USEFUL TRAVEL INFO FOR CZECH REPUBLIC
Area
78,866 sq km (30,450 sq miles).
Population
10.20 million (UN, 2005).
Population Density
129.4 per sq km.
Capital
Prague.
Population: 1,250,000.
Government
Republic since 1993.
Head of State: President Václav Klaus since 2003.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek since April 2005.
Recent history: Jiri Paroubek, deputy leader of the center-left Social-Democratic Party, became Prime Minister in April 2005 after weeks of crisis ended with the resignation of party leader StanislavGross amid a scandal over the financing of a luxury apartment. Mr Paroubek is the country's third Prime Minister since July 2004 when disastrous results in European Parliament elections prompted the resignation of Vladimir Spidla. Mr Paroubek governs in coalition with the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union. His government's objective will be to continue with reforms aimed at reducing public spending in preparation for membership of the eurozone.
Language
The official language is Czech. English and German are also spoken.
Religion
Mostly Roman Catholic and some Protestant, including churches such as the Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, Unity of Czech Brothers and Baptist. There is a small community of Jews, mainly in Prague. According to the March 2001 national Census, 60 per cent of the population profess no religious beliefs.
Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity
Generally 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Most major hotels have standard international two-pin razor plugs. Lamp fittings are normally of the screw type.
Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 420. There are public telephone booths, including special kiosks for international calls. Surcharges can be quite high on long-distance calls from hotels. Most of the public telephone boxes take phonecards, which can be purchased at all Telecom points of sale and at newsagent and tobacconist shops.
Mobile telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good.
Internet
There are Internet cafes in Prague and other cities.
Post
Main post office in Prague: 14 Jindrisská Street, Prague 1. 24-hour service: Hybernska 15, Prague 1. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1800.
MEDIA
Private media in the Czech Republic mushroomed in the 1990s, and private radio and TV stations provide stiff competition for public broadcasters. Public TV broadcaster Ceska Televize (CT) operates two networks and a 24-hour news channel. Czech public radio, Cesky Rozhlas (CRo), operates three national networks as well as local services. Two major private television channels broadcast nationally and there are more than 70 private radio stations. Though press freedom is protected by a charter of basic rights, the media are not always considered editorially independent. An angry dispute over the control of Czech public television at the end of 2000 showed that efforts to rid state media of political interference were ongoing.
Press: The Prague Post and Prague Tribune (both weekly) are published in English. The main Czech dailies include Mladá Fronta Dnes, Právo and Lidove Noviny.
Television: Czech TV is public and operates mainstream channel CT1 and cultural channel CT2; CT 24 is a public news channel; TV Nova and Prima are commercial channels.
Radio: Public broadcaster Czech Radio operates national and regional networks; Radio Prague has programs in a number of languages including English; Frekvence 1 and Radio Impuls are private national stations.
Public Holidays
Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2006-June 2007 period.
Jan 1 2006: New Year’s Day.
Apr 17: Easter Monday.
May 1: May Day.
May 8: Liberation Day.
Jul 5: Day of the Apostles St Cyril and St Methodius.
Jul 6: Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Jan Hus.
Sep 28: Czech Statehood Day.
Oct 28: Independence Day.
Nov 17: Freedom and Democracy Day.
Dec 24-26: Christmas.
Jan 1 2007: New Year’s Day.
Apr 9: Easter Monday.
May 1: May Day.
May 8: Liberation Day.
Contact Information:
Location
Central Europe.
Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
TRAVEL INFO
London (tel: (0870) 444 3747 (reservations)). Other airlines include British Airways and EasyJet. From March 2005, Ryanair also offers a connection between London and Brno.
Approximate flight times
From Prague to London is two hours 15 minutes; to New York is eight hours 10 minutes.
International airports
Prague (PRG) (Ruzyne) is 20km (12 miles) northwest of the city. To/from the airport: Airport bus (Cedaz) every 30 minutes from 0600-2100 (travel time – 30 minutes); bus 119 runs approximately every 20-40 minutes, from 0430-2330 (travel time – 30 minutes) between the north terminal and the nearest metro station, Dejvická (there are also night-buses in operation); low floor bus 100 goes from Zlicin metro terminus to Ruzyne airport and back in 15 minutes (every 15 minutes on working days, 30 minutes at week ends); it is necessary to buy a ticket from a vending machines or newsagents before boarding the bus; minibuses are available for a maximum of six people between the airport and the city center; taxis are also available to the city center (24-hour service, surcharge at night); big hotels operate shuttle-bus services during the summer months to the major hotels in the city. Facilities: Duty-free shops, post office, banks/bureaux de change, restaurant and bar, car parking and car hire.
Departure tax
Prague (Ruzyne): Kc700
Rail
The Czech Republic forms part of the European InterCity network. The most convenient routes to the Czech Republic from Western Europe are via Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Nuremburg, Munich, Vienna, Würzburg or Zurich to Prague. The Vindobona Express is a once-daily through train that travels from Vienna to Prague (main station) and on to Berlin. Rail travel information is available from Czech Railways (tel: 412 503 113).
Road
The Czech Republic can be entered via Germany, Poland, the Slovak Republic or Austria.
Bus
There is an international bus network covering most European cities. There are connections to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Vienna and other main cities from the Florenc and Zelivskeho Bus Terminals (Metro stations). Kingscourt Express runs services Monday to Saturday between London Victoria to Prague and Brno (tel: (2) 6671 3032). Eurolines (4 Cardiff Road, Luton, Bedfordshire L41 1PP; tel: (08705) 143 219) also operate services between Prague and other European cities.
The following goods may be imported into the Czech Republic without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (if over 16 years of age); 1l of spirits and 2l of wine (if over 18 years of age); 50g of perfume or 250ml of eau de toilette; gifts up to a value of &Euro;175 (if over 15 years of age) or &Euro;90 (if under 15 years of age); foods, fruits, flowers and medication for personal use.
Note
The export of cultural heritage pieces is only possible with prior approval by the Czech Ministry of Culture.
Abolition of duty free goods within the EU
On 30 June 1999, the sale of duty-free alcohol and tobacco at airports and at sea was abolished in all of the original 15 EU member states. Of the 10 new member states that joined the EU on May 1 2004, these rules already apply to Cyprus and Malta. There are transitional rules in place for visitors returning to one of the original 15 EU countries from one of the other new EU countries. But for the original 15, plus Cyprus and Malta, there are now no limits imposed on importing tobacco and alcohol products from one EU country to another (with the exceptions of Denmark, Finland and Sweden, where limits are imposed). Travelers should note that they may be required to prove at customs that the goods purchased are for personal use only.
Internal Travel:
Air
Czech Airlines (OK) operates an extensive domestic service. There are regular domestic flights from Prague to Ostrava, Brno and Karlovy Vary.
River
Navigable waterways can be found in the country and the main river ports are located at Prague, Ústí nad Labem and Decín.
Rail
The rail network is operated by Czech Railways (Ceské Drahy, see above). There are several daily express trains between Prague and main cities and resorts. Reservations should be made in advance on major routes. Fares are low, but supplements are payable for travel by express trains.
Road
Traffic drives on the right. Speed limits are 31mph (50kph) in built-up areas, 55mph (90kph) outside built-up areas and 80mph (130kph) on motorways. Motorways run from Prague to Plzen, Podebrady to Bratislava (Slovak Republic) via Brno. Users of the Czech motorways have to buy a vignette (season ticket), which costs approximately Kc800 for each year. A 10-day vignette is now available at approximately Kc100. Many petrol stations open 24 hours. There is a road emergency breakdown service available by calling 1230 or 1240. Car hire: Self-drive cars may be hired through Avis, Hertz and other companies. Regulations: Seat belts are compulsory and drinking is absolutely prohibited. In Winter (October to May), lights must be switched on. Since January 2005, all private cars, including those of foreign visitors, must carry: one fluorescent green high visibility safety jacket, one first aid kit, one spare pair of prescription glasses (if necessary) kept in the glove compartment, one warning triangle and one complete set of spare bulbs. Documentation: A valid national driving license. If this has no photocard, an International Driving Permit is also required. Bus: The extensive bus network mostly covers areas not accessible by rail and is efficient and comfortable. Buses are mostly run by the State Bus Company; see online for timetables.
Urban
Public transport is excellent. See online for timetables and other information on transport in Prague. There is a metro service in Prague that runs from 0500-0000. Three flat fares are charged. There are also tram and bus services (for which tickets must be purchased in advance from tobacconist shops, newsagents, metro stations, information centers or travel agents). Night trams and buses run from 0000-0430 in Prague. Buses, trolleybuses and trams also exist in Brno, Ostrava, Plzen and several other towns. Most services run from 0430-0000. All the cities operate flat-fare systems and tourist passes can be purchased in advance that are valid for a number of journeys. Tickets should be validated in the appropriate machine on entering the tram or bus. A separate ticket is required when changing routes. There is a fine for fare evasion. Blue badges on tram and bus stops indicate an all-night service. Taxis are available in all the main towns and are metered, higher fares are charged at night. For further information about public transport in Prague, contact the Czech Tourist Authority (Prague Information Line); see Top Things To Do.
Travel times
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Prague to other major towns/cities in the Czech Republic.
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