Czechia essentials
Airport transport, tickets, money, driving and safety in one reference. Time-sensitive items include an official source and review date.
Useful: after landing at PRG
There is no metro at the airport. Standard PID buses and trolleybuses connect to the metro and accept normal Prague tickets; a 90-minute app ticket costs 46 CZK. Airport Express to the main station has a separate 200 CZK fare. Use an official taxi desk or known app, never an unmarked car.
Official source · reviewed 2026-07-22
Useful: before the first ride
One integrated ticket covers standard trams, metro, buses, trolleybuses and local trains in Prague. Adult app prices are 36 CZK/30 min, 46/90 min, 140/24 h and 340/72 h; paper tickets are 39, 50, 150 and 350 CZK. Validate a paper ticket once at the start.
Official source · reviewed 2026-07-22
Useful: before withdrawing cash
Czechia uses the koruna (CZK), not the euro. Prefer bank-owned ATMs and review all displayed fees. If an ATM or terminal offers conversion into your home currency, decline it and pay in CZK so your card provider sets the exchange rate.
Official source · reviewed 2026-07-22
Useful: when exchanging cash
Read the rate before handing over cash and keep the receipt. An in-person exchange can be cancelled at the same office within three of its business hours, up to EUR 1,000 equivalent. Cards are widely accepted, so most visitors need little cash.
Official source · reviewed 2026-07-22
Useful: when the bill arrives
Tipping is customary but modest: round up or add about 10% for good service. Tell the server the total before card payment. Check whether a service charge or table couvert has already been added.
Useful: before entering a Czech motorway
Most four-wheel vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes need a digital vignette before a tolled motorway. Standard-fuel 2026 prices are 230 CZK/1 day, 300/10 days, 480/30 days and 2,570/year. Buy only from the official eDalnice state shop; exemptions and eco prices depend on the vehicle.
Official source · reviewed 2026-07-22
Useful: when parking in a city
Prague has colour-coded paid zones whose visitor rules vary by place and time. Read the sign and check the official parking map before leaving the car. A P+R lot by public transport is usually simpler than driving into the historic centre.
Useful: at a restaurant or apartment
Tap water is safe throughout Czechia; ask for “kohoutková”. Restaurants may not offer it automatically. Public toilets often cost 10–20 CZK, so keep coins. A pharmacy is “lékárna”; the general emergency number is 112.
Useful: before arrival
EU SIM users generally have regulated roaming, subject to their plan's fair-use terms. Other visitors should compare their carrier with a Czech or regional Europe eSIM. Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés; never assume a public network is secure.
Useful: in crowded tourist areas
Czechia is generally safe, but pickpocketing can occur on crowded sights and public transport. Keep valuables secured, ignore street money changers and avoid unlicensed taxi or nightlife touts. Call 112 for general emergencies.