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COUNTRY FACT FILE
Area: 78,864 km2.
Population: 10,300,000.
Capital city: Prague (1.2 million inhabitants).
Official language: Czech.
Currency: Czech crown (koruna = Kc), 1 Kc=100 halers (haler),
at present there are coins in circulation with values of 10, 20,
and 50 halers and 1, 2, 5,10, 20 and 50 crowns, and bank notes with
values of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 5,000 crowns.
Time zone: GMT + 1, Central European time; from April until
October so-called summer time applies, GMT + 2.
Climate: temperate climate with change of four seasons, mix
of oceanic and continental climatic influences, with maritime influence
prevailing. Winters are mild and summers warm. The average daily
temperature in the coldest winter month, January, is around -5 degrees
Celsius, and in the warmest summer month, July, is around 20 degrees
Celsius.
Travel documents
For travel to the Czech Republic, citizens of Arabic countries require
a valid passport and visa, which they can request at representative
offices of the Czech Republic. For some other countries further
documents must be submitted for receipt of a visa, such as an official
invitation to visit the Czech Republic, submission of a return ticket,
confirmation of spa treatment, etc. Further information is available
from the representative office of the Czech Republic in the given
country, and in some cases from representatives of CSA, the Czech
Airlines. Citizens of countries who are not required to submit any
further documents to receive a visa can also receive the visa at
the following border crossings: Praha Ruzyne airport. Znojmo-Haté,
Dolni Dvoriste, and Rozvadov. Children younger than fifteen years
of age must be included in the passports of their parents or may
have their own passport.
Foreign exchange
requirements
The import and export of foreign currency, foreign bills of payment,
foreign securities and deposit books in non-Czech currency are in
no way restricted. The import and export of current Czech bank notes
and coins, bills of payment and securities in Czech currency is
permitted only to the value of 200,000 Kc without the approval of
the Czech National Bank.
The import and export of gold and gold coins must be officially
declared. Further information can be obtained from customs offices
responsible for such matters.
Customs regulations
The import of non-commercial goods with a total customs value of
not more than 3,000 Kc per traveler is free of import duties. Export
of tobacco products (maximum of 200 cigarettes), alcoholic drinks,
and perfume is limited. Medicines can be imported only in types
and quantities according to the personal need of the traveler. Any
kind of non-commercial good can be exported from the Czech Republic
without limitation of their value. For Export of antiques and cultural
objects, certification is necessary that attests that the object
is not an object of national value. Further information regarding
conditions governing the export of cultural objects is available
from customs officers or in some cases sales organizations.
By air
The Czech Republic has direct air connections with many countries
of the world. The most important airport is at the capital city
Prague. The Prague airport is located in Ruzyne, a suburb located
approximately 20 km to the northwest of the center of the city.
To reach the city it is possible to go by taxi, public buses in
combination with metro, or two routes to commuter transportation.
Other Czech civilian airports are in Ostrava, Brno, Karlovy Vary,
and Pardubice.
Rail and bus transportation
Euro city trains connect Prague with Vienna, Paris, Berlin, Munich,
Warsaw, and Budapest. Prague is the destination of bus lines running
from London, Paris, Italy, the Federal Republic of Germany, and
other countries.
Transportation within
the Czech Republic
There are regular domestic flights to various destinations in the
country. It is possible to rent a small plane from specialized firms
for travel and sightseeing in the Czech republic. People interested
in traveling by bus or rail can take advantage of the dense network
of train and bus connections. In the Czech Republic there is a number
of companies that rent out cars. It is possible to rent luxury and
ordinary types of automobiles as well as cars with a driver. Traffic
rules in the Czech Republic are almost identical to those in other
European countries. The highest permitted speed for passenger cars
is 90 km/hour on country roads and 130 km/hour on highways. A fee
is charged for using highways. A sticker applied to the windshield
of the car shows payment of the fee. The fee for one passenger car,
valid for the duration of the calendar year, is 800 Kc. Urban transportation
in Czech and Moravian towns consists of trains, buses, and trolleybuses.
In Prague there are three metro lines. Tickets for urban transportation
can be purchased from ticket machines and at newspaper and tobacco
stands. Tickets must be stamped upon first entering the metro station
and at special stamping machines located in trains and buses. Taxi
service exists in all larger cities. Fares are calculated according
to a set base rate and a charge per kilometer driven. Information
regarding fares must be displayed in the interior of the vehicle.
Taxis can be ordered by telephone and 24 hours in an advance. Boat
transportation is also available especially in the summer months
in areas that are heavily tourist and have appropriate water conditions,
primarily certain sections of the Moldau (Vltava), the Elbe (Labe),
and on the large reservoirs and lakes.
Accommodations
Depending on financial means and kind of accommodation desired,
the visitor can choose from one- to five-star hotels, bed-and-breakfasts,
as well as private flats. Prague guide offers accommodation
at three, four and five stars hotels, as well as in private
aprtments in Praha and Ceska republika.
Food and drinks
à Czech cuisine is very tasty and can be experienced in the
first-class restaurants,
wine-rooms or in local pubs and restaurants. International cuisine
is common. For example goose, roasted venison and rabbit and fruit
dumplings are among the most popular Czech specialties. In Prague
there are also restaurants serving Arabic and Indian cuisine. A
wide assortment of drinks is available in shops and restaurants.
There are many cafes, which are often situated in period rooms of
historical buildings.
Telephoning
Domestic and international calls can be made from all post offices
and hotels as same as from phone machines using telephone card.
Telephone cards can be purchased at Telecom sales locations and
at newspaper and tobacco stands.
Shopping
The assortment of goods offered in Czech stores is on a par with
those available in other European countries. In addition to normal
things, visitors can purchase a whole range of exceptional quality
products with centuries-old traditions, especially cut glass, Czech
garnets, jewelry, porcelain, ceramics, lace and other arts and crafts.
Art lovers can make interesting purchases in Czech galleries and
in antique shops. Czech shops have different opening hours. On workdays
the majority are open from 9:00 am. To 6:00 p.m., and on Saturdays
until 1:00 p.m. Grocery stores are usually open from 7:00 am. A
growing number of shops are also open on Sundays. Opening hours
for banks and exchange offices correspond to those for shops. In
Prague there are some exchange offices that are open non-stop. A
number of shops, restaurants, and accommodations accepts international
credit cards such as Access, American Express, Carte Blanche, Diner's
Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa, and Japan Credit Bureau.
Electrical current
The electrical current is mostly 220 V. Electric shavers and hair
dryer corresponding to the Euro norm can be used without problems
in the majority of Czech hotels.
Medical care
Medical facilities are usually open from 7:15 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.,
with the exception of Saturdays and Sundays. Non-stop or night emergency
medical centers exist in all larger towns and can be called by telephone.
Pharmacies are usually open at the same time as normal shops, and
there are also pharmacies with night and weekend service. Visitors
to the Czech Republic are recommended to have them insured in case
of illness or accident, since medical service is provided against
compensation.
Nightlife
A number of Czech towns, especially Prague, offers visitors a rich
evening program. In addition to concerts of classical and jazz music
and theater performances, you can visit cinemas, cabarets, nightclubs,
dance bars, or discos. There are casinos in Prague, Brno, Karlovy
Vary, Ceské Budejovice, and in other larger towns and spa
centers. Museums and galleries are in general open daily from 10:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. year round, except Mondays.
Historical sites
During the main season from May 1 to September 30 historical sites
are open daily except Mondays and days following holidays. Open
hours are usually from 9:00 am. to 5:00 p.m. Midday breaks are generally
between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. In April and October, castles and
chateaux are open only on Saturdays and Sundays. In the winter the
majority of them are closed.
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