Information about Prague

Prague is one of the oldest political, economic and cultural centres of Central Europe. It is the capital as well as the largest city in the Czech Republic with more than 1,230,000 inhabitants. Importance of Prague is reflected in the level of its architecture and living art, quality of life, degree of development of learning, and its cultural significance and reach.

It is one of the world's most beautiful and monumental cities. It is known as the city of a hundred spires because of its profusion of grand, beautifully-preserved historical monuments from practically every period in history. Those spires are best admired from the Prague Castle, the dominant of Prague and the most significant Czech monument, as well as from the bridges that cross the Vltava River meandering through the city...

Prague is a display of all artistic styles and movements. In 1992 the historical core of the city covering 866 hectares was listed in the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Register.

 

Accommodation

All Charles University students (including STARS students) are eligible for subsidized accommodation in university halls of residence. Shall you have any questions about accommodation, please contact Central Accommodation Office.

Private accommodation is not difficult to find in our university city. You can either rent a room in a shared flat or a whole flat.

 

ESN CU Prague

International Erasmus Student Network Charles University Prague (ESN CU Prague) is a student club which organizes various social, cultural and sports events for both international and Czech students from many faculties, and generally helps international students to handle their stay in Prague.

 

Prague Public Transport

Prague offers an excellent public transport system with its underground and numerous bus and tram lines. The metro is the quickest way to travel long distances across the city. It has three lines: A (green), B (yellow) and C (red). It closes down for the night shortly after midnight and reopens after 4 a. m. Trams and buses connect the metro system to outlying areas, and are also a handy way to make short journeys in the city centre. The most efficient form of night transport is the network of night trams that runs from about midnight until the metro reopens. Night trams run very precisely in 30-minute intervals.

Individual tickets are available at most tobacconists and newsstands. There are also ticket vending machines installed in all metro stations and at selected surface transit stops. Single transfer ticket can be also purchased as an SMS ticket via a mobile phone. Single tickets cost CZK 30 and CZK 40. The CZK 30 tickets are valid for 30 minutes and CZK 40 tickets for 90 minutes of unlimited travel. It is possible to change between trams, buses, the metro and trains (in area of Prague) without having to buy a new ticket until the time period runs out.

When using local transport regularly, it is advisable to purchase season tickets. Passes are valid for unlimited travel on any bus, tram or metro line throughout the city area. Students above 26 years of age are not eligible for student discounts. More information about tickets are available here or here.

Download a large printable map of the Prague subway and tram system here.

 

Using taxi

Unfortunately, taxi drivers have quite a bad reputation in Prague. There is no standard price for taxi services, but drivers are required to display their prices, usually on the door. A reasonable price is around CZK 28 per km, but it is a good idea to agree on a price before committing to a ride and be sure that the meter is running while in the taxi. Usually reliable companies whose dispatchers speak English are AAA Taxi (Tel. +420 222 333 222; 14014) or ProfiTaxi (Tel. +420 261 314 151, 14015). Or you can use Uber, Taxify or Liftago, of course.

 

International airport and cheap flights

The international Vaclav Havel Airport Prague is one of the main destinations in Europe which services around 15 million passangers per year. Currently 70 airlines connect Prague with more than 160 destinations worldwide by direct scheduled flights. Besides the traditional carriers there is also a growing number of low-cost companies providing discount plane tickets to most of the main European cities and other interesting destinations.

For a list of all airlines operating in Prague and their destinations visit this link.

 

Culture

Prague is also one of the cultural centres of Europe boasting more than ten major museums, along with countless theatres, galleries, cinemas, and music venues. The city regularly host a number of prestigious exhibitions, events and international festivals. Prague is a city to create, exhibit and perform in.

An exhaustive up-to-date online catalogue of various cultural events in Prague (concerts, clubs, theatres, museums and galleries, hotels, spa, folklore and antiques) can be found here.

 

Downloads

More practical information about the students´ life at the Faculty of Science can be found here.