For a country that’s only been around since 1993, the Czech Republic does a fine job of showcasing an exciting history. Here the past becomes real. Castles and chateaux abound,illuminating the stories of powerful families and individuals whose influence was felt well beyond the nation’s current borders. Unravel the history of Bohemia and Moravia, the two ancient lands that now make up the modern Czech Republic and you’re unearthing the history of Europe.
And when you’ve had your fill of the past, return to Prague, one of the world’s most
beautiful and cultured cities, and one of the most exciting with a dynamic music and arts scene. Down the world’s best beer in the brewery towns of Plzeň and České Budějovice, and discover the laid-back backpacker scenes in Český Krumlov and Telč. Everywhere you go, you’ll meet a forthright people, proud of their heritage, but now confidently taking their place in a modern, united Europe.
beautiful and cultured cities, and one of the most exciting with a dynamic music and arts scene. Down the world’s best beer in the brewery towns of Plzeň and České Budějovice, and discover the laid-back backpacker scenes in Český Krumlov and Telč. Everywhere you go, you’ll meet a forthright people, proud of their heritage, but now confidently taking their place in a modern, united Europe.
Getting there
Bus
Prague’s main international bus station is ÚAN Praha Florenc, also known as Ústřední autobusové nádraží (central bus station); it is located 600m north of the main train station. The peak season for bus travel is from mid-June to the end of September, with daily buses to major European cities; outside this season, frequency falls to two or three a week.
The following international bus operators serve Prague:
Capital Express (220 870 368; www.capitalexpress.cz; I výstaviště 3, Holešovice; 8am-6pm Mon-Thu, 8am-5pm Fri) Daily service between London and Prague.Eurolines-Bohemia Euroexpress International (224 218 680; www.bei.cz; ÚAN Praha Florenc Bus Station, Křižíkova 4-6, Karlín; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri) Destinations throughout Europe.
Eurolines-Sodeli (224 239 318; www.eurolines.cz, in Czech; Senovážné nám 6, Nové Město; 8am-6pm Mon-Fri) Destinations throughout Europe. Another branch in Florenc bus station.
Student Agency Florenc bus station (224 894 430; www.studentagency.cz, in Czech; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri), Nové Město (224 999 666; Ječná 37; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri) Destinations throughout Europe.
Car & motorcycle
Road rules are the same as in the rest of Europe; foreign driving licences are valid for up to 90 days. The legal blood-alcohol limit is zero.
You will need to buy a motorway tax coupon (nálepka) – on sale at border crossings, petrol stations and post offices – in order to use Czech motorways (100/200Kč for 10 days/one month).
Train
International trains arrive at Prague’s main train station, Praha-hlavní nádraží (Praha hl. n; Wilsonova, Nové Město), or the outlying Holešovice (Praha Hol; Vrbenského, Holešovice) and Smíchov (Praha Smv; Nádražní, Smíchov) stations.
Prague and Brno lie on the main line from Berlin and Dresden to Bratislava and Buda¬pest, and from Hamburg and Berlin to Vienna. Trains from Frankfurt and Munich pass through Nuremberg and Plzeň on the way to Prague. There are daily express trains between Prague and Warsaw via Wrocław or Katowice.
Buy tickets in advance from Czech Railways (České dráhy; ČD) ticket offices and travel agencies. Reservations are compulsory on international trains. International tickets are valid for two months with unlimited stopovers. Inter-Rail (Zone D) passes are valid in the Czech Republic, but Eurail passes are not.
Air
The national carrier, Czech Airlines (code ČSA; 220 104 620; www.csa.cz; V celnici 5, Nové Město), has direct flights to Prague from Europe, the Middle East and North America.
The budget airline easyJet (www.easyjet.com) has direct flights to Prague from several British airports. SmartWings (www.smartwings.net) and SkyEurope (www.skyeurope.com) have low-cost flights from other European cities.
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