Prague
Learn more about Prague and the conference venues! To make your stay as comfortable as possible, we prepared a couple of useful tips for you.
General Information
Is Prague safe? Petty theft is a problem, especially in major tourist areas in Prague. Pickpocketing is common at busy places and on public transport. Except for that, Prague is extremely safe compared to other European capital cities. There are basically no shady areas and it’s usually completely okay to walk anywhere you like, even at night.
If anything goes wrong call the emergency number 112.
Is Prague friendly? It is, just remember that people might not be used to speaking foreign languages. Saying “nerozumeem” is the simplest way of telling them you don’t understand Czech.
How should I move around the town? Prague has an excellent system of public transport, which includes three lines of metro trains, trams, buses and ferries. If you're into biking, check local bikesharing Rekola or global ofo service. While Uber is available in Prague, the Liftago app provides a very similar experience.
With a Czech SIM card, you can use SMS tickets, otherwise you need to buy paper ones in yellow ticket machines. During the conference you should be okay with regular 30 min tickets for 24 CZK. Zone P includes everything you need, even the airport area.
At night, there is a different, limited system of public transport and metro is completely out of order. The last train leaves just after midnight. Trams and buses operate through the whole night. Depending on your route, it still might be okay to take public transport, but calling Uber or Liftago is usually less tiring.
Venues
MeetFactory (main venue)
The main conference venue is MeetFactory, a cultural hub founded by a famous Czech sculptor David Černý. It’s a unique, industrial space squeezed between a motorway and an active railroad.
How to get there: From the city center, take trams 4, 5, 12 or 20 to Lihovar. Follow the sidewalk to the right, cross over the bridge, turn at the first right and keep walking straight. Seems complicated? Just follow our navigation from the tram stop.
Address: Ke Sklárně 3213/15, Praha 5
GPS: 50.0532481N, 14.4082011E
Around venue: If you’re into hiking, be sure to check out an excellent restaurant Na kopci ($$$) on the top of a nearby hill. Serbian restaurant Jelica ($$) is also highly recommendable.
FIT ČVUT (workshops)
Workshops will be held at the Faculty of Information Technology of the Czech Technical University in Prague.
How to get there: take green metro A to Dejvická and then walk the Technická St. Another option is to arrive at Thákurova stop (many trams and buses) and walk the Thákurova St.
Address: Thákurova 9, Praha 6
GPS: 50.1050400N, 14.3896428E
Around venue: For food, pay a visit to AvantGarde ($$$) or to Bistro Santinka ($$). A rather short walk towards the Hradčanská metro stop can take you to a world of hip bistros and coffee places (Místo, Café Záhorský, a Table!).
Alternative activites
Prague is a very lively place, especially in June. During the conference days there will be multiple alternative activities you can attend:
- 25th May - 2nd June: Fringe festival a heady mix of theatre, comedy, music, dance, storytelling and good times at venues across the Malá Strana district of Prague - the annual Fringe Festival extravaganza is an experience you will never forget.
- 27th May - 2nd June: Khamoro festival Khamoro (which means sun in the Roma language) is the largest and most famous professional Roma festival in the world. The festival, which has been organized by the NGO Slovo 21 in Prague since 1999, regularly organizes unique Roma band concerts consisting of groups from all over the world, as well as putting on exhibitions, film events, dance workshops, specialized seminars and conferences.
Looking for something else? You can check a live list concerts, festivals, exhibitions and more on GoOut.net (English). Not all activities are listed on GoOut as it serves as a ticket seller, so for a more comprehensive list check Radio1 site for June 1st, June 2nd and June 3rd. (Unfortunately in Czech only; here are some words in Czech you might need to understand: Koncerty = Concerts, Tančírny = Dancehalls, Filmy = Movies, Galerie = Galleries, Divadla = Theatres, Festivaly = Festivals.)
Honest Guide to Prague
When it comes to mainstream tourism, Prague can be full of traps. Watching the Honest Guide is not only the easiest way for you to avoid them and to get the most useful tips about just anything, but it’s also fun to watch!
How to get to Prague?
Flight
Fly to PRG, Vaclav Havel Airport. To get to the city, use
- Uber or Liftago.
- Airport Express bus to the main railway station (50 CZK). It’s fast and convenient. Be sure to have change, because unfortunately, the bus driver may not board you otherwise.
- public transport buses to Zličín (yellow B metro line) or Nádraží Veleslavín (green A metro line) terminals.
Train
- There are direct trains to Prague from many destinations all around Europe. Use the DB train search to see what’s possible.
- The main train station is called “Praha hlavní nádraží” or “Praha hl. n.”.
Bus
- There are direct buses to Prague from many destinations all around Europe.
- Main carriers: RegioJet, LeoExpress, Tourbus, EuroLines, FlixBus.
- The main bus station is called “autobusové nádraží Florenc” or just “Florenc”.
Car
- Check out Czech driving regulations.
- Highway sticker costs 310 CZK (10 days) and can be bought at any gas station.
- D1 highway segment Prague–Brno is under complete reconstruction. Expect detours and traffic jams. (Bus companies constantly monitor the situation and have strategies to avoid delays.)
Accommodation tips
Both Airbnb and Booking.com are at your service in Prague. For adventurous minds, there’s always also CouchSurfing.
Look for accommodation around Anděl or Smíchovské nádraží to get the best connection with both the conference venue and the rest of the city. Both places have access to the yellow metro B as well as bus/tram connections to the venue.
The Czech Republic
Never been to the Czech Republic? Here’s some practical info:
- We pay with CZK (abbr. Kč, “koruna”). ATMs are omnipresent. There are money exchange booths in the city center, which offer better deals than banks and no fees, but be cautious which you choose. The exchange rate is approx. 1 EUR = 25 CZK. Cards are accepted in chains and larger places, but not so often in smaller shops, coffee places, pubs. It’s useful to carry around some cash.
- We speak Czech and understand Slovak perfectly. English should be well understood, especially among younger generations. German can work as a fallback, as well as any other Slavic language.
- While June is usually sunny and can bring very warm days to Prague, it’s good to be also ready for chilly, rainy days. It can be 30°C with clear blue sky as well as 15°C with heavy, London-like rain.
- We use 230 V electric plugs, type E power sockets.