drives and family trips more comfortably. Premium options like the Mercedes Vito Tourer suit business travel or group trips needing extra space, Compact Elite covers sportier, more efficient picks like the Mercedes CLA, and Luxury tops out with something in the Mercedes E-Class range for anyone who wants the drive itself to be part of the trip.
Two Routes Worth Building a Trip Around
Hertz specifically points to two highways as good starting points for a road trip: the D1 from Prague to Brno, which cuts through a genuinely varied stretch of regional landscape, and the D3 from Prague to České Budějovice, which passes through historic towns and scenic countryside on the way to the birthplace of Budweiser beer. Both are realistic day trips or the backbone of a longer loop, and having a rental car removes the scheduling constraints that come with relying on regional trains.
Rules Worth Knowing Before You Drive
A handful of Czech driving rules catch visitors off guard. Headlights must stay on at all times, even in daylight, and failing to do so can result in a fine. At roundabouts, no signal is needed entering, but signaling on the way out is expected. Pedestrians have the right of way at crosswalks, with one notable exception: trams always have priority, even over pedestrians already in a crosswalk. Speed limits run up to 130 km/h on highways, 90 to 110 km/h on expressways depending on the road type, and 50 km/h in built-up areas, and hands-free is mandatory since handheld phone use behind the wheel is illegal.
Solid EV Charging Coverage, Even Outside Prague
For anyone considering one of Hertz’s hybrid or electric options, the Czech Republic’s charging network is more built out than many visitors expect, with over 2,000 stations and more than 4,000 charging points nationwide, and the network continues expanding. That makes an EV rental a genuinely practical choice rather than a novelty, even for routes that head well outside the capital.
Gold+ Membership Costs Nothing to Join
Signing up for Hertz Gold+ is free and adds a few genuinely useful perks: a spouse or partner can be added as a second driver at no extra charge, rental days and category upgrades can be earned through points on the daily rate and mileage, and at participating locations, members can skip the counter entirely after their first rental and walk straight to the car. It’s a low-effort signup that pays off on the very next trip rather than requiring years of accumulated loyalty first.
Picking Up at the Airport or in the City
Branch locations are placed for convenience rather than tucked away: the Prague pickup point at Hotel Diplomat suits city-based trips, while Václav Havel Airport handles fly-in arrivals directly. Brno and Ostrava both offer pickup right at their respective airports, and the Liberec branch sits close to that airport as well, covering the country’s main entry points without forcing a detour into an unfamiliar city center just to collect a car.
Worth Booking Ahead
Between the wide vehicle range, free Gold+ membership, and branch coverage across the country’s major cities and airports, Hertz makes a reasonable case for anyone planning to see more of the Czech Republic than just Prague’s Old Town on foot.
