- Prague
Since time immemorial, the Czech lands have been the crossroads of European
cultures. The cultural character of Czech cities, villages and spa towns has
always been a source of inspiration to visitors and guests, who come here
from all corners of the world. The Czech Republic, among the youngest in the
family of European countries, was born on January 1st, 1993, when the
Czechoslovak Federal Republic split into two independent states, the Czech
Republic and Slovakia.
Since May, 2004, the Czech Republic has been a member of the European Union;
it has been a full-fledged NATO member since 2002. (The country has not
adopted the Euro yet, however, and still uses its national currency, the
Czech crown.)
Even though the Czech Republics area of 78,864 square kilometers (about
30,450 square miles) ranks it among small countries, its wealth of natural
beauty and monuments of cultural heritage contribute greatly to its global
prestige as a major cultural destination.
Geographically, the country (population: 10.3 mil.) and its historical lands
(Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia) are divided into 14 local administrative
units controlled by regional administrations.
In addition to the administrative units, there are 14 tourist regions dotted
with charming towns, castles and chateaux (the most per square mile of any
country in the world!), ancient villages and, of course, many spas, all
waiting to be discovered.
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Airport
Usually travellers arrive in
Prague by plane thanks to the good connection with European capitals and
important overseas cities (more than 400 flights in/out per day).
Prague - Ruzyne Airport
(Prague International
Airport) is the public, civil Airport for domestic and international air
traffic and scheduled and unscheduled air transport. Customs and passports
check in and if necessary the health check in are also provided at the
Airport.
Prague - Ruzyne Airport is located on the North-West outskirts of Prague,
approximately 20 km from the city centre. The average transfer time to the
city centre by car is about 20-30 minutes according the location of the
hotel.
For more information about the airport:
http://www.csl.cz/en/frames.htm
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- Climate
Prague has a temperate dry
climate. The true fall usually comes in October and lasts through November.
- Currency
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The local currency is the
Crown (Kč CZK), which can be divided into 100 hellers. The available coins
are 50 hellers, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 CZK, banknotes in value of 20, 50,
100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 CZK. In the Czech republic the Euros is not
officially used for cash payment. Euro can be easily exchanged in hotels,
banks (open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and exchange offices (usually open from
8.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.). It is recommended to exchange money only in
official exchange offices which always indicate the official exhange rates
(check which fees are applied before changing).
Currency converter:
http://www.xe.com/ucc/
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Shopping
The quantity and quality of
products available in the Czech Republic has improved dramatically over the
past decade, with the most prominent changes noticeable in Prague, where a
number of new hypermarkets and Western-style shopping malls appeared in the
last several years. The increased competition and consumer demand have
resulted in better selection, prices, and service, making shopping a more
enjoyable activity.
Shops tend to open at 8 or 9 a.m. (large grocery stores at 7 a.m.) and close
at 6 or 7 p.m.
Stores in the centre of Prague and in shopping malls have longer hours.
Large supermarkets stay open until 8 or 10 p.m. and there are some that are
open 24 hours. Most stores in the Prague city center and tourist locations
are open on weekends.
The official currency of the Czech Republic is the Czech Crown and it is the
best and often the only possible currency to use. Although the Czech
Republic is part of the European Union, the Euro is not widely accepted here
yet.
Payments by credit cards are widely accepted.
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National Holidays
January 1 New years day +
Day of the restoration of the Independent Czech State
Easter Monday
May 1 Labour day
May 8 Liberation Day (1945)
July 5 Cyril and Method Day
July 6 Master Jan Hus Day (in 1415 burned at the stake)
September 28 Czech Statehood Day
October 28 Independent Czechoslovak State Proclamation Day (1918)
November 17 Day of the Struggle for Liberty and Democracy
December 24 Christmas Eve
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 Christmas Holiday
General Emergency Numbers
Emergency tel. 112
Salvage and rescue service tel. 155
Police tel. 158
Fire rescue tel. 150
Municipal police tel. 156
Dental emergencies tel. 224 946 981
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24-Hour Pharmacies
Prague 1 Palackeho 5, tel.
224 946 982
Prague 2 Belgicka 37, tel. 222 519 731
Prague 4 Videnska 800 (Hospital Thomayerova Nemocnice), tel. 261 084 001
Prague 5 Stefanikova 6, tel. 257 320 918
VISA
US Citizens do not need a visa to stay in the
Czech Republic for up to 90 days; however, your passport needs to be valid
for at least 6 months from the date of entry.
A complete list of countries with a visa waiver regime is
located
here.
To receive an application for a Czech visa and to learn
more about the process, visit the
Czech Embassy web site.
WEATHER
The Czech Republic has a mild continental climate with
four distimct seasons. All four seasons are good for travel, but the spring
and fall are the most popular thanks to pleasant, not-too-cold, not-too-hot
weather, relatively long days, and plenty of cultural events.
For the current weather forecast for Prague, visit
this web
site.
MONEY
Currency: the Czech Republic (an EU member
as of 5/2004) will NOT adopt the Euro until 2008; Czech crowns (CZK)
are easily obtained from any Czech ATM machine via an ATM card, or from
non-stop exchange offices at all Czech airports and most major train
stations. Current exchange rates:
www.xe.com/ucc
- NOTE: Don't
bother exchanging your US dollars into Czech crowns until you arrive in
the Czech Republic. Most U.S. banks don't carry the Czech currency and
although it can be ordered, the exchange rate is not going to be good.
A quick stop at an exchange office or ATM at the airport or border
crossing is a better option.
CREDIT CARDS
All major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, AmEx, and to a
lesser extent Diners' Club and Discover) are accepted at larger stores and
restaurants, especially in Prague. Most larger hotels in the 4*+ category
will accept credit cards, too.
V.A.T. REFUND
Foreign visitors to the Czech Republic can apply for
value added tax (VAT) reimbursement when leaving the country.
The minimum price of a single item to be refunded is 2,000 CZK and
visitors can ask for refunds of all purchases up to 30 days prior to their
departure from the country. Foreigners must claim the refund no later
than 3 months after the day of purchase. The
VAT REFUND
FORM, which must be validated by Czech Customs authorities upon
departure, can be obtained at Financial Offices, Customs Offices, and the
retailers. Refunds must be claimed with the same retailer (1) in person or
(2) through a specialized collecting agency (such as
VAT MAX).
The process runs as follows:
1. Buy goods worth more than CZK 1,000 in one day from a
retailer marked by TAX REFUND signRequest the envelope, the VAT REFUND FORM
and the receipt2. Have the VAT REFUND FORM filled
in, indicating the VAT amount, and stamped by the retailer.
3. Get your VAT REFUND FORM validated at the Czech Customs
Office upon your departure from the Czech Republic
(a) Stop at any of the specialized collecting agency's refund office before
you leave the Czech Republic and get the cash; or
(b) return home and mail your forms and receipts to any of the specialized
collecting agencies, requesting a refund; or
(c) keep all the forms and receipts and claim the refund with the same
retailer during your next trip to the Czech Republic (within 3 months from
the day of purchase).
FLIGHTS
CZECH AIRLINES (www.czechairlines.com)
is the Czech Republic flag carrier, offering the only non-stop connection
between North America and Prague.
Flight information for Czech Airlines is
at www.CzechAirlines.com;
there are up to 10 weekly non-stop flights between Prague and North
America (New York both JFK and Newark, and Montreal.) Most major
European airlines and their US code-share partners fly to Prague via their
European gateways.
SMARTWINGS (www.smartwings.net)
is a modern low-cost airline operating from the Prague airport. Among
destinations it offers are Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Rome,
and Zurich, plus several destinations on the Greek islands, all for highly
competitive fares.
TRAINS AND BUSES
www.vlak-bus.cz
- provides domestic and some international train and bus schedules (or a
combination); for the English version, scroll down the page and click on the
British flag; also, make sure you write the name of the city in its original
language e.g. Praha for Prague, Wien for Vienna, etc.
http://bahn.hafas.de
the German Railways web site; complete database of European train
connections
TRAIN TICKETS:
You can purchase tickets for
international trains in the US through Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com)
or DER Travel (www.dertravel.com)
as well as through Eurail
www.eurail.com.
OPERA, CONCERTS, THEATER
Bohemia Ticket International
Schedules & Tickets for Prague theaters and concerts,
www.bohemiaticket.cz
Ticketstream
Schedules & Tickets,
www.ticketstream.cz
Ticketpro
Schedules & Tickets, www.ticketpro.cz
Prague Information Service
Information on current exhibitions, concerts, and theater
www.prague-info.cz
HEALTH
There are no health precautions for travel to the
Czech Republic and no vaccinations/ inoculations are required.
Tap water is safe to drink (though the chlorination may give it an
unpleasant taste), and the incidence of hepatitis is smaller than in the
United States. Prague has a number of health facilities catering mostly to
foreigners (with English-speaking doctors and personnel), but check with
your provider to make sure you are eligible for coverage abroad.
In order to comply with European Union regulations, the
Czech Republic has adopted a new number for emergency services. This number,
similar to the "911" in the US, is for ALL emergencies, including medical,
fire and police. Operators will be able to speak both English and German.
New emergency number for MEDICAL, FIRE, POLICE: 112
USEFUL LINKS
PRAGUE
Prague Information Service www.prague-info.cz
Public Transportation Info: Municipal
Transportation Authority
www.dp-praha.cz;
fare information: www.dp-praha.cz/en/tc-jizd.htm
CZECH REPUBLIC
GUIDES (best out of many)
Guides to the Czech
Republic:
www.czecot.cz,
www.inyourpocket.com/cr/en
Spas:
www.spas.cz,
www.czechspavacations.com
Prague
guides:
www.inyourpocket.com/cr/prague/en; www.timeout.com/prague;
www.pragueexperience.com
General Country Info:
www.czech.cz; www.myczechrepublic.com
OUTSTANDING MUNICIPAL AND REGIONAL WEB
SITES:
Prague
www.prague-info.cz
Brno
www.brno.cz
Bohemian Paradise (Českύ rαj) area
www.ceskyraj.cz,
www.jicin.org
Plzeň (Pilsen)
www.plzen-city.cz
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