Living in Prague

CITY

Capital of the Czech Republic, home to about 1,273,000 people for 496 km2.
Time: GMT+1, Summer Time: GMT+2.
Climate: continental.
Country code: +420
Historical center: Castle district (Hradčany), Malá Strana, Old Town (Staré Město), New Town (Nové Město), Vyšehrad.
Check www.mapy.cz or get the app.
Opening hours: most shops are open from 8-9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week, and from 8-9 a.m. to 1-2 p.m. on Saturday. In the city center however, shops, malls and supermarkets are usually open during the weekend and in the evening.

MONEY

Exchange rates: around 25-26 Czech Korunas (CZK) for 1 euro.
There are many exchange offices in the city center. However, it is better to withdraw some cash directly from the ATM (available at the airport in the Arrivals Hall). It is usually possible to pay by credit card.

Money value

  • Price of a lunch in a mid-range restaurant: between 100 and 200 CZK (between 4 and 8 €)
  • Price of a beer: between 25 and 60 CZK (between 1 and 3 €)
  • Price of a flat in the city center (monthly rent): about 13 000 CZK (about 500 €)
  • Price of a flat in the inner suburbs (monthly rent): about 9 000 CZK (about 350 €)
  • National average wage: between 25 000 and 30 000 CZK (between 950 and 1 200 €)

Tipping: it is usual to leave a tip, especially in restaurants and cafés. The amount is usually 10% of the bill.

TRANSPORTS

For your itineraries, check www.dpp.cz or jizdnirady.idnes.cz (and its app for Prague’s maps and trains/buses schedules).

Airports: Václav Havel, about 30 minutes away from the city center
Bus line № 119 Prague Airport – Nádraží Veleslavín Metro A – 17 minutes
Bus line № 100 Prague Airport – Zličín Metro B – 18 minutes
Bus line № 191 Prague Airport – Petřiny Metro A – 24 minutes and Anděl Metro B- 48 minutes
Bus line № 510 Prague Airport – center – 40 minutes
Or the CEDAZ shuttle bus, that arrives at v Celnici, near Naměsti Republiky.

Main train stations

  • Hlavní nádraží (main station) – Praha 2, Wilsonova (Metro C, Hlavní nádraží station)
  • Masarykovo nádraží (Masaryk station) – Praha 1, Hybernská (Metro B, Náměstí Republiky station)
  • Smíchovské nádraží (Smíchov station) – Praha 5, Nádražní (Metro B, Smíchovské nádraží station)
  • Praha-Holešovice – Praha 7, Partyzánská (Metro C, Nádraží Holešovice station)

Public transport

Tickets: tickets can be used in all public transports, provided that they are marked upon entering the metro, tram or bus. They can be bought in metro stations, hotels, information stands and in some tobacco shops and newsstands.

  • 32 CZK ticket: valid for 90 minutes after marking in all public transports.
  • 24 CZK ticket: valid for 30 minutes after marking in all public transports.
  • 110 CZK ticket: valid in all public transports for 24 hours.

Please note that if you carry oversized baggage, you have to buy an extra ticket for 16 CZK.
Weekly or monthly tickets can be more profitable for a longer stay. They can be bought in some metro stations, especially in Můstek (entrance on Jungmannova Square).

Metro

Three lines (A, B, C) operate daily in the entire town from 5 a.m. to midnight, with the above-mentioned tickets.

Tram

Trams operate daily from 4:30 a.m. to midnight. Their schedules can be found at the tram stops. Trams n° 501 to 513 also operate by night and leave every 30 minutes.

Taxi

The price for 1 km in Prague is about 18 CKZ. A ride from the airport to the city center (30 min) usually costs about 600 CZK.

  • AAA radiotaxi, +420 222 333 222 , cz
  • City taxi, +420 257 257 257, cz
  • Halotaxi, +420 244 114 411, cz
  • Taxi-Praha, +420 222 111 000, taxi-praha.cz

ACCOMODATION

http://www.expats.cz/
http://www.bezrealitky.cz/
http://www.ulovdomov.cz/
http://prague.student-room-flat.com/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/prahoo/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/524182954269921/

PRACTICAL

Important contacts

  • Fire Department: 150
  • Ambulances: 155
  • City Police: 156
  • Police of the Czech Republic: 158
  • Universal European emergency number : 112

Services

Hospitals

  • Městská poliklinika Praha (Municipal Health Center), Spálená 12, Prague 1, tel. 222 924 295, Mo – Fr 7 p.m. – 6 a.m.; weekends 24/24
  • Fakultní nemocnice v Motole (University Hospital Motol), V Úvalu 84, Prague 5, tel. 283 842 222, Mo – Fr 7 p.m. – 6 a.m.; weekends 24/24
  • Nemocnice na Bulovce (Hopital Na Bulovce), Budínova 2, Prague 8, tel. 283 842 222, Mo- Fr 7 p.m. – 6 a.m.; weekends 24/24
  • Fakultní nemocnice Královské Vinohrady (Hospital Královské Vinohrady), Šrobárova 50, Prague 10, tel. 267 163 778, Mo – Fr 7 p.m. – 6 a.m.; weekends 24/24

Pharmacies with emergency medical services

  • Prague 1 – Palackého 5, tel. 224 946 982
  • Prague 2 – Belgická 37, tel. 222 513 396
  • Prague 4 – Vídeňská 800 (Hospital Thomayerova), tel. 261 084 019
  • Prague 5 – V Úvalu 84 (University Hospital Motol), tel. 224 435 736
  • Prague 7 – Františka Křížka 22, tel. 731 638 010
  • Prague 8 – Budínova 2 (Hospital Na Bulovce), tel. 266 082 017

Post Office

Main Post Office: Jindřišská 14, Prague 1, tel. +420 221 131 111, open daily 2 a.m. – midnight.

Embassies

  • French Embassy: Velkopřevorské náměstí 2 118 01 Prague 1
    (+420) 251 17 17 11
    Opening hours: Mo – Fr 9 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.
    http://www.france.cz/-Francais-
  • German Embassy: Vlašská 19, Malá Strana, 118 01 Praha 1
    (+420) 257 113 111
    Opening hours: Mo – Fr 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
    http://www.prag.diplo.de/
  • Hungarian Embassy: Pod Hradbami 17, 160 00 Praha 6 – Střešovice
    (+420) 220 317 200
    Opening hours: Mo-Th 8 a.m.- 4.30 p.m. / Fr 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
    http://www.mfa.gov.hu/emb/prague
  • Polish Embassy: Valdštejnská 8, 118 01 Praha 1
    (+420) 257 099 500
    Opening hours: Mo – Fr 8:15 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.
    http://www.prague.polemb.net/
  • Slovak Embassy: Pelléova 87/12, 160 00 Praha 6
    (+420) 233 113 051
    Opening hours: Mo – Fr 8 a.m. – noon / 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
    http://www.mzv.sk/praha

A complete list of embassies can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic’s website:
http://www.mzv.cz/jnp/en/diplomatic_missions/diplomatic_list.html

More information on the website
http://www.prague.eu/en/practical

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French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences – Prague