Page 238 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Prague

236  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

train. An “R” without a box means immeasurably, and tickets tend
a reservation is recom mended. to sell out quickly. Some Czech
If you are caught in the wrong towns – such as Karlovy Vary,
carriage, you have to pay an Hradec Králové, Český Krumlov
on­the­spot fine. and Terezín – are much easier
to reach by coach than train.
The city’s main bus terminal
Train Stations
is Florenc, on the northeastern
The biggest and busiest railway edge of the New Town. There is
station in Prague is Hlavní also a smaller station at Anděl
nádraží, which is only a called Na Knížecí. The Florenc
5­minute walk from Wenceslas terminal stays open from 4am
Square. After a thorough until midnight and offers food
The Art Nouveau façade of Hlavní nádraží, renovation, the Art Nouveau outlets, information kiosks,
the main train station in Prague station now features a gleaming inexpensive left­luggage
interior with shops, restaurants, facilities and tickets sales
Travelling by Train a pub and even a jeweller’s. from such companies as
Rail travel is an enjoyable and As well as shops, the lower Eurolines and Student
environ mentally friendly way ground floor has an Agency to name just two.
to travel to and from Prague. inexpensive left­luggage During the summer
Prague is connected by rail to facility and the central months, there are hundreds
all the major capitals of Europe. ticket office (open of coach trips to all the
International trains have dining 3:30am–00:30am). In major coastal resorts in
cars and couchettes, but tickets this ticket hall, there is southern Europe. These
are often more expensive than also ČD Travel, where get booked up quickly by
budget air fares so it is always all international rail Czechs, so buy your ticket
worth comparing the price tickets, including those well in advance and be
of both options. Buy well in for Eurostar, are sold sure to reserve a seat.
advance to ensure a seat and by multilingual station Smíchov station
get the best possible deal. staff. Many international Travelling by Car Smíchovské nádraží
The railways in the Czech trains also stop at Serves domestic rail routes.
Republic are run by České Dráhy Nádraží Holešovice. To drive a car in the Czech
(ČD). There are several types of Prague’s oldest train Republic, you must be at
train run by ČD. These include terminal, Masarykovo least 18 years of age.
the rychlík (express) trains; the nádraží, serves mainly A uniformed railway Most foreign driving
osobní (passenger) trains, which Prague’s suburbs and a employee licences, including
form a local service and stop at few other domestic Canadian, US and
all stations; the EX, or national routes. Similarly, many EU ones, are recognized. New
express, for longer distances; domestic routes are served Zealand and Australian drivers,
the SC (Supercity), which is the from Smíchov. however, should get an Inter­
fastest and most comfortable national Driving Licence before
train service between Prague, Travelling by Coach leaving home.
Františkovy Lázně and Ostrava; If you bring your own car to
and the EC (Eurocity), or inter­ Coach connections from Prague Prague, by law you must carry the
national express. to many of the major European following with you at all times: a
Alternatively, Regiojet and cities have improved valid driver’s licence; vehicle
Leo Express make for a cheaper
and more comfortable option
to Pardubice, Olomouc and
Ostrava, with extensions to
the Slovak cities of Žilina,
Poprad (Tatry) and Košice.
Tickets can be bought in
advance. If you want to buy
a ticket just before your train
leaves, be warned that queues
at ticket booths can be long,
especially on Fridays and
Sundays. First­class carriages
exist on most trains and
guarantee you a seat. In the
timetable, an “R” in a box by a
train number means you must
have a seat reserved on that A Eurolines long-haul coach

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