The Practicalities of Prague
Getting from the Airport (Or Bus/Train Station)
1) Taxi: Taxis are always waiting in front of the exit from the airport and often also at the bus/train stations. For rides from the airport, specifically, see here. Your Uber app, if you have one, should also work here (there is also Bolt which seems to be more popular among Praguers.)
3) Public Transportation: It is also possible to use public transport from the airport (and if you are arriving in Prague by bus or train this may be a better option). You may use the Prague transportation website (dpp.cz/en) to find the best routes or ask the PSP staff for instructions ahead of your arrival. You will not receive your complimentary public transportation pass until Orientation so you will have to initially buy a ticket (it will not cost more than 32 CZK, less than a $1.50). You can buy a ticket from yellow ticket machines, at tobacco/magazine stores, from bus drivers (not tram drivers), or through text message (instructions on text message tickets here.) If you buy a print ticket, you have to validate it. There are random checks.
Transportation in Prague
Checks are random and if you are caught on public transport without your pass you will be charged 1500CZK (about 64 USD).
A transportation pass around Prague is included in the tuition, but you need to download the app (https://app.pidlitacka.cz/) to you phone and buy the monthly pass yourself (you can do this before you arrive, so that you don’t have to think about finding tickets on your first day). We will reimburse you at orientation. (If it is truly impossible to use an app, ask us directly about other options.)
When finding your way using public transport, we suggest using the app (https://app.pidlitacka.cz/). Otherwise, you can use the Prague transportation website as your guide: dpp.cz/en.
Cabs on the streets may overcharge you. Now a days, people use taxi apps (Uber, Bolt) but if you want to support regular taxi companies, we recommend calling one of the following: Nejlevnější Taxi (mostly cheapest) and AAA (contacts below).
Taxi contacts (enter +420 first if calling from a non-Czech phone):
Nejlevnější Taxi: 226 000 226
AAA: 14 0 14
Money Exchange
The conversion rate for Czech crowns and US dollars is usually around 21CZK to 1 USD. Using your card directly or withdrawing funds from ATM machines are the quickest, most efficient means of accessing your funds at home, and give the best conversion rates. There are ATMs located right by the workshop venue. Remember to choose “pay without conversion” when the card reader or ATM offers the option.
There are few trustworthy money-exchange places in Prague. If you must exchange money, we prefer the Exchange on Kaprova 13/14, near the Staroměstská tram and metro stop (see map here and website here.) Avoid all other moneychangers on the streets! They’ll always rip you off.
Phone Numbers
The prefix for Czech number is +420. When you call Czech numbers from any non-Czech phone, you must use this prefix.
Postal Services
The Česká pošta (Czech post) website can be accessed here. The central post office (Jindřišská 14 near the Museum metro stop, on the C line) is open from 2 a.m. to 12 a.m., seven days a week. Orange mailboxes on the streets are for stamped post, which is collected several times a day. International postage to countries both inside and outside the EU is 25,00 CZK for letters up to 50g.
Copying and Printing
The most convenient copy place for larger copying is Copy General, on the I.P. Pavlova metro stop (Londýnská 57) for 2,50CZK under 100 pages and 2,20 above 100 pages.
Medical and Dental
There are several options for medical, dental, or emergency care. English speaking facilities are available at: Doctor – Health Centre Prague, International Clinic (Vodičkova 28, www.doctor-prague.cz), at the Polyclinic at Národní (Národní 9, poliklinikanarodni.cz/en/) or at Canadian Medical Care (several clinics, see website for details, www.cmcpraha.cz/en-US) A pharmacy open 24 hours a day is at Palackého 5 in the Old Town and at Vítězné náměstí 13, Prague 6. Generally, you will have to pay about 1000-1500 CZK upfront per doctor’s visit, even if you have travel insurance. Most importantly: Do not hesitate to contact PSP staff with your medical needs. They will assist you both in scheduling an appointment and getting you to your appointment. They may also pick up medication for you.
Doctor’s appointment contacts (enter +420 first if calling from a non-Czech phone):
Doctor – Health Centre Prague: 603 433 833, 603 481 361
Polyclinic at Národní: 222 075 119, 222 075 120
Canadian Medical Care: 235 360 133, 724 300 301
Emergency Medical Service: 155
Laundry, Groceries, etc.
There are a couple American-style Laundromats in Prague. We recommend Andy’s Laundromat (praguelaundromat.cz).
There are many small grocery stores around Prague – in fact, you would be hard-pressed not to find one five to ten minutes from most places within the city proper. These stores increasingly do take credit cards but some still only take cash.
Praguers like to recycle, so please do so, too. Recycling bins are ubiquitous.
Prague tap water is drinkable so we encourage you to drink it rather than buying bottled water.
Safety Tips
One should be vigilant as a visitor to any city in the world. That said, while crimes of stealth used to be very common in Prague after ’89, they are increasingly rare. Still, use your common sense: Hold your purse close to you at all times on public transportation, and put your backpacks in front of you, and your wallets in your front pockets. Never leave your bag unattended anywhere. Don’t carry any more credit cards or identification cards than needed. Technically, any foreigner should use their passport as an I.D. when in the Czech Republic, but we recommend you make a scan/copy of your passport instead and use it in conjunction with another I.D. (driver’s licence, for example).
Emergency contacts (enter +420 first if calling from a non-Czech phone):
Emergency (ambulance, fire dpt.): 112
Central Police Station (specialized in helping tourists 24/7): 947-851-750