INFORMATION ABOUT THE CZECH REPUBLIC
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Country information
The area of the Czech republic is 78,900 square kilometres. The territory of the republic stretches itself from the former kingdom Bohemia, the mark county Moravia and a small bit of Silezia (in Nord-Moravia).
The country counts more than 10,000,000 inhabitants. Approximately 81% of them are born Czech (14% Moraviens, 3% Slovaks, 1% Polish, the rest have therefore other nationalities). They speak Czech. The Czech language belongs to the West-Slavonian language group to which also Polish, Slovak and Sorbisch (spoken in the Lausitz in the German state Saksen) belong.
Since 1st January 1993 the Czech Republic has been an independent state. This arose after the dissidence of Slovakia from the CSFR (to the revolution CSSR).
The president of the republic is Vaclav Klaus. The prime minister is Jiri Paroubek from Socialists (CSSD).
Important cities: Praag, Kutna Hora, Melnik, Karlovy Vary, Cesky Krumlov, Tabor, Terezin, Olomouc
Castles: Karlstejn, Krivoklat, Hluboka, Konopiste, Veltrusy, Ploskovice, Cesky Sternberk, Cesky Krumlov, Nelahozeves
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Prague
Even if stay you in a total other part of Czechia, in fact you must go one or more days to Prague. Prague means so much environment, so much culture, so many people, so much music, beautiful markets, coaches, so much cafe's, crystal -, gold - and antique matters, artists...
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Money - credit cards - money change
The currency
The currency is the Czech crown (koruna, CZK). 1 crown = 100 hellers. There are notes of 5000, 2000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 crowns and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 crowns and of 50 hellers.
The credit cards
In Prague (but also outside Prague) you can find a lot of money automats, where you can obtain Czech crowns. So you can pin easily. In hotels, restaurants, shops and petrol stations you can generally pay with a credit card (VISAS, EuroCard, MasterCard, Cirrus/maestro...).
Money change
In the exchange offices and in the official banks they count the lowest commission to (2 - 3 %) change Western currency to Czech crowns. The exchange offices, mainly in Prague, post rates which they do not eventually apply and blame thereby a commission of 5 up to 10 %. Therefore change your money preferably in the banks.
Now you can use our Euro-calculator.

Enter any amount

EUR

CZK

US$
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Embassy
Dutch embassy: Gotthardska 6/27, Praha 6, tel.: 00420-2-2431 2190
Belgian embassy: Valdstejnska 6, Praha 1, tel.: 00420-2-5732 0389
Open hours: from monday till friday, 09:00-12:00
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Hospitals, pharmacies
Hospitals
Name Address Tel.
Nemocnice Bulovka Budinova 2, Praha 8 266 081 111
Nemocnice Na Frantisku Na Frantisku 8, Praha 1 224 810 502
Nemocnice Na Homolce Roentgenova 5, Praha 2 252 921 111>
Fakultni nemocnice Motol V Uvalu 84, Praha 5 224 431 111
Thomayerova nemocnice Videnska 800, Praha 4 261 081 111
Pharmacies
Nonstop Pharmacy Palackeho 5, Praha 1 224 946 982
Nemocnice Bulovka Budinova 2, Praha 8 266 082 017
Letna Fr. Krizka 22, Praha 7 233 375 599
U sv. Ludmily Belgicka 37, Praha 2 224 237 207
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Calling and emergency calls
If you call from Czechia to abroad, you choose firstly the area code of the country you are calling to, then the netnumber without 0 and the subscriber's number.
Emergency calls

Fire department

150

Car service ÚAMK

1230

Ambulance

155

Car service ABA

1240

State police

158

Information

187

Town police

156

International numbers

1181
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Holidays and open hours
The holidays in Czechia do not correspond to those abroad. The legal holidays are:
1 januari - The New Year day
(changing) 1st Easter Day - Easter Sunday
2nd Easter Day - Easter Monday
8 May - Day of release
5 July - Cyril and Method
6 July - Combustion of Jan Hus
28 September - Dag of the Czech state - St. Wenceslas
28 October - Independence of Czechoslovakia in 1918
17 November - Day of the beginning of velvet the revolution
24 December - Christmas Eve
25 December - Christmas Day
26 december - Boxing Day
During these holidays all shops are mostly closed (excluded the centre tourist of Prague).
Open hours
The supplies are already opened at 6 o'clock in the morning. Up to 5 p.m. you can here do shopping. The hard goods have open hours like abroad. All stuff, except some home products and souvenirs shops in the centre of Prague are mostly closed on Saturday at 12 o'clock. Food you can then only still buy in the frequently more expensive "Vecerka" shops. These are also frequently at night opened. In the Czech republic more complete large hypermarkets under the name TESCO exist - they are day and night opened, 7 days per week, have parking places for more than 3,000 cars and it is there always busy to the late night.
The banks are exclusively opened on working days from 8.00 till 16.30. Museums, citadels and castles are generally for public accessible between 1st April and 1st October. As a rule is the fact that they are on Mondays closed.
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Prices
Normal prices in the Czech Republic
General In the hypermarket
A considerable meal 130,- CZK bread 1 kg 22,- CZK
coffee 25,- CZK milk 1 l 17,- CZK
beer (0.5 l) 25,- CZK salame 1 kg from 60,- CZK
fresh drinks from 20,- CZK eggs 10 pieces 30,- CZK
post tariff of one view card abroad 9,- CZK butter 250 g 21,- CZK
post tariff of one letter abroad from 12,- CZK potatoes 16,- CZK
telephon tariff abroad (1 min.) from 10,- CZK tomatoes 30,- CZK
visit od museum, castle, etc. from 40,- CZK grilled chicken 1 piece 90,- CZK
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Transport
Public transport in Prague
A tram -, bus - or metroticket (you can buy them in underground railway stations, tobacco shops and hotels) costs 20, - CZK with indefinite change within 60 minus, or 90 minus at night and in the weekend. Cost for dayticket 70,- CZK, for 3 days then 180,- CZK.
There are three underground railway lines (A, B and C), which is indicated with the colours green, red and yellow. Trams and buses drive through complete Prague and link the center with the suburbs.
In the transport...
The general alcohol prohibition in Czechia is applied to drivers of vehicles.
The maximum speed is 50 km p.h. (in the towns), 90 km p.h. on the normal ways and 130 km p.h. on the highways. On railway passages it is not permitted to drive faster than 30 km p.h
During the winter time from 1st November till 31st March you must switch your car lights on.
Every child under 12, which have not yet reached 1.50 mtr., must sit behind, they must carry the security belt and the babies sit then in special children seats.
To call without hands-free telephone kit is prohibited.
Highway toll sticker (you can buy them by the border, in mail offices and in petrol stations) are obliged on the highways. On the sticker you fill the number of the car plate in, whereupon you must stick it in the right corner of the screen. No sticker = a fine up to 15,000 crowns.

Toll sticker

10 days

Month

Year
to 3,5 tons 150,- CZK 300,- CZK 900,- CZK
3,5 - 12 tons 400,- CZK 1.000,- CZK 6.000,- CZK
more then 12 tons 900,- CZK 3.000,- CZK 12.000,- CZK
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Tips
When you visit the centre of Prague think about the following rules:
If you take a lot of money, hide them then at another place.
Put your car on a guarded parking places.
Please let your important papers on your holiday address.
Never change money in the street.
Ladies always keep the hand on their cases and never lose them out of sight.
Hang no coat or cases on chairs on the terrace in restaurants.
Always ask the taxi driver in advance how much your ride costs.
Souvenirs
typical Czech souvenirs: crystal, porcelain, ceramics, wooden toys and decorations, Becherovka, beer, sekt, music instruments
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