The Czech Republic is a very friendly and laid-back place to stay. Before the country joined the European Union in 2004 and it had its own currency, local prices were shockingly low.
You could have a lunch for two at a restaurant serving local food and pay only $6 for the both of you. Times have changed and so have prices. Now those who live or visit the country must choose where to go, where to buy food, and generally which products to buy very carefully to make their money last longer.
Where to live
If you are a student, living in your university’s dormitory is a much cheaper choice. If your university’s accommodations are fully booked or you want to look into other dormitories, these will most likely be more expensive. Prices vary depending on the neighbour where the dormitory is situated and how far or close it is to Prague’s city centre. Whichever one you choose, it is unlikely to cost less than $4 per day.
For those looking to rent an apartment in Prague, monthly rent is unlikely to be below $400 and even if an apartment can be found at a lower price it will probably not be in the best condition. However, you may choose a place to stay in the city outskirts that would be much cheaper than inside the city limits.
Large residential towers like Prosek, Bohnice, Rajska Zahrada and Opatov provide some of the cheapest rent prices. Also, the Zizkov and Pague 3 districts offer attractive opportunities. First on my list of places to stay is the rather “quiet” Prague 10 district with impressive views and small cafes with tasty local cuisine and beer on the menu. From this location a short tram or bus ride brings you to the city centre.
Food
When it comes to food shopping it all depends on your budget but if your budget doesn’t stretch very far supermarkets like Tesco, Lidl, Albert, Billa, Kaufland, Globus, and Delmart have special offers and promotions on food products. Products made under the supermarket’s brand name may be the best choice in terms of price and quality. Foodstuff vary from supermarket to supermarket so you might want to do your research and find the best offers from each and create your own basket of goods according to your personal preferences and budget.
You can keep track of these offers and promotions from supermarkets on your phone by downloading the Letáky app – which is not limited to food stuff.
For those wanting to shop at even cheaper prices, a great option is TTTM SAPA or Little Hanoi, large Vietnamese markets not very far from the city Just take the metro or a bus and stop at Sídliště Písnice.
When you want to dine out your best option is to choose restaurants and cafes with local cuisine that is usually complemented with a beer.
Money
First of all, it is always better to pay with the local Czech Koruna currency. Although in some places Euros are accepted, this would mean you could likely overpay for services.
Use popular money transfer applications like Revolut to avoid commissions and bank fees. If you still need a bank account or if you have one with the local bank, find out whether the bank charges you any commissions. You may open a commission-free account at some banks or get a savings account which will make you primary account free of monthly charges, commented Martin Marsovsky, chief manager of Finmex Academy.
Try to avoid exchanging money in airports or currency exchange shops where could charge hidden commissions or offer more expensive exchange rates.
Communication and Internet
If you are planning to stay in Prague for a long time, you will need to look into the different Czech mobile providers, including T-Mobile, 02 Telefonica, and Vodafone. There are numerous offers you can choose from, and students also receive special tariffs.
Appliances and furniture
Places like flea markets like Koblenova situated on Elektry street are where cheap home appliances and furniture can be found. Cheap appliances and furniture can also be found in stores at much cheaper prices during the Christmas sale period from December to January.
Medical Services
Medical services are quite expensive in Prague. So, it would be wise to invest in medical insurance and take any essential drugs you might need with you.
Transport
If you are planning to stay in Prague for a long period of time you could buy a monthly or a yearly metro card. Do not use cabs for inter-city travel, rather take the metro or other public transport. When arriving at the airport, the cheapest way to travel is the shuttle bus, which also gives you a great impression of the city.
You could also buy the municipal Lítačka card which can be used for all means of public transport in Prague, including the metro, trams, buses, and ferries. Long-distance busses are not that comfortable but could be used to move across the country and beyond. FlixBus and the Student agency lowcosters could be a travel solution for less money. When it comes to air travel, Ryanair, Wizzair, and Vueling offer the best flight for less money.
Find out about training at Finmex
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Signal Festival, organizers have prepared a big surprise for you. After many years, they are returning to their iconic location – náměstí Míru!
This year, the facade of St. Ludmila Basilica will be revived by the French pioneering collective AV Extended in collaboration with the Czech music producer Aid Kid. We can’t wait.
You can experience the premiere screening the day before the festival on Wednesday 12.10. from 7 to 10 pm. “We will light up the Basilica on the occasion of the celebration of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union within the Light for Europe project,” say the organizers.
Starting on Thursday, beat the long wait for the video mapping with an interactive game with Mercedes-Benz. Download the signalmb.cz app, choose your favorite Mercedes car and send it to the facade of the Basilica!
Premiere In Vršovice
This year, for the first time, Signal will light up Vršovice in four locations.
The interactive Cloud by the Canadian duo Brown & Garrett will shine over the Vršovice Chateau.
Herold Gardens will be set in motion by Flux, a kinetic installation consisting of rotating propellers that create a graceful choreography directed by the French collective Collectif Scale.
The last stop on the Vršovice route will be a spectacular projection by Hungarian artist László Bordos on Svatopluk Čech Square. His play with lights, which will set the facade of St. Wenceslas Church in motion, is a must-see.
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix.
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The Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, will hold talks with his British counterpart, Liz Truss, at his official Kramář Villa residence in Prague on Thursday, Czech government officials said on Tuesday.
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Twenty-five large companies based in the Czech Republic have launched Rethink, a new project seeking carbon neutrality and energy security, signing a joint declaration to present the project. The founders of the project include Czech Railways (CD), Czech Post (CP), the CEZ energy utility, the Ostrava Public Transport Company, IKEA, Komercni banka, Metrostav and Skoda Auto.
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The governing Czech coalition SPOLU, comprising the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and TOP 09, will not nominate its own candidate for the January presidential election, in order to not split the vote, Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) told journalists today.
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The Czech government will extend current border controls with Slovakia due to “unprecedented” irregular immigration and wants the European Commission to devise a solution as the problem concerns multipe EU countries.
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River flows in three Czech regions have been below average every month for the past year, meteorologists from the Brno branch of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute have calculated.
Over the past several days, Czech social media users have been sharing humorous tweets, and tweaked maps showing that the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is, in fact, historically Czech and that a referendum should be held to decide the date of the problematic 220-square-kilometer region.
As reported by iDnes on Monday, Czech MEP Tomasz Zdechovsky shared a satirical joke on his Twitter about the distribution of the Russian Kaliningrad region between Poland and the Czech Republic.
In particular, the politician reposted a tweet from an anonymous author from Poland.
“The time has come to divide Kaliningrad so that our Czech brothers finally have access to the sea,” the original note says.
In Russia, this joke has already been called a “revanchist statement.”
Zdekhovsky replied that Russia should be prepared for the fact that if it tries to annex foreign territory on the basis of fake referendums, this could provoke discussions about whether it should leave Kaliningrad.
“I believe that the debate is legitimate and that Russia should really consider its future international moves,” he stressed.
“Je čas rozdělit Kaliningrad, aby naši čeští bratři měli konečně přístup k moři”
A pak nemilujte Polaky 😄 https://t.co/hLhyBDZQJm
— Tomáš Zdechovský (@TomasZdechovsky) September 29, 2022
The politician added that the city was originally founded in honor of the Czech king Přemysl Otakar II. Zdekhovsky also said that he was not surprised that his joke was taken seriously in Russia.
“I think the Russians take themselves too seriously, both in terms of politics and in terms of international relations. We need to hold a mirror to them more and show that we are not afraid of them and their threats and that we are ready to support Ukraine in its struggle for the return of all territories,” summed up the Czech MEP.
Later that same day, a newly created Twitter account @KralovecCzechia announced the success of the initiative: “After a successful referendum, 97,9% of Kaliningrad residents decided to merge with the Czech Republic and rename Kaliningrad to Královec.”
“King’s Mountain” through history
The Russian exclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea is sandwiched between Poland to the south and Lithuania to the north and east.
Annexed from Germany in 1945, the territory was a closed military zone throughout the Soviet period.
Koenigsberg, as the city of Kaliningrad was once known, was founded by Teutonic knights in the 13th century. It became one of the cities of the Hanseatic League and was once the capital of Prussia. The philosopher Immanuel Kant spent all his life in the city and died there in 1804.
The region was part of Germany until annexation by the USSR following World War II when it saw bitter fighting and suffered extensive destruction. The German population was expelled or fled after the war ended.
During the Soviet period, Kaliningrad Region, administratively part of the Russian Federation, was separated from the rest of Russia, more than 300km to the east, by the then Soviet republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Belarus.
Kaliningrad was one of the most militarised and closed parts of the Soviet Union, and the military were the region’s chief economic mainstay in the Soviet years. When the USSR ceased to be, that military presence was decimated along with the economic benefits it provided.
Kaliningrad is still of great strategic importance to Moscow. It houses the Russian Baltic Fleet at the port of Baltiysk and is the country’s only ice-free European port.
The Czech state-owned brewery, Budějovický Budvar, will raise prices for all brands of its beer, from November. The increase will average 10%.
It comes after the company said its prices will rise because of “vicious” cost pressures: electricity, gas, hops, malt and packaging materials.
Budějovický Budvar’s chief executive Petr Dvorak said: “These kinds of price increases and inflation, I think we have not seen in a generation.” He added that putting up prices could lead to “softer beer consumption” as drinkers reined in their spending due to soaring living costs.
“Electricity has risen in price by 300%, which means tens of millions of crowns per year. The same applies to the prices of cans, bottles, cardboard boxes, packaging materials and gas. For example, we expect a larger increase in the price of malt, which is our most important expense.
Reports from hop factories show a catastrophic harvest. “Although we have long-term three-year contracts, I expect that they will not be fulfilled because hops simply do not exist. Raw materials and packaging have already increased in price by more than 10%,” he added.
Budějovický Budvar increased its net profit by some 10% for the second straight year as it saw record output and exports despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Its net profit reached 337 million Czech crowns in 2021, up from 305 million the previous year. Its net profit was up nearly 10% in 2020.
Its exports were up a record 11% in 2021, reaching 1.3 million hectoliters. Budvar sells its beer in more than 70 countries, with Germany among its major markets.
Budvar also registered record output for the second straight pandemic year, rising 4.6% to 1.8 million hectoliters.
The pandemic affected the beer markets, with demand for beer in tanks and barrels declining as bars and restaurants closed for some time but demand for bottled beer rising.
On Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October, the heads of state of the 27 EU Member States and the leaders of 17 European countries outside the EU will attend two meetings hosted by the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU in Prague.
The first-ever meeting of the European Political Community will take place on Thursday, followed by an informal meeting of the members of the European Council on Friday.
The aim of the European Political Community is to provide a policy coordination platform for countries across the European continent. Its inaugural meeting will be held at the level of heads of state or government.
The agenda for the meeting will include thematic roundtable discussions in small groups focusing on security and stability, the economy, energy and climate, in addition to the opening and closing sessions.
Along with the heads of state or government of the 27 EU Member States, the meeting will be attended by the leaders of 17 European countries outside the EU.
Representatives from the following non-EU countries have been invited to attend: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
Items on the agenda for the informal European Council include Ukraine, the energy situation and economic issues. No decisions will be made. The EU leaders will resume their discussions on the topics at the October European Council.
In connection with the meeting, the European leaders will also have the opportunity to hold bilateral discussions with other heads of state and government.
In terms of the practical aspects, the meeting will take place in Prague Castle and will start with an opening plenary session from 13:00 to 14:00. Roundtable discussions will take place until approximately 16:00.
From 16:00 to 19:00, the leaders will have the opportunity to schedule bilateral meetings. The closing plenary session will take place over dinner.
In case you are a food lover or you would like to try out some different tastes, you will have a unique opportunity to do so this Sunday at Karlín food truck festival!
Let yourself be carried away by the aroma and taste of quality dishes and unusual ingredients. It is guaranteed that all the trucks will offer you the best in modern gastronomy!
The whole day is going to be accompanied by DJ Hlava and an exclusive live set by Honza Žampa, frontman of Eddie Stoilow and Dafonic.
As always, the organizers will have creative workshops and other accompanying programs for children.
- Venue: Karlín Market, Karlínské náměstí, Prague 8
- Date: 9 October 2022, 11:00 – 19:00
- Admission: FREE
Find all the updates on the official FB event
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the informal EU summit which will start in Prague on Thursday, Turkish Ambassador to the Czech Republic Egemen Bagis confirmed.
EU leaders and the leaders of 17 non-EU countries, including from the UK and Ukraine, have received invitations to the two-day summit organised by the Czech EU presidency.
Turkey has recently signalled via its ambassador that it would like to strengthen its relationship with the EU after years of stalemate. A meeting between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Erdogan, requested by Armenia, could take place in Prague, Bagis told Lidovky.
Discussions at the summit will focus on protecting gas pipelines and critical infrastructure after the damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines.
It is also expected to see the signing of a joint EU-NATO declaration and to present the new format of cooperation with non-EU members known as the European Political Community.
The project, first proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron, aims to bring together democratic European nations that share the EU’s values and may seek to join the bloc.
Those invited to the summit include the leaders of non-EU countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Switzerland, Norway, Kosovo and the UK. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is also expected to attend.
Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Sani likey to attend the summit as an informal guest following an invite from President Miloš Zeman.
The Czech Republic widened a warning for its citizens to leave Russia on Monday following Moscow’s mobilisation orders last month, the Foreign Ministry said.
The Czech government had already warned against travel to Russia and urged citizens there to leave in February after the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
On Monday, the ministry expanded its warning, saying Czechs simultaneously holding Russian citizenship faced risks after a mobilisation call in September, a ministry spokeswoman said.
“Citizens of the Czech Republic who also hold Russian citizenship should bear in mind that if they are on the territory of the Russian Federation, they are perceived by Russian authorities primarily as citizens of the Russian Federation,” the ministry said on its website.
“The Czech Embassy in Moscow cannot provide them with adequate, full consular protection.”
The ministry also newly warned about the inability to use bank cards issued in the Czech Republic in Russia due to sanctions.
The Czech Republic has been one of Ukraine’s biggest supporters, sending military aid to Kyiv, and it has also taken in hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees.
The country stopped issuing visas for Russians, apart from for humanitarian issues, on Feb. 24, the day of the invasion, which Moscow has called a “special military operation”
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on Czech citizens to leave Russia due to the deteriorating security situation in the country for citizens of EU and NATO member states.
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Gas consumption in the Czech Republic has fallen by 18 percent year-on-year so far in 2022, industry and trade minister Jozef Síkela told the Czech News Agency on Monday. Consumption is now at its lowest since 2016.
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From November, Czech Post will increase the price of sending letters, parcels, and postal orders. Standard letter delivery will cost two crowns more than CZK 21, while priority mail delivered the next day will cost CZK 28 rather than CZK 26.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend the informal EU summit which will start in Prague on Thursday, Turkish Ambassador to the Czech Republic Egemen Bagis confirmed.
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River flows in three Czech regions have been below average every month for the past year, meteorologists from the Brno branch of the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute have calculated.
Czechs have become the first citizens of a country to raise money through crowd-funding to buy a modernised Soviet-era T-72 tank that will soon be sent to the Ukrainian army to help it defend against Russia’s invasion, a Ukrainian government official said on Monday.
The crowdfunding effort, run by the Ukrainian embassy in Prague, raised 33 million crowns as of Monday from 11,288 donors, the campaign website said.
“The Czech Republic became the first country where ordinary people bought a tank,” Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Perebyinis said on Twitter.
The tank, a T-72 AVENGER, has been modernised to improve its protective systems and to add modern night-vision and communications equipment.
Fundraising is continuing to provide ammunition, the campaign said on its website www.zbraneproukrajinu.cz.
Чехія стала першою країною, де звичайні люди купили для @DefenceU танк – модернізований T-72 AVANGER. Йому дали ім’я Томаш (на фото ліворуч). 33 млн. крон (понад 1,3 млн. дол.) через ініціативу “Подарунок для путіна” зібрали понад 11 тис. людей. Дякуємо!https://t.co/wyOJMt0EvH
— Yevhen Perebyinis (@YPerebyinis) October 3, 2022
The Czech Republic, a NATO and European Union member, has been a strong backer of Ukraine.
It has shipped surplus army stocks as well as privately sourced equipment funded by other countries and the Ukrainian government to Ukraine. Those include older tanks, multiple rocket launchers, artillery, infantry fighting vehicles and air-defence systems to Ukraine.
The Ukraine embassy said that by late September, Czechs had donated 1.3 billion crowns to its weapons-purchase fundraising efforts coordinated with the Czech Defence Ministry.
Ukraine has repeatedly urged supporting countries to provide modern western battle tanks — which donor nations have shied away from — to help its offensive against Russian-controlled regions in the country’s south and east.
The leaders of nine NATO nations from Central and Eastern Europe issued a joint statement on Sunday in support of Ukraine’s path to membership in the alliance.
“We firmly stand behind the 2008 Bucharest NATO Summit decision concerning Ukraine’s future membership,” the presidents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Poland, Czechia, Romania, North Macedonia, and Slovakia said on Sunday.
At that 2008 summit, NATO allies said they “welcomed” Ukraine and Georgia’s aspirations to the join the alliance, though no clear timetable has ever been announced.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, tweeted on Sunday that 10 NATO countries support Ukraine’s bid for membership, including some nations that used to belong to the Soviet Union.
“We are grateful for the leadership and responsibility,” Podolyak tweeted. “History is being made today.”
Within 48 hours of @ZelenskyyUa signing application to join NATO, 10 bloc countries supported Ukraine’s membership in the Alliance – mostly countries that remember poisonous claws of ru-empire. We are grateful for the leadership and responsibility. History is being made today.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) October 2, 2022
Zelenskyy said on Friday that Kyiv has “accelerated” its application for NATO membership after Russia annexed four Ukrainian territories.
“De facto, we have already proven compatibility with alliance standards. They are real for Ukraine – real on the battlefield and in all aspects of our interaction,” Zelenskyy said. “We trust each other, we help each other, and we protect each other. This is the alliance.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg declined to comment on Ukraine’s pathway to membership, telling NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that any decision “has to be taken by consensus” but that the alliance’s “top priority” is to support Ukraine.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday that the United States supports NATO’s open-door policy for countries that want to join.
“Right now, our view is that the best way for us to support Ukraine is through practical, on-the-ground support in Ukraine, and that the process in Brussels should be taken up at a different time,” Sullivan said during a press conference.