General Info

Transportation

Public transport

Prague has a very efficient subway, tram and bus transportation system. On the new Prague underground, peak hours trains run every 1 or 2 minutes, and during off-peak hours at least every 10 minutes.

Airport

Prague International Airport handles flights of most European carriers and also overseas flights. It is located 30–45 minutes by car from the centre of Prague. There is a good connection between the airport and city centre by public transport and taxis. You can easily get to the city centre using one of the public buses. For the quickest transport to the city centre or the nearest metro station we advise using routes 119 and 100. Unfortunately there is no subway or train connection to the city.

Prague Airport wins “Most deserving Airport” Eagle Award.

Entry formalities

All foreign visitors to the Czech Republic must possess a passport valid for at least the next three months. Participants requiring visa should apply in advance to consular offices of the Czech Republic or diplomatic missions in their countries in order to avoid delay in travel to the Congress. For more information see here.

Symposium Venue

The Symposium venue is Blue Hall, Carolinum – the university complex (address: Železná 541/9, Prague 1). It is accessible for wheelchairs. For a map click here.

Climate

November in Prague is usually cool and rainy with temperatures around 10°C. We suggest you bring a coat and an umbrella. You can view the current weather conditions at www.weather.com.

Currency

Czech crown (CZK, Kč) is the official currency in the Czech Republic. Exchange of foreign currency is available at Prague International Airport and at most hotels, banks and exchange offices throughout the city. International credit cards are accepted for payments in hotels, restaurants and shops. Payment in cash in EUR is also available in some restaurants and shops, please ask for details on-site. You can find the official exchange rates on the website of the Czech National Bank.

Electricity

The Czech Republic uses a 220 volt 50 Hz system, sockets have the European standard and plugs are three-prong grounded.

Shopping

Most shops in Prague are open from 9:00 to 18:00, Monday through Saturday. Shops in the city centre are usually open from 9:00 to 20:00, Monday through Sunday.

Tipping

Service is usually included in the bill in bars and restaurants but tips are welcome. If you consider the service good enough to warrant a tip, we suggest about ten percent.

Time zone

The Czech Republic is on Central European Time (CET) – Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) plus 1 hour. From April to October, along with the rest of the CET zone, the Czech Republic observes summer time, i.e. GMT + 2 hours.

Global Peace Index

The Czech Republic is the fifth most-peaceful country in the world, beaten only by Iceland, New Zealand, Japan and Denmark in the 2011 Global Peace Index published by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Czech language

Even though at all the hotels, shops and restaurants in Prague English is spoken, we include a few basic Czech words and sentences that can be useful during your stay in Prague.