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Getting There By Air:

Praha Ruzyne International Airport (PRG)
Tel: 22011 3314.
Website: www.csl.cz/en

Ruzyne airport is situated about 20km (12.5 miles) northwest of Prague. The two modern terminals at Praha Ruzyne International provide an ever-increasing amount of direct links with airports all over Europe and further afield; 6.4 million passengers passed through the airport in the first seven months of 2006, 6% up on 2005.

Approximate flight times to Prague: From London is 1 hour 50 minutes; from New York is 11 hours; from Los Angeles is 18 hours; from Toronto is 10 hours 20 minutes and from Sydney is between 21-28 hours.

Airport facilities: Facilities include a post office, banks, bureaux de change, accommodation agencies, restaurant and shops. Car hire is available from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz.

Business facilities: The airport VIP Service (tel: 2201 14490; website: www.csl.cz/en) hires out lounges and meeting rooms. They also offer a business lounge with telephone, fax and Internet access (for members and guests only) and a press room. A Representative Lounge is available, equipped with fax, photocopying, a data-projector and free Internet. Fixed and mobile congress counters can be hired through the VIP Service. The Bohemia Lounge is situated on Pier B of the North Terminal, with Internet, fax and photocopying services. Lounges and two conference rooms (accommodating 14 and 25 delegates) are available for hire in the South Terminal.
 
Transport to the city: Shuttle minibus services to the city center (Námìstí Republiky) are provided every half-hour 0530-2130, by Cedaz (tel: 2201 14296 or 22428 1005; website: www.cedaz.cz) (journey time - 30 minutes). Bus 119 (see Public Transport in Getting Around) goes to metro Dejvická (Line A) and operates every 10 minutes 0430-2330. Tickets are available for purchase from the newspaper stand or the machine in front of the terminal. At long last Prague’s taxis are being sorted out and there are less dodgy operators at the airport. AAA (tel: 22233 3222; website: www.aaa.radiotaxi.cz) have a good reputation, with their metered fare anything between Kč500-600, and they are dependable and have air conditioned cars. Other taxis are sometimes unlicensed and unscrupulous and visitors should avoid these. Prague’s better hotels can often arrange comfortable and reasonably priced pick-ups.

Getting There By Road:

Motorways (limited in number) are marked ‘D’ and international routes by ‘E’. Minor roads are designated by a number, with two or more digits. An annual toll must be paid to use Czech roads - toll stickers must be displayed and can be bought at border crossings, post offices and petrol stations. The legal driving age is 18 years. Traffic drives on the right. Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (56mph) on main roads and 130kph (81mph) on motorways. Seatbelts are compulsory for drivers and passengers, front and rear (if fitted). On-the-spot fines are high for all motoring offences. There is zero tolerance for drink and drugs (drivers are expected to have a 0% alcohol to blood ratio). EU license holders must have an International Driving Permit (IDP) if their normal license does not have a photograph. An IDP is required for drivers from all other countries. A car registration document and country sticker are also necessary, as well as a first aid kit and a warning triangle. Note that headlights must be used at all times. Third party liability insurance is compulsory. For drivers based in the Czech Republic for longer than six months, the car must be registered with the Czech authorities - duty and taxes will cost about half the value of the car and minimum third-party coverage with a Czech insurer is also required.

24-hour emergency phone lines are situated every 2km (1.24 miles) on motorways and international routes. Both the Ústrìdní Automotoklub - ÚAMK, Central Automobile Club (tel: 26110 4333; website: www.uamk.cz) and the Autoklub Ceské Republiky - ABA, Czech Automobile Club (tel: 2242 21820; website: www.autoklub.cz) have reciprocal agreements with many automobile associations and provide 24-hour breakdown service.

Emergency breakdown services:
Ústrìdní Automotoklub (ÚAMK) tel: 1230.
Autoklub Ceské Republiky (ABA) tel: 1240.

Routes to the city: The main routes to Prague are the D1/D2 to Brno. From Belgium, the best route is the E40 to Cologne, then the E31 to Heidelberg and the E50, crossing the German/Czech border at Waidhaus/Rozvadov. From Vienna, the E59 leads to the D1 motorway, the E55 from Dresden and Berlin, the E67 from Wroclaw and Warsaw and the E50 from Paris.

Approximate driving times to Prague: From Vienna is 4 hours 15 minutes; from Warsaw is 10 hours 15 minutes; from Bruges is 12 hours 30 minutes.

Coach services: International buses depart either from the Florenc coach station, Křiżíkova 8, Prague 8 (conveniently located on both metro lines B and C at Florenc Station), or from the coach park at żelivského Station (on metro A), located on the corner of Vinohradská and Jana-żelivského, Prague 3. The main international operator is Eurolines (tel: 2450 05250; website: www.eurolines.cz). For many destinations within the Czech Republic, coaches are far quicker than trains, which tend to stop at every station. Regional services are provided by Dopravni Podnik (tel: 2516 82363; website: www.dpuk.cz). Buses depart from a number of stations and the most convenient place for travelers to get information and purchase bus tickets is at Cedok (see Tourist Information).

Getting There By Rail:

Ceské dráhy (CD) (tel: 9722 11111 or 41250 3113; website: www.cd.cz), manages Prague’s railways and stations. Some of the old-fashioned stock is a delight for travelers and the rail system still displays some of the old Austrian pride in the system - a hangover from the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was famous for the extent of its railway network and the comfort and punctuality of their trains. With the rise of budget airlines and buses, investment has stalled in the railway network and the system is now prone to unreliability and trains being cancelled at the last minute with no announcements.

Rychlíck (also express and spìšný) trains only stop at major towns and cities. Osobnývlak are local trains that stop everywhere and average about 30kph (19mph). These trains are reliable and usually run on time. In many instances buses are faster due to their routes, but most trains are more comfortable.

The two main international terminals are Hlavní nádrażí (main station), Wilsonova, Prague 2, and Nádrażí Holešovice, Vrbenského, Prague 7. Masarykovo nádrażí, Hybernská, Prague 1, is the station for trains to Moravia and Slovakia. Praha-Smíchov (Smíchovské nádrażí), Prague 5, is the station for trains to the south of Bohemia, and Praha-Vysocany, Prague 5, for eastern Bohemia. All stations have lockers and 24-hour left-luggage facilities, while the international stations also have exchange facilities and tourist information services.

Rail services: Direct rail links connect Prague with more than 20 European cities, including Munich (journey time - 5 hours), Vienna (journey time - 4 hours 30 minutes), Berlin (journey time - 5 hours 30 minutes) and Paris (journey time - 10 hours). Seat reservations are strongly recommended on all services.

Transport to the city: The main station (Hlavní nádrażí) is only a short walk from the city center; however, the surrounding park can be very dangerous as it regularly attracts a variety of low life, especially after dark. It is therefore advisable for visitors to take the metro. Nádrażí Holešovice (line B) and Smíchovské nádrażí (line C) are on the metro, while tram 3 goes from the main station to Masarykovo nádrażí.

Getting Around:




Public Transport
Prague’s inexpensive and efficient transport system is run by Dopravní podnik Prahy (DP) (tel: 2226 23777; website: www.dp-praha.cz). The network includes the metro, trams, buses and the funicular on Petrín Hill. Public transport is an integrated 24-hour system - daytime services run from 0500 until 2400, when night trams and buses take over.

There are three metro lines (A green, B yellow and C red) on the funky metro system, which is a tourist attraction in its own right with its mixture of futuristic and retro stations. There are three interchanges - Muzeum (A and C), Mùstek (A and B) and Florenc (B and C). Trains run at two-minute intervals 0500-2000 on weekdays and at five- to 10-minute intervals at all other times. A new station at Depo Hostivar opened in 2006 at the end of Line A.

Tickets (jízdenky) must be purchased in advance and stamped on entering trams and buses and the transport area of the metro. These are valid for all forms of public transport and can be purchased at station ticket machines, most tobacconists, information centers and any shops displaying the red and yellow DP sticker. Two tickets are available. There is a ticket that allows one ride of up to four stops on the metro or a 15-minute ride above ground without transfers (not valid on night buses, the funicular or historical tram). Another ticket is valid on all forms of transport (though not at night), including transfers, for one hour at peak times or 90 minutes at all other times. There is an on-the-spot fine for traveling without a valid ticket and there have been reports of some staff waiting around broken machines to slap fines on unsuspecting travelers.

A funicular railway (lanovka) runs every 10-15 minutes 0915-2045, carrying passengers from Újezd in the Lesser Town to the top of Petrín Hill.

The historic tram no.91 runs at weekends and on public holiday between April and November, taking tourists on a ramble around the main sights.

Travel passes valid for 24 hours, three days, a week and 15 days are available.


Taxis
Some taxi firms are reputed to have links to organized crime, unregistered drivers are widespread and many of the horror stories about exorbitant fares are true and all too frequent. Taking a taxi off the street is best avoided unless it is with a trusted company such as AAA (tel: 22233 3222; website: www.aaa.radiotaxi.cz). The government has finally decided to do something about renegade drivers and by 2009 all taxis must be under eight years old, be metered, have air conditioning and (somewhat bizarrely) must be painted a yellow sheen. Bars and restaurants are also often happy to book a taxi with a reputable firm for customers - a much better option than catching one off the street.

Travelers can expect to pay slightly more for a street pick-up than a call-up. Fares are charged per kilometer and there is also a smaller fee per minute of waiting time. Officially licensed taxis are required by law to have a meter - if the driver refuses to switch it on, travelers are strongly advised to find another cab. Even then many of the meters have been tampered with or drivers may ask for dubious supplements. Passengers normally round up to the nearest Kč10 at the least. An additional amount of 8-10% of the fare could be tipped for exceptional service.

Driving in the City
Cobbled streets, tram lines and erratic drivers all contribute to make driving in Prague an unpleasant experience. In addition to this, the historic center of the city is pedestrianized. Parking is a major problem and it is usually best for tourists to leave cars in secure hotel car parks, and use public transport. Illegally parked cars will either be clamped or towed away, with a cost for retrieval (tel: 158). There are three parking zones - orange for stays of up to two hours, green for stays up to six hours and blue for residents and local businesses only. Cars should be locked and alarmed, valuables or radios should not be on display inside.

To discourage driving in the center of the city, the city transport authority has set up a series of parking lots with direct links to the metro. Indicated by a P+R (park and ride) sign, these parking lots are guarded and charge a flat rate. These include Praha 4, Hrncirska (line C, Opatov station), Praha 5, Radlická (line B, Radlická station), Praha 5, Zlicín (line B, Zlicín station), Praha 7, Nádrażí Holešovice railway station (line C, Nádrażí Holešovice station), Praha 9, Chlumecka (line B, Rajská Zahrada and Cerný most stations) and Praha 10, V Rybnickach (line A, Skalka station).

Car Hire
Car hire is expensive in Prague and (given the pedestrianization of the city center) not really necessary other than for trips out-of-town. Those looking to hire a car should arrange this before arriving, which will guarantee availability and avoid language difficulties. Clients must be over 21 years and must have held a full driving license for at least a year. A valid national driving license and an International Driving Permit, a passport and a credit card for the deposit are required. Car hire prices generally include collision damage waiver, theft protection and third party coverage.

Car hire is available at Ruzyne airport, Cedok, American Express offices and many large hotels. Major companies include Avis, Klimentská 46, Prague 1 (tel: 8107 77810; website: www.avis.cz) and Hertz, Karlovo námìstí 15, Prague 2 (tel: 22534 5000; website: www.hertz.cz). Local companies include Dvořák, Revolucni 25 (tel: 22482 6260; website: www.dvorak-rentacar.cz), Royal Rent, Opetalova 4, Prague 1 (tel: 24244 4500; website: www.royalrent.cz) and Toscar, Novovysocanská 2a, Prague 9 (tel: 26631 5586; website: www.toscar.cz).

International companies’ rates tend to be higher than local companies’.


Bicycle Hire
With high pollution levels, unsympathetic drivers and a lack of cycle lanes, cycling in Prague cannot be recommended. Nevertheless, bicycle hire and group tours of Prague are available in the summer from City Bike, Králodvorská 5 (tel: 0776 180284; website: www.pragueonline.cz/citybike), located not far from the Old Town Square. Passport or ID is used as a deposit. A solid lock, helmet and a copy of Prague In Your Pocket come as part of the price. Booking is possible through the website. Two hour guided group tours leave at 1000, 1400 and sunset.

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