Airport
Prague-Ruzyne International Airport
IATA Code: PRGLocation: The airport is situated 10 miles (16km) north west of Prague.
Time: GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Contacts: Tel: +420 220 113 314.
Transfer to the city: Cedaz minibus shuttles leave regularly for the city centre; they can drop passengers off at hotels throughout the city. The Airport Express provides the quickest transport to Prague Main Train Station. Public buses have regular services to all areas of Prague departing from the front of the arrivals hall. Public transportation (Tel: +420 800 191 817) fares are based on time of travel but a minimum 75 minute allotment for the ride to the city centre costs US1.20 and US$2.50 on the Airport Express. Cars can be hired at fixed rates (Tel: +420 220 113 892) or taxis (420 2 2056 1788) are available to the city centre which both should take about 30 minutes. Taxis should cost US$30 and depart from the outside the arrivals hall.
Taxis: Taxis are also available outside the Arrivals hall. For information and prebookings call +420(0)2 2056 1788. A taxi to the city centre should cost no more than CZK600 and take around 30 minutes. Agree this price with the driver before the journey begins as many licensed taxis are unmetered. A reputable taxi company is AAATaxi. Shared minibus taxis are also a cost effective option; call Cedaz on +420(0)2 2491 9240.
Car rental: All the major car rental companies are represented at the airport, including Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt.
Facilities: There are a number of shops, bars, cafeterias and restaurants in the main terminal. Bureaux de change, ATMs and a bank are also available; the Travelex in the transit section is open 24 hours. Mobile phones can be rented from the Arrivals hall of Terminal North 1. Conference and meeting rooms can also be hired, and wireless Internet access is available in both terminals. Disabled facilities include wheelchairs and a transit car; passengers with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Parking: There are abundant short and long-term parking facilities at the airport. Short-term parking is available in front of the north terminal, and there are more than 3,000 long-term parking bays.
Departure tax: None.
Website: www.prg.aero
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Prague
The Czech Republic's capital and international showpiece, Prague is one of the most popular destinations in Eastern Europe. Its attraction lies in the physical beauty of the city with 600 years of architecture amazingly untouched by war. The centre has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it demands to be explored on foot, an entire outdoor museum of history and a haphazard mixture of splendid architecture.
In the 14th century Prague enjoyed a reputation of being one of the most important cities in Europe, but after the Second World War it disappeared completely behind the Iron Curtain. Since the 1989 Velvet Revolution and the end of Communism, Prague has thrown off the years of repression with alacrity and is returning to its earlier grandeur, enticing tourists with its fairytale quality and romantic atmosphere. In recent years Prague has also become a popular weekend destination for stag and hen party groups, attracted by the lively nightlife, world-famous beer and low prices.
The historical centre of the city is compact and its attractions are all within easy reach. The core comprises the Castle District (Hradčany) west of the River Vltava, and the Old and New town (Staré Mesto and Nové Mesto) to the east, joined by the famous Charles Bridge. The Castle District situated on the hill overlooking the city incorporates the main attractions, including the Castle itself and the Cathedral. The Old Town is a maze of alleyways, cobbled streets and passages winding their way towards the beautiful Old Town Square, Staromestské Namestí. Josefov Ghetto, the old Jewish Quarter, is enclosed within the old town. The New Town, in contrast, is modern and has been laid out in wide boulevards, most famously Wenceslas Square, the fashionable shopping boulevard leading up to the foot of the grand National Gallery.
The city's cultural scene also features high on the list of things to do in Prague, with classical music concerts, opera and ballet, as well as the many art galleries around the city. It is constantly adding small new museums to its summertime list, often strange but curiously interesting. This beautiful city, a 'symphony in stone', built along the river and on the surrounding hills, has never ceased to capture the hearts and imagination of visitors, painters, photographers and poets.
