Currency
The Czech Republic is a member of the E.U., The currency of the Czech Republic is the koruna, or crown (Kc). There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and (rarely) 50 Kc; and notes of 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 5,000 Kc. Notes of 1,000 Kc and up may not always be accepted for small purchases.

       

ATM machines
Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Visa debit & American Express cards can be used at he ATM's of most Czech & International Banks which are all round Prague and at the Prague  airport.

Currency exchange
The koruna is fully convertible, which means it can be purchased outside the country and exchanged into other currencies. Never change money with people on the street. Not only is it illegal and dangerous. There are many currency exchange offices located in small booths throughout the centre of Prague. The currency exchange rates can vary. Ask for the final amount you will receive after all charges before handing over your money. The best places for currency exchange are:
Ellines Pelova 1, Prague 1, tel: 224 228 163, www.ellines.cz
Exchange Kaprova 13, Prague 1, 800 22 55 88, www.exchange.cz
Banks are the best places to change money. They offer lower rates of exchange buttheir fees are low and fixed. Many banks have installed ATM machines. Cash cards are the best way to change money. Most offer good rates and fairly low commissions. Most banks are open weekdays 8-5.

Credit Cards and Cheques
American Express
Tourists with American Express travelers cheques can redeem them at the American Express office in central Prague: American Express, Wenceslas Square 56, Prague 1.
Credit cards
Credit cards are accepted in most restaurants, shops and hotels throughout Prague.
Lost credit cards
American Express card info - Tel: 224 194 400
Visa card info - Tel: 224 125 353
Mastercard & Eurocard info - Tel: 224 423 135

Taxes
If you shop in the Czech Republic, get a value-added tax (VAT) refund. The basic VAT rate in the Czech Republic is about 19%, applied to most consumer goods. A 5% rate applies to most services and some goods, including fuel and most food.

Tipping
Service is usually not included in restaurant bills. Round the bill up to the next multiple of 10. Tip porters who bring bags to your rooms 40 Kc total. For room service, a 20 Kc tip is enough. In taxis, round the bill up by 10%. Give tour guides and helpful concierges between 50 Kc and 100 Kc for services received.

In an emergency, the numbers above are the numbers to call. Bear in mind the low probability of getting an operator who speaks English. Most clinics in the section below have after hour emergency numbers, but for situations requiring an ambulance, please call the appropriate number above.

Emergency phrases
I need a doctor. Pot řebuji lékaře. (POT-rzhe-boo-jee) (LAY-ka-rzhe)
I need to go to a hospital. Potřebuji jít do nemocnice. ( ” ) (YEET DOE) (NAY-mowts-knee-say)
I need an ambulance. Potřebuji sanitku. ( ” ) (SAW-nit-kuu)

A. Hospitals and clinics (Location & Contact Information)

American Medical Center (Janovského 48, Holesovice. tel : 220-807-756 24-hr service).

Health Center Prague, Vodičkova 28 (by Buffalo Bills), t el:224 220 040
Enter at the third entrance, and proceed to the second floor.

DC MEDISCAN, V Celnici 5, Prague 1 - 2 nd entrance – Na Po říčí 10, building A
Tel: 12888, 221 775 111, 221 775 112, a fter hours doctor on call : 603 510 828

First Medical Clinic of Prague, Tylovo nám. 3/15, Nové Město, tel 224-251-319

Na Homolce Hospital, Roentgenova 2, Prague 5, tel 257-272-146 , 257-211-111; 257-272-191

Canadian Medical Care, Veleslav ínská 1, Prague 6, tel 235 360 133
After hours number: 724 300 301 (GP),724 300 303 (Pediatrician)

B. Pharmacies (LÉKÁRNA)
The 24-hour Lékárna generally charges a few extra Crowns for purchases after normal business hours. You may assume that the pharmacy has closed for the day, but if you look carefully at a 24 hr pharmacy there is often a sort of hatch-window with a bell by it. Ring that and an employee in a white coat will sell you what you need.
NOTE: You will find that many pharmacies will not sell you standard, over-the-shelf medicine without a prescription. Therefore, think ahead during the packing process and pack what you think you might need or use.

Pharmacy 24 hours
Palackeho 5, Prague 1. Tel: 224 946 982.
Lékárna , Belgicka 37, Prague 2. Tel: 222 513 396.
Lékárna U Andela , Stefanikova 6, Prague 5. Tel: 257 320 918

C. Dentists
Dental treatment is remarkably inexpensive in the Czech Republic when compared with that in the West given the quality of service.

European Dental Centre, Wenceslas Square 33, Prague 1.
Languages: English, French, German, Russian & Czech.
Open: 24 hour on-call emergency service, Tel: 224 228 994. Website: www.edcdental.cz.

American Dental Associates, V celnici 4, Prague 4,
Open: Mon-Thu 08:30-20:00, Fri 08:30-17:00. Sat 10:30-21:00
Tel: 221 181 121. Website: www.americandental.cz.

Palackeho 5, Prague 1, Tel: 224 946 981
Mon-Fri 19:00-06:30 Sat-Sun 24hrs.

There are two types of public telephones: coin operated telephones and card operated telephones. Card operated machines are generally more stable and more reliable. The price of a local telephone call is 4 K č for three minutes. Telephone cards can be purchased at newstands, post offices, hotels, travel agents, etc. Most places only carry 150,- Kč telephone cards or higher. Each phone call is billed by the number of pulses one uses (not minutes), therefore costs differ depending on the place you are calling and the number of pulses needed to place a call to your desired location. A phone line is ready to be used when the sound on the line is beep - beep - silence - beep, beep.

In Prague, many phone booths allow direct international dialing with the prepaid Karta X (300 Kc-1,000 Kc. The cards are available at many money-changing stands and can work with any phone once you enter a 14-digit code. You do not need to find a booth with a card slot to use the cards.

The country code for the Czech Republic is 420. Prefixes 601 to 777 denote mobile phones.

You can send faxes from the main post office (Hlavní posta), Jindrisská 14, Praha 1 (tel. 800-104-410). The fax office is open 24 hours and charges 30Kc per page, plus the price of the phone call. The best place to receive faxes is the American Express office, Václavské nám. 56 (Wenceslas Sq.), Praha 1 (tel. 222-800-111).

Directory & Operator Information

You can reach an English-speaking operator from one of the major long-distance services on a toll- free number. The operator will connect your collect or credit-card call at the carrier's standard rates.

International Operator ( PHONE: 133004).

International Directory Assistance ( PHONE: 1181).

Emergency telephone numbers
150 Fire department
155 Ambulance
156 Municipal police
158 Police

141 23 First aid children
141 23 First aid adults
141 22 Dental first aid
141 24 Pharmacy first aid

Telephone enquiries and telegraph services
1180 Information regarding telephone numbers in the Czech Republic
1181 Directory enquiries and information about services and rates abroad
14118 Tourist information (telephone service)
133 002 National operator
133 001 Telegrams
133 000 Wake up calls

Post offices are plentiful and are normally open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm.

Mailboxes are orange and are usually attached to the sides of buildings. If you're sending mail overseas, make sure it's marked "Par Avion" so it doesn't go by surface. If you mail your letters at a post office, the clerk will add this stamp for you. Mail can take up to 10 days to reach its destination.

The Main Post Office (Hlavní posta), Jindrisská 14, Praha 1 (tel. 800-104-410), a few steps from Václavské námestí, is open 24 hours. You can receive mail, marked "Poste Restante" and addressed to you, care of this post office.

If you carry an American Express card or Amex traveler's checks, you would be wiser to receive mail care of American Express, Václavské nám. 56 (Wenceslas Sq.), Praha 1 (tel. 222-800-111).

Postal rates
Domestic Letters/Postcards: 7.50czk
International Letters/Postcards: Europe 9czk - Overseas 14czk.

You can buy stamps at post offices, hotels, and shops that sell postcards.

Messenger, tel 220 400 000, www.dodomu.cz

DHL, t el 800 10 30 00, www.dhl.cz

Federal Express, t el 800 13 33 39 , www.fedex.cz

Electricity
Czech appliances operate on 220 volts and plug into two-pronged outlets that differ from those in America and the United Kingdom. Appliances designed for the U.S. or U.K. markets must use an adapter and a transformer (sometimes incorrectly called a converter).

Holidays
January 1; Easter Monday; May 1 (Labor Day); May 8 (Liberation Day); July 5 (Sts. Cyril and Methodius Day); July 6 (Jan Hus Day); September 28 (Day of Czech Statehood); October 28 (Czech National Day); November 17 (Day of a Struggle for Liberty and Democracy); and December 24, 25, and 26.

Internet Access
the Globe , Pstrossova 6, Praha 1 (tel. 224-916-264) www.globebookstore.cz
Inetpoint.cz , Jungmannova 32, Praha 1 (tel. 296-245-962).
Internet Café u Pavlánských , near the funicular train at Újezd 31 in Malá Strana, Praha 1

Laundry/Dry Cleaning
Laundry Kings , Dejvická 16, Praha 6 (tel. 233-343-743). Each load costs about 70Kc, depending on how much drying power you need. An attendant can do your wash for an additional 90Kc, but the service takes at least 24 hours. Laundry Kings is open 24 hours every day.

Laundryland , Londýnská 71, Praha 2 (tel. 777-333-466) + other 3 location, www.laundryland.cz offers dry cleaning as well as laundry service and charges about the same as Laundry Kings. It's open daily from 8am to 10pm.

Liquor Laws
There's no minimum drinking age in the Czech Republic. Alcohol can legally be sold at any hour, and pubs and clubs can stay open 24 hours.

Lost and found
If you lose something in Prague, call “Ztráty a nálezy” (lost property office), Prague 1, Karoliny Sv ě tlé 5, tel.: 224 235 085. Not to dampen any hopes of finding treasures lost, but the stark reality is you are likely not going to see any lost items found. Open hours Mo, Wed 8-17:30, Tue, Thu 8-16, Fri 8.-14

Locksmith
24 – hours service, AAA tel.: 233 373 337

Public Lavatories
You cannot rely on the current system of public lavatories, even though you might find lavatories in some parts of Prague. Public lavatories are found mainly in Metro stations, however, the most trustworthy bathrooms are found in places like McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, KFC, etc. More than likely, when using bathrooms in Prague you will be required to pay 3-5 Kč (usually to a woman or man sitting nearby the entrance).