Europe

No restrictions in this travel advice

Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all but essential travel to whole country

Avoid all travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all travel to whole country

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• General
 

• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public places, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• Around 570,000 British people visit the Czech Republic every year (Source: Czech Statistics Office). Most visits are trouble-free. See General - Consular Assistance Statistics . If you need to contact the emergency services in the Czech Republic call 112.
  
  
• You should carry your passport with you at all times for identification purposes as police officers may fine you or arrest you if you fail to do so. You should also keep copies of your insurance policy, European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), ticket details and a 24-hour emergency number in a safe place and leave further copies, along with your itinerary and contact details, with family and/or friends.
  
  
• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.   
  

Safety and Security - Terrorism

There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public places, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. For more general information see our Terrorism Abroad page. 

Safety and Security - Crime

Prague City Police advises visitors to Prague of the following:

• Always exchange currency at a currency exchange office or bank, never with vendors on the street as this money is often counterfeit.
• Avoid contact with women and men acting as street prostitutes as they are often pickpockets.
• Take care using cash machines.
• Do not buy drugs on the street: sale and distribution is illegal and such drugs are often hazardous counterfeits.
• Be aware of consumption charges in night clubs, as they are often high, and be careful with consumption cards, which carry high financial penalties if they are lost before bills are paid.
  

Petty theft is a problem, especially in major tourist areas in Prague. Pickpocketing is common at the main railway station and on public transport, particularly those routes to and from Prague Castle and other major tourist sites and on the buses to/from the airport. Try to avoid the especially busy carriages on the metro and trams, which are favoured by pickpockets. There have also been cases of theft on the tram and metro involving gangs of up to nine or ten people surrounding their victims and even threatening violence. Take extra care when travelling on public transport and be aware of the people around you. There is also a risk of pick-pocketing on flights from the UK. It is best to keep your passport and valuables with you before and during your flight.

Make sure you know where your belongings are at all times, particularly while at restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Use the cloakroom if available. There have been several cases of theft from hotel rooms and even safes.

Beware of bogus plain-clothes policemen, who may ask to see your foreign currency and passport. If approached, decline to show your money, but offer instead to go with them to the nearest police station. If you suspect that you are dealing with a bogus police officer, you can call 158 or 112 to check their identity. No police officer in the Czech Republic has the right to check your money or its authenticity. 

Theft of property should be reported in person to the Czech police within 24 hours to obtain a Police Report Crime Number. It is also possible to obtain this later once you are in the UK by sending a letter (in English) describing the event to the following address: Policejni prezidium – podatelna, Strojnicka 27, 170 89 Praha 7, Czech Republic. If you lose your passport you will need to obtain a police report before a replacement can be issued. 

Never leave drinks or food unattended, or accept drinks from strangers, however attractive the offer might seem. There have been a small number of incidents involving drinks being spiked and visitors having their valuables stolen whilst intoxicated.

See our Victims of Crime Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Reporting Lost/Stolen property in Prague

If your passport, wallet or other items are lost or stolen, you should report the incident immediately to the nearest police station (‘Policie’) and obtain a police report (‘Policejni zprava’). 

Foreigner’s Police Station in Prague:

Jungmanovo namesti 9
Prague 1
(nearest metro stop is Mustek). 

This police station is open 24 hours. English translators are provided. 

To apply for a replacement passport please contact the Consular Section of the British Embassy in Prague. The passport application forms are available online from the embassy website and you will need to obtain a police report before a replacement passport can be issued.

Safety and Security - Local Travel

Public transport tickets must be purchased before travelling. Tickets must be validated at the start of the journey (including before boarding the funicular tram at Petrin) at the yellow machines at the entrance to metro stations or on board buses and trams. You will be fined on the spot if you are travelling with an invalid ticket. The fine, usually 800 crowns (around £26.00), is paid directly to the ticket inspector and a receipt should be issued. Ticket inspectors will not normally excuse passengers who claim not to have known that tickets must be validated before travel. If you cannot pay the fine on the spot, ticket inspectors will often call the Police and you may be arrested; the fine increases to 1000 Crowns (around £33.00) if you do not pay immediately. Tickets can be bought at most large hotels, metro stations and at many newspaper stands (‘Trafika’) and convenience stores. More information, in English, on the Prague public transport system is available at the DPP website as is a map of the network.

Each year there are a number of accidents involving trams. Take extra care when in the vicinity of tram tracks and make sure you look both ways. The trams cannot stop quickly nor can they avoid you if you are on the track.  

Seasonal flooding (normally during the Spring) occurs occasionally in the Czech Republic. Prague was seriously affected by flooding in 2006. Consult the Ministry of Agriculture website for more information. By selecting 'vstupte' you will view a map of the country which shows, using a traffic light system, where flood warnings are in place on major rivers.

Safety and Security - Taxis

For reasons of safety and economy, you are advised to use major taxi companies, such as AAA (23311 3311) or Profitaxi (26131 4151). These companies are usually able to tell you the type, number and colour of the car in advance. If you do pick up a taxi in the street, always check the per kilometre price before getting in. Some taxis operating in areas frequented by tourists can charge highly inflated prices. Taxi rates per kilometre must be clearly marked on the side of the taxi. 

Complaints should be sent to the relevant taxi-company directly and should also be copied to taxi@cityofprague.cz for investigation by the City of Prague.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel

You can drive in the Czech Republic on a UK Driving licence.

In 2010 there were 802 road deaths in the Czech Republic (source: DfT). This equates to 7.6 road deaths per 100,000 of population compared to the UK average of 3.1 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2010.

If you are planning to drive to the Czech Republic, you may like to consult a local motoring hotline, available in Czech and English on (tel: 00 420 1230). A user tax vignette must normally be purchased for motorway driving. These can be purchased from most Post Offices, petrol stations and from some bureaux de change and other outlets at the border. Failure to display a valid vignette can result in a fine. 

You should familiarise yourself with local motoring regulations and the penalty point system in advance of driving in the Czech Republic.

Drivers should be aware that there is a zero-tolerance policy in the Czech Republic for drivers under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

You must have your headlights on dipped beam when driving anywhere in the Czech Republic, at any time.

It is a requirement under Czech law that all private cars, including those of foreign visitors, carry the following items: 

Fluorescent Green High Visibility Safety Jacket 
First Aid Kit
Warning triangle
Complete set of spare bulbs
Complete sets of electric fuse
Jack
Spanner
Spare wheel or special tyres repair set

For more general information see our Driving Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Air Travel

The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in the Czech Republic.  

For more general information see Airline Security.

Safety and Security - Political Situation
Czech Republic Country Profile

Some bars and restaurants in the city centre do not allow access to stag groups. Drunken or offensive behaviour is dealt with according to Czech law and may result in detention and or fines.

The Czech police advise that you may be fined if you attempt to cross a road or tram tracks within 50 metres of a designated crossing point (commonly marked by 'zebra' style crossing or traffic lights). You may also be fined if you cross at a pedestrian crossing if the green pedestrian crossing light is not illuminated.

See our Your Trip page.

Entry Requirements - Passport Validity

You must hold a valid passport to enter Czech Republic.  For stays of up to three months your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you do not need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure. You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. Any time left on your old passport when you apply will be added to your new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. For passport applications in the UK, you should apply to the Identity and Passport Service. For stays of longer than three months, contact the Embassy of the country to which you are travelling.

Entry Requirements - Visas

Visas may be required to enter the Czech Republic. You need a passport to enter the Czech Republic. British passports holders, whose nationality is shown as anything other than a British Citizen, must contact your nearest Czech Embassy to determine whether you require a visa for entry to the Czech Republic.

Entry Requirements - Travelling with Children

Children aged 15 and above must have their own passports. Those travelling on a parent's passport will be refused entry to the Czech Republic. Carry your passport with you at all times, for identification purposes.

For information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Czech Embassy in London.

 

Obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as Czech nationals. It also does not cover you for medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature. See our EHIC page.

You should be aware that some hospitals in parts of the Czech Republic are not used to foreign visitors and may not be aware of the rights conferred on you by an EHIC. If you have trouble, please contact the British Embassy in Prague (see Contact Details below).  You can also consult for more advice on healthcare in the Czech Republic.

If you intend to settle permanently in the Czech Republic you need to either obtain Form S1 (previously E106), which indicates that you have made full National Insurance contributions in the UK, or to arrange health insurance with a commercial company on arrival. This will entitle you to health care other than the EHIC accident and emergency cover, which is not acceptable for longer-term health needs. For further advice contact the Overseas Healthcare Team (Newcastle), Room TC001, Tyneview Park, Whitley Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE98 1BA; Tel: 0191 218 1999 (Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00).

If you are planning to visit forested areas, to seek medical advice before you travel about inoculations for tick borne encephalitis.

In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 2,000 adults aged 15 or over in the Czech Republic were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at less than 0.1% of the adult population compared to the prevalence percentage in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Czech Republic and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention visit the websites of the NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

See our Travel Health and Pandemic Influenza pages.

Health - Hepatitis A
For advice on Hepatitis A and other health issues please consult National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC).

Inoculation against this disease can be obtained from your GP and visitors should to take sensible precautions as outlined in the NaTHNaC advice.

General - Insurance

You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Check for any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See our Travel Insurance page.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then see our When Things Go Wrong page.

General - Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

General - Accommodation

If you are travelling in a group you should keep a careful note of your hotel telephone number and address in case you become detached from the rest of your party. Also leave your accommodation information and contact details of your travelling companions with a friend or relative at home who you can contact if you get separated from your group.

General - Customs Regulations

If you travel within the European Union (EU) you can bring an unlimited amount of most goods.  For example, you can bring in any alcohol, tobacco, meat and dairy products - as long as they are for your own use and transported by you. If you are bringing in alcohol and tobacco goods and the Customs officer may have reason to suspect they may be for a commercial purpose, an officer may ask you questions and make checks.  This refers to travelling into the Czech Republic and/or entering the UK.  See the website of HMRC.

General - Money

It is almost impossible to change Scottish or Northern Irish bank notes in the Czech Republic. Travellers' cheques are easily exchanged in the main cities. If you are using local Foreign Exchange offices you should check before completing the transaction that you are content with the exchange rate offered and the commission charges. Rates and commission charges can vary substantially between offices.

Legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU apply in all Member States. Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 Euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers' cheques, money orders, etc. This will not apply to anyone travelling via the EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside of the EU nor to those travelling within the EU.

General - Consular Assistance Statistics

Around 570,000 British people visit the Czech Republic every year (Source: Czech Statistics Office). Most visits are trouble-free. Approximately 62 British nationals required consular assistance in the Czech Republic in the period 01 April 2010 - 31 March 2011 for the following types of incident: 14 deaths; 17 hospitalisations; 11 arrests, for a variety of offences.