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laughinearlydied
just a repost from earlier... might help someone

Quote
laughinearlydied
so this is going to be the first time in prague for some people, so I thought I could share a few basic things so that you won't make some unnecessary expensive mistakes.

the airport
the airport is small but clean and safe. in the public area there are some fast-food chains, czech pub, and a few coffee shops.
there is a 24hour food court next to the arrivals at terminal 1, they have snacks and hot meals even at night/early mornings.

getting to the city
now that part is a pain. the first, fastest and also cheapest way is to take a bus 119 that will drop you off at the metro station "nadrazi veleslavin" on green line A that goes straight to the city centre. you need to purchase a ticket in a vending machine, they do accept cash and credit cards. do not forget to validate the ticket.
second way is Uber. in Czech Republic they offer Black, which is their original product. this is the same as everywhere else, black limousine. it is reliable and affordable. ride to the city centre, depending on time of day, should be around 600-800CZK, approx 23-32 euros. they also offer more affordable versions they call uber select - still a new nice car, and uberpop - normal car.
third way is a ride that your hotel will arrange for you.
fourth way, and be careful here, is a taxi. that I would not recommend.

there are 2 main things you should never do in prague.

1) never use city taxis. never. they cheat, steal and charge extreme amounts of money. use them only in severe emergency situations. it is not safe or recommended to use them. prague is small, take a walk, public transport is cheap and if you want to take a car, use uber or ask at your hotel and they will arrange a ride for you.

2) never, never exchange money in exchanges without very carefully checking the rates. you will get literally robbed. seriously. every exchange will have a sign that they won't take a commission, but the rates are brutal.
you can pay with you credit/debit card everywhere apart from those questionable shops with a lot of booze on display. but if you need some cash, there are options.
I suggest you check with your bank and use an ATM. try to avoid those generic ones, they can have high fees, but use a bank ATM instead. there is a lot of them.
or you can exchange your money here, I use this place regularly and they are probably the safest and best in prague. [www.exchange.cz]

and one thing you should do in every city - be careful with your phone and wallet. taking a metro during a rush hour with your wallet and phone in your back pocket is not a good idea anywhere, same goes for prague. especially on your way to and from the gig.

the city
prague is a very safe city even late at night and early in the morning. you might occasionally see a homeless person, but they won't bother you. in the city centre there are few professional beggars, I suggest you don't give them any money.
you can walk everywhere, the metro closes around midnight, but there are night tram lines across the city. Google usually does a good job planning a journey, also there is a map in every metro station.

drinking in public is not permitted in some places, and there are fines. the fact that your drink is in a bag or in a soda bottle won't save you. but it is not strictly enforced, so if you won't be absolutely hammered, you are fine.

I suggest paying for the public transport. there are no physical gates that would stop you entering the metro stations, but there are controls sometimes and you will get a fine. you won't see locals validating tickets because we have cards with chips in them.

50 CZK for a beer is a bit overpriced in a normal restaurant or a pub, do not pay more than that. czech beers are always on tap, 0.3, 0.5 and sometimes 1litre called "tuplak". there are regulations in place, so in every establishment you will get electronic receipt. tipping is not mandatory, but if you like the service, tip 10-20%.
you won't pay for every drink separately, they will track what you had in a terminal or they will place a tab on your table and write it there. you will still get a receipt when you pay.
you can't smoke anywhere indoors and in public transport stations.

czech people can seem kind of cool and distant, but are quite friendly and helpful. a lot of older people still remember Russian, a lot of people speak German and in prague basically everyone can communicate in English.

bellow I will list a few traditional places where I suggest you go for a beer. don't get discouraged by the staff there, they might be a bit rough. these are really old places, locals have their own seats and glasses there and they will stare you down. but they are not mean, so just ask for a beer and you will be served just fine.
In my opinion, Pilsner Urquell is the best we have. But that is, of course, subjective, so just try different things and find what you like. Also be careful, not everybody is used to stronger beers, do not underestimate it, especially on a hot day when you are tired.

if you are not into beer, there are some internationally recognised bars, some underground, some with amazing views.

If you want some culture, I suggest you check www.goout.net .very helpful site where you can find what is happening in the city. also available in English. They sell tickets online themselves or there will be a link to a site where you can purchase the tickets.

My recommendations for music (small clubs)
Ungelt Jazz club
Jazz dock
Reduta jazz club
Agharta
Blues sklep
U maleho glena


for beer
U hrocha (lesser quarter)
u dvou kocek
U pinkasu (there you can have a beer basically in a church)
U glaubicu
u zlateho tygra
and any "lokal", like "lokal u bile kuzelky"


for a cocktail
Hemingway bar
black angles bar
cash only bar
bar and books
or there is a sky bar in a Hilton.

if you can't be without your Irish pub, try James Joyce Irish pub.


be safe, have fun.

Quote
ferda
This is super useful and detailed write-up. I would just add a few points:
1) airport transfer
- you can use Uber (Black, X, Basic), Taxify or Liftago (local app)
- Taxis from the airport are OKish to use as the price is fixed (~600CZK/25EUR to the city center), just expect a standard, a bit rough taxi driver

2) transportation
- don't flag/take taxis in the city center, you risk to get robbed. Use the apps, public transport or get a cab at designed location 'Fair point/taxi' - the cabs waiting here are licensed and if they rip you off and you report them they lose the license, hence they behave and always can be 'threatened'. I recommend to ask for the price before the ride just to be on the safe side.

3) money - please please don't use money exchange shops, they are huge scam. Cards & ATMs is your way to go.

4) music - there's a lot of clubs with live music, you can find out what;s going on online (e.g. [goout.net])

5) pubs - it's pretty easy nowadays. The competition is brutal so unless you walk into a tourist trap (same as everywhere, you can find them at every popular place) you are fine. If you don't like beer/food, you can always go a few meters further and try a different one.
Definitely try craft beers from local breweries. They are very good. Pilsner is OK but you can get it anywhere else :-)

Safe trip everyone & enjoy the gig!

Quote
laughinearlydied
just a repost from earlier... might help someone

Quote
laughinearlydied
so this is going to be the first time in prague for some people, so I thought I could share a few basic things so that you won't make some unnecessary expensive mistakes.

the airport
the airport is small but clean and safe. in the public area there are some fast-food chains, czech pub, and a few coffee shops.
there is a 24hour food court next to the arrivals at terminal 1, they have snacks and hot meals even at night/early mornings.

getting to the city
now that part is a pain. the first, fastest and also cheapest way is to take a bus 119 that will drop you off at the metro station "nadrazi veleslavin" on green line A that goes straight to the city centre. you need to purchase a ticket in a vending machine, they do accept cash and credit cards. do not forget to validate the ticket.
second way is Uber. in Czech Republic they offer Black, which is their original product. this is the same as everywhere else, black limousine. it is reliable and affordable. ride to the city centre, depending on time of day, should be around 600-800CZK, approx 23-32 euros. they also offer more affordable versions they call uber select - still a new nice car, and uberpop - normal car.
third way is a ride that your hotel will arrange for you.
fourth way, and be careful here, is a taxi. that I would not recommend.

there are 2 main things you should never do in prague.

1) never use city taxis. never. they cheat, steal and charge extreme amounts of money. use them only in severe emergency situations. it is not safe or recommended to use them. prague is small, take a walk, public transport is cheap and if you want to take a car, use uber or ask at your hotel and they will arrange a ride for you.

2) never, never exchange money in exchanges without very carefully checking the rates. you will get literally robbed. seriously. every exchange will have a sign that they won't take a commission, but the rates are brutal.
you can pay with you credit/debit card everywhere apart from those questionable shops with a lot of booze on display. but if you need some cash, there are options.
I suggest you check with your bank and use an ATM. try to avoid those generic ones, they can have high fees, but use a bank ATM instead. there is a lot of them.
or you can exchange your money here, I use this place regularly and they are probably the safest and best in prague. [www.exchange.cz]

and one thing you should do in every city - be careful with your phone and wallet. taking a metro during a rush hour with your wallet and phone in your back pocket is not a good idea anywhere, same goes for prague. especially on your way to and from the gig.

the city
prague is a very safe city even late at night and early in the morning. you might occasionally see a homeless person, but they won't bother you. in the city centre there are few professional beggars, I suggest you don't give them any money.
you can walk everywhere, the metro closes around midnight, but there are night tram lines across the city. Google usually does a good job planning a journey, also there is a map in every metro station.

drinking in public is not permitted in some places, and there are fines. the fact that your drink is in a bag or in a soda bottle won't save you. but it is not strictly enforced, so if you won't be absolutely hammered, you are fine.

I suggest paying for the public transport. there are no physical gates that would stop you entering the metro stations, but there are controls sometimes and you will get a fine. you won't see locals validating tickets because we have cards with chips in them.

50 CZK for a beer is a bit overpriced in a normal restaurant or a pub, do not pay more than that. czech beers are always on tap, 0.3, 0.5 and sometimes 1litre called "tuplak". there are regulations in place, so in every establishment you will get electronic receipt. tipping is not mandatory, but if you like the service, tip 10-20%.
you won't pay for every drink separately, they will track what you had in a terminal or they will place a tab on your table and write it there. you will still get a receipt when you pay.
you can't smoke anywhere indoors and in public transport stations.

czech people can seem kind of cool and distant, but are quite friendly and helpful. a lot of older people still remember Russian, a lot of people speak German and in prague basically everyone can communicate in English.

bellow I will list a few traditional places where I suggest you go for a beer. don't get discouraged by the staff there, they might be a bit rough. these are really old places, locals have their own seats and glasses there and they will stare you down. but they are not mean, so just ask for a beer and you will be served just fine.
In my opinion, Pilsner Urquell is the best we have. But that is, of course, subjective, so just try different things and find what you like. Also be careful, not everybody is used to stronger beers, do not underestimate it, especially on a hot day when you are tired.

if you are not into beer, there are some internationally recognised bars, some underground, some with amazing views.

If you want some culture, I suggest you check www.goout.net .very helpful site where you can find what is happening in the city. also available in English. They sell tickets online themselves or there will be a link to a site where you can purchase the tickets.

My recommendations for music (small clubs)
Ungelt Jazz club
Jazz dock
Reduta jazz club
Agharta
Blues sklep
U maleho glena


for beer
U hrocha (lesser quarter)
u dvou kocek
U pinkasu (there you can have a beer basically in a church)
U glaubicu
u zlateho tygra
and any "lokal", like "lokal u bile kuzelky"


for a cocktail
Hemingway bar
black angles bar
cash only bar
bar and books
or there is a sky bar in a Hilton.

if you can't be without your Irish pub, try James Joyce Irish pub.


be safe, have fun.

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mikey C
Guess the truck's from Marseille are heading to Prague....A week out Temperature forecast 30.c...Look's to be a hot one...Got a seat? sun screen baby...

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mikey C
Guess the truck's from Marseille are heading to Prague....A week out Temperature forecast 30.c...Look's to be a hot one...Got a seat? sun screen baby...

Quote
35love

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mikey C
Guess the truck's from Marseille are heading to Prague....A week out Temperature forecast 30.c...Look's to be a hot one...Got a seat? sun screen baby...

Seat? Isn’t this all standing in a level field/ no seats/ 1 very large sprawling standing crowd?

Quote
grzegorz67

Quote
35love

Quote
mikey C
Guess the truck's from Marseille are heading to Prague....A week out Temperature forecast 30.c...Look's to be a hot one...Got a seat? sun screen baby...

Seat? Isn’t this all standing in a level field/ no seats/ 1 very large sprawling standing crowd?

There will be tribune style temporary stands at the sides of a similar type used in Hamburg.

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a bigger nut
Hi. I am from a Non-EU country and get my wristband on show day.
Then I would like to confirm procedures.
I should do

1. Create cashless account.
2. Pickup wristband on show day. (I will land on Prague around noon.)
3. Connect cashless account and wristband number. (It means I need internet connection environments)
4. Top up money in cashless account from my credit card.

Is this correct ??

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Topi
Arriving Tuesday morning, staying at Residence Bene which seems to be at the edge of the Jewish Quarter in Prague's Old Town.

I have FOS Keith's side and will also be riding shotgun on Beast's Lucky Dip - hoping for better luck than in Twickenham, eh Beast?

Any info yet on when the Lucky Dips can be picked up?

Looking forward to visiting Prague for the first time. Everyone keeps telling me it's such a nice city.

And hey, I will actually have two days off after Wednesday's show! Will hang in Prague and fly out to Warsaw early Saturday morning.

But hey, gotta get Stuttgart out of the way first (and come back home to change shirts…)

Quote
grzegorz67


I'n on the 8am coach to Warsaw the morning after the show