Practical Tips for Tourists in Czech Republic

Posted on by Jan Marek
Practical Tips for Tourists in Czech Republic

Practical tips will help you stay safe and enjoy the Czech Republic: keep your valuables secure to avoid pickpocketing, use licensed taxis or apps to dodge scams, and call 112 for emergencies while relying on travel insurance for healthcare; learn basic etiquette—greet politely and adopt local dining times (lunch and dinner later), ask before photographing cultural sites and obey signs (no flash in churches); embrace the positives like world-class beer and historic architecture and treat locals with respect to have a smooth trip.

Key Takeaways:

  • Protect valuables and stay aware of common scams; carry contact info for your embassy, travel insurance, and emergency numbers — 112 (EU), 155 (ambulance), 158 (police).
  • Observe Czech etiquette: be punctual, greet with a handshake and use formal titles when appropriate; dining customs include lunch around 12:00–14:00, dinner about 18:00–20:00, and tipping ~10%.
  • Respect photography rules at cultural sites: follow signage, ask before photographing people or interiors, avoid flash/tripods where prohibited, and obtain permits for drones or professional shoots.

Navigating Safety: Your Travel Shield

Pickpocketing remains the most common crime you’ll face in tourist hotspots like Old Town Square, Charles Bridge and crowded metro trains. Keep your passport and extra cash in a zipped inner pocket or money belt, place backpacks on the front in busy areas, and avoid keeping all cards or cash together — thieves often work in pairs using distraction techniques such as asking for directions or dropping something sharp to draw attention.

ATMs near tourist sites have a higher risk of skimming; use machines inside bank branches when possible and cover the keypad for PIN entry. If you need medical care, bring printed proof of travel insurance and, for EU citizens, your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to reduce out‑of‑pocket costs at public hospitals.

Essential Emergency Contacts: What You Need to Know

Dial 112 for any EU emergency operator; use 155 for ambulance services, 150 for fire, and 158 for police. Save these numbers in your phone and on a printed card in your wallet; outages or roaming issues can make a paper copy the fastest option. Keep your travel insurance emergency hotline and policy number easily accessible — insurers often provide 24/7 case management and direct billing to some hospitals.

Major Prague hospitals that handle trauma and English‑speaking patients include FN Motol (Motol University Hospital), which receives serious cases, and several private clinics that advertise international services. If you’re confronted with a serious incident, call the police (158) to obtain an official report — that document is typically required for insurance claims and any embassy assistance.

Recognizing and Avoiding Tourist Scams

Fake currency exchange booths advertise “no commission” but hide poor rates or add fees; compare the posted rate to the mid‑market rate shown in your banking app and avoid exchanges with opaque displays. Taxi overcharging remains common — insist on the meter or use app services like Bolt or Liftago, and refuse offers of a “fixed price” from drivers who approach you outside train stations.

Watch for distraction techniques: a person asking you to sign a petition, offering friendship bracelets, or “finding” a ring can be partnered with a second person who takes valuables. Public transport ticket inspectors do fine offenders who don’t validate a ticket, so buy and validate tickets via the official PID app or at kiosks before boarding to avoid a confrontation and a fine.

If you do fall victim to a scam, collect as many details as you can — photos of suspects, vehicle registration, receipt images — then call 158 to file a police report, contact your bank to block cards, and notify your insurer. Acting quickly increases the chance of recovering funds and makes official documentation available for refunds or disputes.

Decoding Czech Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules

Social Norms and Customs: Fitting In Like a Local

Greet officials and older people with a firm handshake and use formal titles—say “Pan” or “Paní” plus the surname in business or formal settings; casual first-name use comes later, usually after the Czech introduces it. Expect direct, understated conversation: people value honesty and may seem reserved at first, so match that tone rather than over-familiar banter. Stand in orderly queues (cutting is seen as rude), keep moderate eye contact, and avoid loud phone conversations on trams and in cafes.

Keep belongings secure in crowded tourist areas—pickpocketing is the most common petty crime in Prague, so carry a crossbody bag in front and zip pockets closed; watch your phone and wallet around Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, and busy metro stations. Ask before photographing strangers or inside churches and galleries; many sites post explicit no-photography rules and flash can trigger security staff. If you need emergency assistance dial 112 for police, ambulance, or fire.

Dining Etiquette: Understanding Meal Times and Manners

Lunch is the main midday meal, typically served between 12:00–14:00, and many restaurants offer an affordable “denní menu” (daily special) during those hours; dinner usually starts after 18:30 and places can fill up, so reserve for popular spots. Wait to be seated unless clearly signposted, attract the server’s attention politely with eye contact or a quiet “prosím,” and expect table service rather than self-seating in full-service restaurants.

Order beer by the half-liter—0.5 L draft is the local standard and often cheaper than bottled water; say “Na zdraví!” and make eye contact when toasting. Tipping is common: leave about 10% or simply round up the bill (5–10% in casual cafes), and hand the cash to the server if you want them to keep the tip. Smoking is largely banned indoors since 2017, so do not expect smoking sections in most modern venues.

Splitting the bill isn’t automatically offered; if you want separate checks, ask up front—say “můžeme rozdělit účet?”—and note that many places add a service charge explicitly, so check the receipt before tipping. For quick café-style visits expect counter service, while multi-course dinners follow continental cutlery use and modest pacing: pace yourself through starter, main, then dessert rather than rushing.

Health and Wellness: Securing Your Well-being

Accessing Healthcare: What Tourists Should Know

Dial 112 for EU-wide emergencies; use 155 for ambulance, 158 for police and 150 for fire. Present your passport and any insurance documentation at hospital intake; if you hold an EU EHIC/GHIC card you can access state-provided care for medically necessary treatment, though repatriation and some private services will not be covered. Prague’s major emergency departments—Fakultní nemocnice v Motole and Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice v Praze—handle trauma and serious illness, while private clinics in central Prague (many with English-speaking staff) offer quicker, often pay-upfront treatment that you can then claim back from insurers.

Pharmacies (lékárna) typically operate 8:00–18:00 on weekdays with rotating night pharmacies (noční lékárna) and several 24/7 branches in larger cities; over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen and paracetamol are widely available. Carry a list of your prescriptions with generic drug names and dosage to avoid confusion at local pharmacies, and expect to present prescriptions for controlled medications. For dental emergencies, prices can escalate quickly—an emergency extraction or root canal at a private clinic can run into hundreds of euros—so consider a pre-trip check if you have lingering dental issues.

Preparing for the Unexpected: Travel Insurance Insights

Schengen visa rules require travel medical insurance with a minimum of €30,000 coverage for medical expenses and repatriation; for broader protection, target policies with at least €100,000 and explicit evacuation coverage. Inspect policy fine print for exclusions—many standard plans exclude high-risk activities such as off-piste skiing, mountain biking, or organized climbing unless you buy a sports-addendum. Some credit cards provide limited travel insurance, but coverage caps and conditions (you often must pay for travel with the card) make standalone policies safer for significant medical or evacuation risk.

Store digital and printed copies of your policy, emergency assistance number, and policy number in multiple places. Contact your insurer’s 24/7 hotline before non-life-threatening admissions to arrange direct billing; when you attend care unplanned, secure itemised receipts, discharge summaries and diagnostic reports for claims. If you experience theft or a scam in Prague, obtain a police report from Policie ČR—an official report is usually required to process baggage or theft claims.

Check deductibles and coverage limits for cancellation, baggage delay, and repatriation; helicopter evacuation from remote mountain areas can easily exceed €5,000–€15,000, which many basic plans won’t fully cover. If you plan skiing in Krkonoše or cycling in Moravia, add appropriate sports cover and verify pre-existing condition clauses; register your embassy or consulate contact details alongside insurer contacts for fastest assistance if something goes wrong.

Capturing Moments: Photography Do’s and Don’ts

You can get spectacular shots across Prague and beyond, but keep your gear and personal safety in mind: pickpocketing is common in crowded spots like Charles Bridge and Old Town Square between roughly 10:00–16:00 in summer, so wear a zipped, cross‑body bag and keep your camera strap around your wrist or neck. Drones fall under strict regulation in the Czech Republic — flying over the historic centre, Prague Castle, and within airport zones is typically prohibited without permits from the Civil Aviation Authority (ÚCL) and must follow EU drone rules; commercial drone work requires formal authorization.

Operational rules matter as much as etiquette: many museums, churches, theatres and concerts ban flash, tripods or any photography during performances, and you may be asked to stop, delete images, or leave if you ignore signs. If something goes wrong, call 112 (EU emergency) or police at 158; for theft or a serious incident, report it promptly so you can get an official record for insurance or embassy assistance.

Respecting Privacy: Where and When to Snap

You should avoid photographing people close‑up without clear permission, especially children, people in vulnerable situations, or individuals at ATMs and on public transport; a polite Czech phrase to ask is “Mohu vás vyfotit?” Vendors at markets like Havelské tržiště may tolerate photos of stalls, but get okay before taking portraits or commercial shots of goods. Pools, spa zones (for example in Karlovy Vary) and changing areas are treated as private — photographing bathers can lead to confrontations and complaints.

Street candids are common, but aim for distance or use a zoom for unobtrusive shots and be ready to hand over or delete an image if someone objects; locals value personal space and may react strongly if you focus on them unasked. Watch for signage that says “zákaz fotografování” (no photography) or specific notices like “Fotografování povoleno bez blesku” (photography allowed without flash) and comply immediately to avoid disputes or escalation.

Cultural Sites and Restrictions: Navigating the Rules

You will encounter site‑specific rules at major attractions: Prague Castle permits exterior photography freely but many interiors limit photography or ban tripods and flash in chapels and galleries, while institutions such as the National Gallery Prague and the Jewish Museum often prohibit photography in temporary exhibitions or sacred spaces. Theatres and concert halls (National Theatre, Estates Theatre) strictly forbid photos and recordings during performances — staff routinely enforce this and may eject patrons who ignore announcements.

Professional or commercial shoots nearly always need written permission and sometimes fees; for instance, organized shoots inside Prague Castle or large museums require advance approval from the administration and may involve time‑restricted access or an escort. Carry proof of any permit on you and follow the conditions (locations, lights, crew size) to avoid fines or cancellation of the session.

Before lifting your camera, check ticket desk notices and official websites for current rules, and ask staff if a sign isn’t clear — many venues post guidelines like “no photography” or “photography without flash only” at entrances. If you plan extended or commercial photography, contact the site in advance to secure permissions and learn about insurance or fee requirements so your shoot proceeds without interruption.

To wrap up

Taking this into account, you should prioritize personal safety by staying aware of your surroundings, securing valuables, and using licensed taxis or ride‑hailing apps to avoid overcharging. Keep emergency numbers handy: 112 for all emergencies, 155 for medical, 158 for police, and note the location of your nearest embassy; carry travel insurance and a copy of your passport. When photographing public spaces and cultural sites, ask before taking close shots of people, avoid flash in museums or churches, and follow posted rules to prevent fines or confrontations.

Respect local customs by addressing people politely, using formal titles when appropriate, and adapting to later dining hours—many restaurants fill after 19:00—so plan reservations accordingly. To avoid common Prague scams, guard your wallet in crowds, decline unsolicited help, use official currency exchange or cards, get fare estimates before entering taxis, and consult hotel staff or local tourist offices for guidance to keep your trip smooth and secure.

FAQ

Q: What safety measures and emergency contacts should tourists in the Czech Republic know?

A: Keep valuables secure and out of sight in crowded areas (trams, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge at peak times). Use front-zip bags or money belts, carry copies of your passport, and leave extra documents in your hotel safe. Use official taxis or apps (Bolt, Uber, Liftago) and agree the price or use the meter; prefer card payments where possible.

Use bank ATMs or machines inside banks to reduce skimming risk. Emergency numbers: 112 for general EU emergency help, 155 ambulance, 158 police, 150 fire. Carry travel insurance and your policy/EMER contact. For medical care, public hospitals and urgent-care clinics accept patients; EU citizens can use a valid EHIC/GHIC at some public facilities, but private clinics often have faster English-speaking service for a fee. Pharmacies (lékárna) display opening hours; 24-hour pharmacies and night services are listed online and at main hospitals.

Q: What local customs and etiquette should I follow, and are there rules for photographing people and cultural sites?

A: Czechs tend to be reserved and value politeness and personal space. Greet with a handshake in formal situations; use titles and last names until invited to use first names. Dress modestly in churches and historic interiors; turn off phone sound and speak quietly.

Tipping: a typical approach is to round up or leave about 10% of the bill; tell the server the total you want to pay to avoid confusion when handing cash. For photography, public streets and squares are generally fine, but many museums, galleries and churches prohibit flash or photography or require a paid permit—look for signs or ask staff.

Ask permission before photographing individuals, especially in intimate or rural settings; avoid photographing police checkpoints or sensitive government buildings. Drone use is restricted in many urban and historic areas (including Prague Castle and parts of the city center) and requires permits and adherence to aviation rules.

Q: When do locals eat, and how can I avoid common tourist scams in Prague?

A: Typical meal times: lunch often falls between 12:00–14:00 and dinner commonly between 18:00–21:00, though many city restaurants serve all day from late morning until late evening. Kitchens may close earlier at smaller establishments. For drinks, tap water is safe in the Czech Republic; order “kohoutková voda” if you want tap water.

To avoid scams: decline offers from strangers promising shortcuts, escorts to clubs, or unsolicited help with tickets; use official ticket machines and validate public transport tickets—inspectors fine invalid tickets. For currency, avoid small exchange kiosks with poor posted rates and hidden fees; prefer ATMs at banks or official exchange offices and check the rate and fees before confirming a transaction.

Watch for distraction techniques used by pickpockets (groups creating a commotion) and be cautious around friendly strangers who try to engage you near tourist hotspots. In taxis, insist on the meter or use a reputable app; if given poor change, ask for a receipt showing the fare.