Getting There
Prague's international airport is called Prague Ruzyne (airport code: PRG) and there are many flights from the UK and other major European cities, as well as some American cities.
If you are coming from the UK the best options are www.easyjet.co.uk (who fly from London) www.jet2.com (from Leeds and Manchester) and www.bmibaby.com (Birmingham, Manchester and London) Alternatively, if you're weird and don't like flying you can sit on a coach for 20 hours with these operators: www.studentagency.cz and www.eurolines.com
From the United States, we would recommend flying directly to Prague from NYC (most likely JFK) or changing planes in Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Paris. In our experience, there are lots of options when flying from the States to Prague with layovers in these cities. If you want to visit another city in Europe when you come over for our wedding, we have used travelociy.com for multidestination trips in the past, and it worked out well.
If you are coming from the UK the best options are www.easyjet.co.uk (who fly from London) www.jet2.com (from Leeds and Manchester) and www.bmibaby.com (Birmingham, Manchester and London) Alternatively, if you're weird and don't like flying you can sit on a coach for 20 hours with these operators: www.studentagency.cz and www.eurolines.com
From the United States, we would recommend flying directly to Prague from NYC (most likely JFK) or changing planes in Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Paris. In our experience, there are lots of options when flying from the States to Prague with layovers in these cities. If you want to visit another city in Europe when you come over for our wedding, we have used travelociy.com for multidestination trips in the past, and it worked out well.
Arrival
Once you arrive in Prague you have a few options for getting from the airport to the city center.
First of all, if you are staying at the wedding venue, the Grand Hotel Bohemia, they can arrange for a car to pick you up at the airport. You will find this option on the hotel reservation form, or you may decide to add this option at any time by contacting the hotel directly. Although this is the easiest option, it is also the most expensive at 890 CZK.
The second option is to take a taxi, we recommend using AAA, and there is a queue just outside the airport exit where you will find several yellow taxis waiting. The cost is normally 500-550 CZK, which is approximately 20-22 EUR. Please be aware that there are fake "AAA" taxis and other companies that are not recommended to take from the airport as they normally charge a huge fee for an indirect route to the city center. If in doubt, choose a yellow one, and always agree to use the meter (you may also ask for an approximate price for your journey).
Finally, the cheapest option is to take public transportation into the city center, which only costs 26 CZK (one euro) each way. You may buy a ticket from the information desk in the arrivals area, and you stamp the ticket once you are on the bus. To get to the center, exit the airport and find the bus stop for bus 119. Take bus 119 to the end stop, Dejvicka, which is also the end of the green line on the city's metro line. You may then take the metro from Dejvicka (the ticket you stamped on the bus is still valid) to the center. To get to the Grand Hotel Bohemia, you must change to the yellow metro line at Mustek, and take it one stop to Namesti Republiky. Please feel free to ask us for detailed instuctions to your hotel if you are not staying at the wedding venue.
First of all, if you are staying at the wedding venue, the Grand Hotel Bohemia, they can arrange for a car to pick you up at the airport. You will find this option on the hotel reservation form, or you may decide to add this option at any time by contacting the hotel directly. Although this is the easiest option, it is also the most expensive at 890 CZK.
The second option is to take a taxi, we recommend using AAA, and there is a queue just outside the airport exit where you will find several yellow taxis waiting. The cost is normally 500-550 CZK, which is approximately 20-22 EUR. Please be aware that there are fake "AAA" taxis and other companies that are not recommended to take from the airport as they normally charge a huge fee for an indirect route to the city center. If in doubt, choose a yellow one, and always agree to use the meter (you may also ask for an approximate price for your journey).
Finally, the cheapest option is to take public transportation into the city center, which only costs 26 CZK (one euro) each way. You may buy a ticket from the information desk in the arrivals area, and you stamp the ticket once you are on the bus. To get to the center, exit the airport and find the bus stop for bus 119. Take bus 119 to the end stop, Dejvicka, which is also the end of the green line on the city's metro line. You may then take the metro from Dejvicka (the ticket you stamped on the bus is still valid) to the center. To get to the Grand Hotel Bohemia, you must change to the yellow metro line at Mustek, and take it one stop to Namesti Republiky. Please feel free to ask us for detailed instuctions to your hotel if you are not staying at the wedding venue.
Prague Public Transportation
Prague has an excellent public transportation system, which covers anywhere you will want to go via metro, tram or bus. Tickets may be purchased from ticket machines, which you will find in all metro stations and some tram stops. It is a good idea to purchase a few extra tickets to use on trams when there is no ticket machine available. Tickets may also be purchased at some news stands. Beware that ticket checkers are heavily checking in the main tourist areas of Prague, and the fine is 700 CZK if you are caught without a valid ticket. To validate your ticket you must stamp it when you enter the metro, tram or bus. Validation machines are yellow boxes and have a slot where you insert one end of your ticket (the machine then stamps the date, time and station where you have entered the transportation system).
Single ticket (for one use/short ride)
Adults: 18 Kč, children 6-15 years: 9 Kč, children under 6: free
This ticket can only be used one time on one type of transportation. It is valid for 20 minutes from validation on trams and buses or 5 stations on the subway, allowing transfers between subway stations (e.g. from line A to line B) for up to 30 min. of total time of use. This ticket is not valid on night trams and buses, on the Petřín funicular and on ferries.
Adults: 18 Kč, children 6-15 years: 9 Kč, children under 6: free
This ticket can only be used one time on one type of transportation. It is valid for 20 minutes from validation on trams and buses or 5 stations on the subway, allowing transfers between subway stations (e.g. from line A to line B) for up to 30 min. of total time of use. This ticket is not valid on night trams and buses, on the Petřín funicular and on ferries.
Transfer ticket (for multiple uses/long ride)
Adults: 26 Kč, children 6-15 years: 13 Kč, children under 6: free
This ticket can be used on any type of public transportation and allows transfers between lines (subway to subway, tram to tram, etc.) and types of transport (subway to tram, tram to bus, etc.) for up to 75 min. from validation.
This is the correct ticket for a journey from the airport to Prague or vice versa.
Adults: 26 Kč, children 6-15 years: 13 Kč, children under 6: free
This ticket can be used on any type of public transportation and allows transfers between lines (subway to subway, tram to tram, etc.) and types of transport (subway to tram, tram to bus, etc.) for up to 75 min. from validation.
This is the correct ticket for a journey from the airport to Prague or vice versa.
Taxis
We recommend using either AAA or City Taxi if you prefer to take taxis to get around Prague. If you call and order a taxi, you will receive a better rate than if you flag a taxi down on the street.
AAA
Tel: +420 222 333 222
You can also order your taxi by SMS, just send a text to +420 606 999 069 in the format "ORD (your name) * (address for pickup)" for an immediate pickup. if you want to specify a time, add " * (DD.MM) * (HH:MM)".
City Taxi
Tel: +420 257 257 257
You can also order your taxi by SMS, just send a text to +420 777 257 257 in the format: place of pick up, address, time of pick up and your name.
AAA
Tel: +420 222 333 222
You can also order your taxi by SMS, just send a text to +420 606 999 069 in the format "ORD (your name) * (address for pickup)" for an immediate pickup. if you want to specify a time, add " * (DD.MM) * (HH:MM)".
City Taxi
Tel: +420 257 257 257
You can also order your taxi by SMS, just send a text to +420 777 257 257 in the format: place of pick up, address, time of pick up and your name.
Sights and Activities
For those of you who haven't been to Prague before, the essentials to see include the castle, and the Old Town Square. You can download a brilliant free guide to the city from In Your Pocket, which is strongly reccommended.
Restaurant Recommendations
Beware when visiting the main tourist sights that the majority of bars and restaurants will be significantly more expensive than those off the main tourist streets. More often than not the food will be of inferior quality as well. There are hundreds of restaurants dotted around the city, below are just a few recommendations of places that serve consistently good food:
CZECH: Olympia is a traditional Czech restaurant, with meat and dumplings featuring heavily. They also serve some of the best Pilsner Urquell in the city. Lokal is another traditional Czech restaurant in the centre of town.
VEGETARIAN: Whilst it's true that vegetarians aren't exactly spoiled for choice in Prague, there are a few places that serve good quality meals, with no traces of meat to be found. Beas is a canteen style Indian vegetarian restaurant, with a few locations throughout the city. It is also one of the cheaper options. Radost FX is a slightly more upmarket establishment, serving Middle East, Thai and Mexican style Vegetarian dishes.
PIZZA: There are Italian inspired pizzerias on almost every street in Prague. Most are of a similar quality. Kmotra and Pizza Venezia are two of the best options in town, the latter serving pizza for half price during the hours of 15.00-17.00 (just before the wedding :o)
UPMARKET: For those of you with less moths in your wallet than I, these slightly more expensive options are well worth a try. Kogo is a Mediterranean serving some of the best seafood in Prague. Ambiente Brasileiro is an all you can eat restaurant with the emphasis being placed primarily on South American beef. Not a place for vegetarians.
CZECH: Olympia is a traditional Czech restaurant, with meat and dumplings featuring heavily. They also serve some of the best Pilsner Urquell in the city. Lokal is another traditional Czech restaurant in the centre of town.
VEGETARIAN: Whilst it's true that vegetarians aren't exactly spoiled for choice in Prague, there are a few places that serve good quality meals, with no traces of meat to be found. Beas is a canteen style Indian vegetarian restaurant, with a few locations throughout the city. It is also one of the cheaper options. Radost FX is a slightly more upmarket establishment, serving Middle East, Thai and Mexican style Vegetarian dishes.
PIZZA: There are Italian inspired pizzerias on almost every street in Prague. Most are of a similar quality. Kmotra and Pizza Venezia are two of the best options in town, the latter serving pizza for half price during the hours of 15.00-17.00 (just before the wedding :o)
UPMARKET: For those of you with less moths in your wallet than I, these slightly more expensive options are well worth a try. Kogo is a Mediterranean serving some of the best seafood in Prague. Ambiente Brasileiro is an all you can eat restaurant with the emphasis being placed primarily on South American beef. Not a place for vegetarians.
