Czech Republic flights and travel guide

Language

Czech is the official language but English and German are also widely spoken.

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Money

The official currency is the Koruna (CZK), which is divided into 100 haler. Most credit cards including American Express, Diners Club, Visa and MasterCard are accepted, but it is best to have cash handy when travelling away from Prague and the main tourist centres. Travellers checks and foreign currency can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and some hotels; commission is highest in hotels. Banks are closed on weekends. ATMs (known as 'bankomats') are becoming more common in Prague and are probably the best way to obtain local currency at a good rate and without commission. The Czech Republic is still cheap compared to the rest of Europe, though the gap is closing.

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Communications

The international access code for the Czech Republic is +420. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Area codes are not required. There are high surcharges on international calls from hotels; it is cheaper to use the public telephone boxes - phone cards can be bought from newsagents. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with all major international operators. Internet cafes are available in the main towns.

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Tipping

Tipping in restaurants is optional and no service charge is added to bills. Gratuities of 5 to 10 per cent are expected if the service is good. Taxi drivers are tipped by rounding up the fare at the end of the journey.

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Safety

The majority of visits to the Czech Republic are trouble-free, although the country has a risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which it shares with the rest of the world.

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Health

There are no vaccination requirements for international travellers, and no major health risks are associated with travel to the Czech Republic. A reciprocal health agreement with the UK entitles citizens with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to free emergency health care, however medical insurance is stilladvised. Visitors to forested areas should seek medical advice about immunisation against tick-borne encephalitis. In March 2006, bird flu was discovered in wild birds in southern Bohemia; the risk to travellers is low, but close contact with live birds should be avoided and all egg and poultry dishes should be well cooked as aprecaution.

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Electricity

230 volts, 50Hz. Round-pin plugs with a hole for a male grounding pin are standard. Most sockets also take the standard European two-pin plugs.

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