Guide to Prague, Czech Republic

Your need-to-know guide to Prague

By TTM on 07 August 2008 in Destination Guides

Name: Prague

What: Capital of the Czech Republic

Location: In the centre of Czech Republic.

Language: Czech language

Population: 10,28 million inhabitants

Currency: Czech Crown ('koruna') 'KC'. Banknotes: 50Kc, 1-- Kc, 200 Kc, 500 Kc, 1000Kc, 2000 Kc, 5000 Kc.

Time Zone: GMT +1

International dialling code: 00 420

Weights and Measures: Metric

Electricity: Voltage 230 V - 50/60 Hz Electrical sockets are standard European two-pin plugs.

Tipping: While tips are welcome, in Prague, tipping is fairly relaxed and workers do not normally chase for a tip. 5%-10% is appropriate.

Weather: Prague has a mild climate with warm, sometimes damp, summers and cold winters. The average temperature in summer is 24 °C (74 °F) [can be also 30 °C (92 °F)]. At night, temperature falls to 15 °C (46 °F). Winter sees the daily temperature hovering at freezing point and falls at night into –4 °C (26 °F). January and February are the coldest months when the daily temperature hovers around –5 °C (23 °F). Spring and summer tend to be the sunniest months, the period between May and August is the rainiest. Snow is rare in Prague during winter.

When to go: Weatherwise, spring and summer is ideal for walking around the city and absorbing is fairytale like ambience and the cosmopolitan, vibrant atmosphere. Winter is freezing but atmospheric and stree vendors sell mulled wine in picturesque snow covered squares.

Airport: Ruzyni aiport is located 20 km (6 miles) northwest of the city centre. Facilities in the main building include a 24-hour money exchange office, a few ATMs, fast food places, several travel and accommodation agencies, rental car companies, a post office. There is also a 24-hour left luggage service in the Arrival Hall (the charge is about 40 Kè per piece of luggage). Cedaz Minibus: Minibuses run from the airport (6 am – 9 pm) to Námìstí Republiky every 30 minutes for 90 Kè per person. Departure from Námìstí Republiky is between 5.30 am and 9.30 pm. Transport to any place of customer's wish within Prague is also possible: for 360 Kè (1-4 persons), 720 Kè (5 and more persons).Bus: The 119 bus will take you from the aiport to Prague centre.

Entry: A valid passport is required. The Czech Republic is a member of the European Union and part of the Schengen area. Nationals of EU countries, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, USA and other countries can visit Prague without a visa.

Getting Around Prague:
The same ticket (jizdenka) can be used on the metro trams and buses. Public transport is cheap and there are 2 types of tickets: one for short trips and the other for longer journeys with changes. You can't buy tickets on board and so tickets must be bought and validated before travel on trams and buses. Get them in advance from the yellow machines at metro stations and trams stops or at a tobacconist, cafe or news stand (look for the tabak and trafika signs).

A journey costs 14kc unless you want to travel more than five subway stops or transfer between different types of transportation. If so then you should buy a 20kc ticket.

Make life more straightforward with convenient, great-value 1 day (80kc), 3 day (220kc) and 7 day (280kc) passes. Trams and buses start at 4.30 in the morning. Tickets must be validate - look for the franking machines on trams and buses and just before the escalators in subway halls. Inspectors do check and can enforce an instant fine.

Metro: Runs from 5am to nidnight. The Prague metro is an efficient, clean, safe, reliable way around the city, with plenty of closely-spaced central stations on 3 colour-coded lines. It's also cheap. Buy tickets at machines or newsstands. The cheapest single tickets are good for short trips of up to 5 stations. The more expensive single tickets are valid for a longer time period and can include changes of transport. More information about the transport system here.

Funicular: Prague funicular climbs to Petrín Hill and stops at a restaurant half way up. It leaves from a park on Malá Strana.

Trams: These turn up every 5-10 minutes and run from 4.30am to midnight. Prague trams are an entertaining way around the city and popular with visitors. The Prague tram system is extensive, efficient and very cheap. The 22 and 23 go to Prague Castle, the National Theatre and Strahov Monastery. The 17 runs along the river. Prague trams run to most parts of the city.

Taxi: You can hail one on the street. Be sure to agree the fare before you get in.

OVERVIEW Of PRAGUE

Prague these days, attracts so many tourists, that it's hard to believe that until 1989, 40 years of communist rule prohibited visitors. Since joining the European Union in 2004 Prague's tourism has simply blossomed. And with good reason.

Cobblestone streets and fairy tale stylecastles give off a dreamy ambience to the lovely Czech capital. Everywhere are layers of history that date back to the Roman Emprie, the Habsburg Empire, the first Czechoslovak Republic (1918), the Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, the Communis Republic of Czechoslovakia to the present democratic Czech Republic.

Walking through the streets reveals Baroque facades, Rococo and Art Nouveau architecture scattered around narrow twisting lanes and the roof top views of Gothic spires. What's more Prague is still a relatively cheap place to eat, drink and be merry.

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