Travelers flying from Prague this autumn have more options as airlines add capacity and new direct connections, particularly to Asia. At the same time, increased competition is putting pressure on carriers to keep fares under control, according to data from Czech booking portal Letuška.cz. The biggest changes are visible on long-haul routes. New services from Prague are making destinations in Asia more accessible, while airlines already serving the Czech market are responding with promotional fares. “Thanks to high competition and new capacity from Prague, the autumn flight market offers very favorable travel conditions,” said Josef Trejbal, commercial director of Letuška.cz. He said the arrival of new Asian connections has helped revive demand for long-haul travel and encouraged established airlines to introduce more competitive offers. Direct flights strengthen Prague’s links with Asia Asia is once again attracting greater interest from Czech travelers. One factor is the growing number of direct or more convenient connections from Prague, which can reduce the need for lengthy transfers through major Middle Eastern hubs. STARLUX Airlines, for example, is offering flights from Prague to Taipei from around CZK 21,000. The direct service provides an alternative to itineraries involving a stopover and can save travelers both time...
Prague will offer a range of free cultural events in October, from exhibitions and science films to family entertainment and hands-on craft workshops. Several major institutions will also open their doors to the public on October 28, Czech Independence Day. Here are five events where the main program is free, followed by a guide to some of the places that can be visited without charge on the October 28 public holiday. Free admission at the National Gallery October 3–4 and October 28, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM The National Gallery Prague will offer free access to selected exhibitions on two occasions in October. On October 3 and 4, visitors can see 1956–1989: Architecture for Everyone at the Trade Fair Palace (Veletržní palác) without paying an entrance fee. The offer forms part of Architecture Day, this year’s festival built around the theme “I Dwell, Therefore I Am.” The Architecture Day program will also include free tours and workshops at several National Gallery sites, including the Trade Fair Palace, the Convent of St. Agnes of Bohemia and Schwarzenberg Palace. Some activities require advance registration. Another opportunity comes on October 28, when the National Gallery will waive admission to its eight permanent exhibitions. The program...
Bolt and U.S. electric vehicle maker Lucid Group have announced a partnership to develop autonomous mobility services in Europe, with plans to deploy more than 25,000 fully autonomous vehicles across European cities over the coming years. The vehicles will be based on Lucid’s upcoming Midsize platform and use NVIDIA Hyperion, a reference architecture and development platform for autonomous vehicles. The companies plan to develop the vehicles for SAE Level 4 autonomous driving, which allows vehicles to operate without human control within defined conditions. Bolt says the project is part of its wider ambition to have 100,000 autonomous vehicles operating on its platform by 2035. The companies will work together from the early stages of vehicle development. Bolt will contribute traffic and mobility data, operational experience and knowledge of European markets, while Lucid will provide its software-defined vehicle platform and automotive technology. Bolt will also define requirements covering the vehicle, software, safety and passenger experience. Its autonomous driving division will oversee the partnership and develop the infrastructure needed to operate the fleet. This will include vehicle dispatch, charging, maintenance, remote assistance and customer support. Bolt also plans to own and operate the autonomous vehicles itself. Rollout will depend on local regulations...
Prague Airport and the Czech Ministry of the Interior are preparing additional measures to reduce waiting times for passengers arriving from non-Schengen countries following the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). The new system has made border checks more complex, particularly for travellers from outside the EU. Prague Airport says it has already introduced several measures aimed at keeping passenger flows moving during busy periods. Airport staff, known as the Red Team, are assisting passengers in the terminal, directing them through the new procedures and providing information where needed. The airport has also adjusted passenger flow corridors based on data collected since the system was introduced. One of the main issues identified so far is the self-service registration process. According to the airport, a significant number of passengers do not complete their registration at the kiosks, which can lead to additional delays at passport control. Prague Airport is therefore examining the entire journey from the registration kiosks to passport control and looking at ways to make the process easier, particularly for families and older passengers. “Data has shown us that the most common delays occur when people interrupt the registration process at the terminals,” said Radomír Lašák, Chairman of...
September 28 is a public holiday in the Czech Republic, marking Czech Statehood Day and the feast of St. Wenceslas. This year, the holiday falls on a Monday, giving many people a three-day weekend. For anyone planning to spend the day in Prague, however, there are two practical questions: which shops will be open, and what can you do around the city? Where you can shop on September 28 Under Czech legislation regulating retail opening hours, shops with a sales area of more than 200 square meters must close on September 28. The restriction applies throughout the day and covers large supermarkets, hypermarkets and home improvement stores. Smaller shops with sales areas of up to 200 square meters are exempt and can open at their owners’ discretion. Petrol stations and pharmacies can also operate. Other exceptions include shops located at airports, railway stations and bus terminals, as well as retail outlets inside healthcare facilities. Why September 28 is Czech Statehood Day The holiday commemorates Prince Wenceslas, a member of the Přemyslid dynasty who became one of the central figures in Czech history. Wenceslas was killed by his brother Boleslav I on September 28, 935, in Stará Boleslav. His death later...
Reaching the Client Centre for residence-related questions in Czechia requires patience. More than 2,000 calls are received every day, so some waiting time is unavoidable. However, you can significantly reduce your waiting time by calling during less busy hours, which are published through the authority’s official channels. It is also worth having your identification document number ready before calling. This can speed up the process, particularly if you are calling to book an appointment. Those who do not want to wait on the phone can use other ways to get in touch. Answers to many common questions are available in the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Information Portal for Foreigners (ipc.gov.cz). If your matter is not urgent or your question is more complicated, you can also contact the centre by email at [email protected]. The current status of your application can be checked online using the dedicated service on the same portal. When it comes to appointments, most bookings can be made through your personal account on the Information Portal for Foreigners. You only need to book by phone in three cases: to provide biometric data, to inspect your case file, or to collect a residence card as an...
Czech President Petr Pavel has warned that NATO may eventually need to shoot down Russian aircraft or drones that deliberately violate the alliance’s airspace. Speaking to Fox News Digital in New York during the U.N. General Assembly, Pavel said Russia was testing NATO’s readiness and could interpret continued restraint as a sign of weakness. “There might be the time when we will have to shoot down some of these planes or unmanned vehicles that are testing our readiness,” Pavel said. Pavel said the alliance needs to distinguish between accidental airspace violations and deliberate incursions in which an aircraft ignores warnings to leave. “If it is deliberate and the violator doesn’t respond to our measures, then we will have to act, because otherwise Russia simply would push further on,” he said. His comments came after a series of incidents involving Russian aircraft and drones near NATO territory. On Wednesday, a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter briefly entered Polish airspace after crossing from the Kaliningrad region. According to Poland’s Armed Forces Operational Command, the helicopter travelled around 300 metres into Polish territory and remained there for 42 seconds. On Thursday, Romania also scrambled two F-16 fighter jets after an unidentified aerial target entered...
A new sports complex has opened in Riegrovy Sady, giving residents of Prague 2 access to a refurbished court, parkour equipment, a climbing wall and an outdoor fitness area. The facility, next to the TJ Sokol Královské Vinohrady building, was officially opened Tuesday afternoon. The renovation and installation of new equipment cost CZK 8.7 million, excluding VAT. The site is intended for people of different ages and can be used for several sports. The refurbished court is suitable for football and basketball, while the new equipment includes a parkour area, climbing wall and a small fitness zone. The project forms part of the district’s longer-term plans for Riegrovy Sady. Officials said the upper section of the park has lacked sufficient space for outdoor sports and exercise. The sports area occupies land that until last year was used by two unauthorized structures, the Ice Magic ice sculpture exhibition and the Containall sports and cultural center. The district is also considering a much larger project for the site. A multifunctional hall for sports and cultural events could eventually replace the current outdoor facility. Petr Janů, deputy chairman of TJ Sokol Královské Vinohrady, previously said the goal was to create a building designed...
Prague taxi drivers could soon be required to demonstrate their knowledge of Czech and the city’s geography. The Chamber of Deputies approved the change on Wednesday as part of an amendment to the Road Traffic Act. The legislation does not automatically introduce testing in Prague or other Czech cities. Instead, it would give municipalities the authority to impose such requirements. Under the amendment, municipalities could test taxi drivers on their legal rights and obligations, their Czech language skills to the extent necessary for the job, and their knowledge of locations within the municipality that are relevant to taxi services. The bill now goes to the Senate. What the new rules could mean for taxi drivers The issue has been debated in Prague for some time, particularly as the taxi industry has changed with the rapid growth of app-based services. Pirate Party leader Zdeněk Hřib introduced a more detailed proposal in May. That version included specific provisions defining what drivers could be required to know and what would fall outside the scope of the tests. For example, the proposal said drivers should not be expected to demonstrate encyclopedic knowledge of Prague’s landmarks. Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik of the SPD, however, argued...
More than 240 children and 10 adults have developed gastrointestinal symptoms in connection with a suspected Salmonella outbreak at a school in Prague’s Újezd nad Lesy district. Masaryk Elementary School, which has around 1,100 pupils, is being temporarily closed while health authorities investigate the source of the infection. The school’s kitchen and cafeteria will also undergo thorough disinfection. Salmonella has so far been confirmed by laboratory tests in four children, according to Petra Batok, a spokesperson for the Prague Public Health Authority. Officials are continuing to investigate how the infection entered the school. The first cases were reported earlier this week. The largest number of illnesses has been recorded among upper-level pupils and children attending Montessori classes. Classes for those groups were cancelled on Wednesday, while all pupils have been given Thursday and Friday off. Food samples taken from the school cafeteria have been sent for laboratory testing, with results expected on Friday. The final number of people affected is not yet known. Health officials are collecting additional information through questionnaires completed by parents and adults who visited the cafeteria. The Prague public health authorities have described the incident as an epidemic. Prague emergency services have received 55 calls from...
Prague commuters should expect changes to metro and tram services from Saturday, September 26, through Monday, September 28, as maintenance work affects Metro Line C and tram routes in Libeň. Metro Line C will be suspended between Pražského povstání and Chodov for the entire long weekend. Trains will continue running between Letňany and Pražského povstání, while the southern section between Chodov and Háje will operate as a shuttle service. Four stations will be affected by the closure: Pankrác, Budějovická, Kačerov and Roztyly. Passengers can use replacement bus XC, which will run between Pražského povstání and Chodov via all four stations. Hundreds of railway sleepers to be replaced The closure will allow Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) workers to replace several hundred wooden sleepers with concrete ones. Once the work is completed, around 17,000 of the approximately 20,000 original sleepers between Florenc and Kačerov will have been replaced. DPP said the work is scheduled during long weekends because the materials used to secure the new sleepers need more time to harden than a standard weekend allows. Tram services suspended in Libeň Tram services will also be disrupted between Palmovka and Ke Stírce from early Saturday morning until 6 p.m. Monday. Several lines...
A judge at Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court sentenced a Czech man to 13 days in jail on Tuesday for staging a protest on Red Square. Identified as Michal Plamenek, the man was arrested for holding up a sign in English next to Lenin’s Mausoleum on Sunday afternoon, the court’s press service said in a statement. No details were provided as to what was written on Plamenek’s sign, but the court press service said a judge ruled that the inscription was “aimed at discrediting the Russian Armed Forces.” Police officers arrested Plamenek because Red Square directly adjoins the Kremlin, where protests are banned. He allegedly refused to listen to a request by officers to accompany them to a police station and resisted arrest. A judge found Plamenek guilty on three separate administrative counts of discrediting the Russian military, violating protest rules and disobeying a police officer. He was also fined a total of 60,000 roubles, around CZK 15,000. The Czech Foreign Ministry said its embassy in Moscow has been providing the detained man with consular assistance from the outset. It declined to comment further because of the sensitivity of the case. Promote your business to thousands of expats in Prague Find...
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