Everyone who has been to Prague probably knows, that although the public transport is dense, it is difficult to get the ticket apart from the underground. Sometimes news stand helps, but it has usually only some open hours, but there are almost no outside non stop ticket machines. The Transport company tries to offer a Solomon solution for those, who are on incorrect time, on incorrect place, or both. The solution should be the purchase of the ticket using SMS. In any means of transport, apart from underground and cable car to Petřín, it is possible to buy the ticket by the driver, but with a surcharge. The new solution offers a ticket without the surcharge. But there is only one type of tickets, it is the basic 20 CZK one with 90 minutes validity.

It is also worth to mention, that SMS tickets are in experimental service only until 2008/12/31. During this period, they can be whenever cancelled, if they don't approve. The next interesting point is, that their technical service is supplied by a well known commercial paid telephone service operator, so it is also a question, how much of the ticket price goes to him.

The exact conditions of use are quite clear and it is good to read them directly on the official pages, see the link below. SMS ticket is thus an ordinary text message, which must be stored and one must be ready to show it during transport inspection on his or her own mobile phone. Many people can see a disadvantage in it, because it is necessary to show own thing. But there exists the possibility to tell only your telephone number, because the inspectors have portable comuter with on-line issued ticket database access. It fits also the case, when your phone breaks down during the ride, or the battery is dicharged. But again, it is not pleasant to tell your phone number among many people. Accidental erase is also remembered by the possibility of getting a duplicate for lower price of 6 CZK. Also tax bill is remembered, which general paper ticket is. There is a special page, where an electronic tax bill can be made out. See the link below.

The SMS ticket purchase is easy, the disadvantage is in the necessity to show own mobile phone or tell your phone number by the transport inspection.