In the summer of 2024, residents and visitors to Prague will be able to view the city centre from a new vantage point. A publicly accessible terrace will open on the roof of the Masaryčka building, recently built by world-famous architect Zaha Hadid. It will house a café, toilets and a seating area. The entrance will be completely barrier-free. The building was constructed as part of the revitalization of the area near the Masaryk railway station. Initially, the Prague 1 authorities were against the construction of a roof terrace, fearing that it would spoil the panorama of the city. However, after consultations with experts and a poll of local residents, which resulted in 80% of those who voted in favor of the idea, the officials changed their minds. “Co-operation with the investor, residents and relevant authorities has shown that it is possible to find solutions that will suit all parties,” said Terezie Radoměřská, the head of the Prague-1 municipal district. There is no exact date for the opening of the terrace yet. Most likely, it will take place in early summer. “Masaryčka is attractive for the citizens of the city and its visitors, and is likely to become one of...
There has been a notable increase in egg prices across Czech supermarkets. This price surge comes as a surprise, particularly in light of the recent three-percentage-point reduction in the value-added tax (VAT) on food items. Throughout December, supermarkets lured customers with discounted egg prices. However, these same eggs are now being sold at a higher cost per piece. The earlier Christmas promotions and current seasonal factors, including concerns about bird flu, are likely contributing to this unexpected price hike. According to the Czech Statistical Office, the average price of eggs in stores at the end of the previous year was 3.70 crowns each. Stores like Albert offered promotions, such as a pack of ten eggs for 29.90 CZK, a deal echoed by other chains. Following the New Year, the pricing has seen an increase, with Albert pricing the package at 48.60 CZK, Lidl at 43.50 CZK, and Penny at 46.65 CZK. At Billa, a pack of thirty eggs equates to a single egg price of 4.66 CZK. It’s not only consumers who are closely monitoring these prices; both the Government and the Czech National Bank had pledged a reduction in high inflation. However, the repricing efforts in January, along with...
PID Lítačka Prague city transport cards, which were first issued in 2016, are set to expire this year. However, the company ICT Operator and Prague City Hall decided to automatically extend the card validity by three years. Therefore, passengers whose cards were due to expire this year will be capable of travelling with Lítačka around Prague and Prague Central Bohemia until 2027. Depending on passengers’ preferred contact method, informative emails and text messages will be sent to passengers affected by the card’s original expiry date. Detailed information about card renewals will be available on the website www.pid.litacka.cz, as well as on Lítačka social networks, and at Lítačka ticket machines. Currently, the PID system boasts 470,000 active Litáčka, accommodating 610,000 different long-term passes. Additionally, there’s good news for commuters concerned about fare hikes. At least for the initial months of 2024, public transport fares will remain unchanged. The future beyond that remains uncertain, but Prague transport operators have hinted at the possibility of an eventual increase in the price of long-term passes.
After a successful four-year run, Czech carrier RegioJet has made the strategic decision to discontinue its seasonal Prague-Croatia railway service. Instead, the company is steering its focus to Ukraine, according to statements from the company’s director, Radim Jančura, to Zdopravy.cz. However, RegioJet is gearing up to enhance its bus services to Croatia, aiming to offset the void left by the canceled trains. Buses from Prague to Split will be in operation daily throughout the summer of 2024. The transformation began in the summer of 2023, as the company reduced the number of trains to Croatia, reallocating resources to the route from Prague to the Ukrainian border. Jančura stated, “We are now prioritizing year-round connections to Ukraine.” The Czech private operator aims to start service to Ukraine in January 2024 with an overnight flight from Prague to Chop, operating through the Cerná nad Tisou border crossing in Slovakia. The new route will utilize a 37-kilometer stretch of standard gauge track from the border to Chop and onward to Mukachevo in Ukraine. Departing from Prague Main Station at 21:38, the trains will reach Chop at 10:35, with the return journey departing Chop at 17:30 and arriving in Prague at 05:07. Given that...
In 2023, the Czech Republic witnessed a record-breaking 277,000 self-employed individuals terminating their businesses, marking the highest number since 1993, according to data from Imper. The trend is attributed to economic uncertainties, escalating costs and increased administrative requirements such as mandatory data boxes. Despite 68,000 entrepreneurs registering anew, mirroring the figures from 2022, the overall termination of businesses reflects a challenging economic environment. Last year, 14,000 limited liability companies and 4,703 foreign individuals ceased to exist. Associations that ceased to exist were 3,424, and individuals engaged in agriculture also significantly felt the impact with 2,836 entities ending their activities, a notable increase from 812 in 2022 The termination of businesses in 2023 almost matched the previous record set in 1993 when over 278,000 self-employed individuals ended their businesses. Factors contributing to this record include the dissolution of Czechoslovakia and the legislative prohibition of the “black system,” effective from that year onwards. Throughout the years, the number of terminated businesses varied in the tens of thousands, with exceptions like 2013 when nearly 150,000 self-employed individuals ceased their activities and the post-COVID year 2022. Tomáš Berger, the director of Imper, pointed out that the peak termination of activities occurred during February and...
Free parking for electric cars and the use of portable parking permits in Prague’s free parking zones will cease starting December 31, 2024. This adjustment is part of the planned revamp of the city’s parking system. Regular parking permits for residents and businesses will, however, remain unaffected at this time. Deputy Mayor for Transport Zdeněk Hřib explained, “The electric car occupies the same space as a car with an internal combustion engine, and considering their expected increase, providing one-sided preferential treatment with free parking is not sustainable in the long term.” Despite this change, the city remains committed to supporting electromobility. Investments in charging infrastructure will continue, aiming to enhance electric car accessibility, partially funded by European subsidies. As part of the new paid zone reform, electric cars are expected to receive discounted rates for certain city-wide parking permits. The current discount for electric car parking, initially introduced in 2016 as a temporary measure, aligns with Prague Council’s strategy document approved on October 5, 2020. The document outlines support for alternative driving in Prague until 2030, setting 2023 as the latest date for discontinuing the current preferential treatment of electric cars. Over the past three years, the city has invested...
Perhaps spiders are not a nuisance after all — at least that’s the case for Adam Sandler in “Spaceman,” in which he receives emotional support from an oversized arachnid in outer space. Netflix has released the trailer for Sandler’s upcoming sci-fi film, set to premiere at Berlin Film Festival next month. It will then release in select theaters on Feb. 23 and on the streamer March 1. Directed by Johan Renck, who helmed the HBO miniseries “Chernobyl,” the film is based on the 2017 novel “Spaceman of Bohemia” (Kosmonaut z Čech) by Czech author Jaroslav Kalfař. The film’s description reads, “Six months into a solitary research mission to the edge of the solar system, an astronaut, Jakub (Adam Sandler), realizes that the marriage he left behind might not be waiting for him when he returns to Earth. Desperate to fix things with his wife, Lenka (Carey Mulligan), he is helped by a mysterious creature from the beginning of time he finds hiding in the bowels of his ship. Hanuš (voiced by Paul Dano) works with Jakub to make sense of what went wrong before it is too late.” The trailer reveals that Sandler’s Jakub is 189 days into his solo...
In the UK and US, people attempt a month without drinking alcohol under the banner of Dry January, but in Czechia, February is the nationally recognized month for abstaining. In its 2024 edition, the Dry February campaign (Suchej únor) extends its mission beyond alcohol abstinence, urging participants to embrace a healthier lifestyle. The goal is ambitious—to impact over one million individuals, building on the 14 percent of the population that engaged last year. For those backing the cause financially, benefits include online workout sessions and monthly memberships to weight-loss apps, to complimentary rides on shared bikes. “If we take data from the World Health Organisation, we have long been ranked among the top three global consumers. Some 14 litres of pure alcohol are consumed per person per year in this country, which is an enormous number. And that’s after deducting tourist consumption,” says Petr Freimann of the non-profit organisation behind the campaign. Looking back at last year’s campaign, expert guarantor Josef Petr said, “We successfully got thousands of people to rethink their relationship with alcohol. More than half of them continued to drink less even months after the Dry February ended.” “We have tens of hundreds of stories from people...
American airline Delta Airlines has confirmed the resumption of direct flights between Prague and New York’s JFK airport starting May 10, 2024, as announced in a recent press release. The airline plans to operate daily flights on this route until October 6, utilizing the Boeing 767-300 liner for the service. The estimated travel time for the journey is 9 hours and 25 minutes. Tickets for these flights are already available for purchase, with a base fare set at CZK 24,000 for a one-way trip. “The resumption of direct flights to New York, which was one of the most attractive long-haul destinations from Prague in 2019, is excellent news,” said Jiří Pos, Chairman of the Prague Airport Board of Directors. “It will be particularly appreciated by Czech passengers, who will gain a convenient and fast connection to the east coast of the United States.” More choice in the U.S. For customers looking to travel beyond New York, Delta offers same-day connections to 42 cities across the United States from its hub at JFK, making it easier to connect to friends, family and business colleagues. The airline has more flights from Europe to New York-JFK than any other carrier and has a total...
Czech President Petr Pavel assured his Israeli counterpart Herzog that his country stands shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish state in its battle to defeat Hamas. “You can always rely on the Czech Republic,” Pavel told Herzog when the two met at the President’s residence in Jerusalem. He later spoke in a closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Discussing the future of Gaza The two presidents discussed the future of Gaza after the Hamas issue is settled and the need for both military and civilian oversight. They also discussed other issues in the Middle East that are linked to Iran and Russia. In calling for international support in Israel’s struggle against Hamas, Herzog said, “If we are not here, Europe and the United States will be next, which is why the world should support us.” He described the war that Hamas is conducting as “cynical and psychological” and defined Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as “a psychopath who kills people with his own hands.” On the matter of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Herzog reiterated what he has said to other world leaders and solidarity groups, namely that Israel is in favor of additional assistance, which has already been increased...
A rare male pygmy hippopotamus born in a Czech zoo has taken part in his first photoshoot, to the delight of spectators. The hippo, named Mikolas, is considered a valuable addition to conservation efforts over the endangered species. Born in December, Mikolas has joined two female and one male in the Dvur Kralove Zoo, said Helena Hubackova, a spokeswoman for the park. Mikolas could be seen exploring his indoor enclosure with his mother Malaya closely watching over him. Pygmy hippos are native to swamps and rainforests in western Africa. It is estimated only about 2,500 still live in the wild. Their breeding in captivity has been complicated, particularly due to a lack of males. Only a dozen pygmy hippos were born in zoos globally last year, and not all survived. Weighing up to 275 kilos (nearly 600lbs), the pygmy hippos are solitary and considered less dangerous than common hippos. But they can get wild at times. A zookeeper in Dvur Kralove was seriously injured by one of the hippos in 2012 and had to be treated at an intensive care unit.
Prague police made a major breakthrough last week, arresting two individuals involved in the illicit cocaine trade. The duo, responsible for distributing several kilograms of the drug annually, was taken into custody following a raid that uncovered a staggering 12.5 kilograms of cocaine and CZK 14 million. This marks the largest drug bust in Prague in recent years. Jakub Frydrych, Director of the National Anti-Drug Center, highlighted the increased popularity of cocaine in the Czech Republic due to its growing availability. Frydrych estimated the street value of the seized cocaine at around CZL 6 million. Explaining the dynamics of the illicit trade, he stated, “A good price among wholesalers is approximately CZK 492,000.” He pointed out that cocaine enters the Czech Republic through various routes, with increasing involvement of European laboratories in countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, and the Baltics. The director emphasized the challenges posed by container transport, which constitutes approximately 75 percent of the trade volume in the European Union. “With more cocaine reaching Europe, its average price is decreasing, and quality is increasing—a litmus test of prosperity,” Frydrych continued. He expressed concern about the rising popularity of cocaine in the Czech Republic compared to other stimulants in...
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