Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Major Holidays and Weekends
Popular places are even busier on weekends...and can be
inundated on three-day weekends. Plan ahead and reserve
your accommodations and transportation well in advance.
Reserve in advance for Prague for any weekend, the months
of May and September, and major holidays such as Easter,
Christmas, and New Year's. Also check the list of festivals and
holidays on page 291 of the appendix.
your money belt, and learn the local currency and how to estimate
prices in dollars. Those who expect to travel smart, do.
PrActIcALItIES
Red Tape:
You need a passport—but no visa or shots—to travel
in the Czech Republic. Your passport must be valid for at least
six months beyond the time you leave. Pack a photocopy of your
passport in your luggage in case the original is lost or stolen.
Borders:
In 2008, the Czech Republic officially joined the
open-borders Schengen Agreement, eliminating border checks
when traveling to and from neighboring countries. You'll simply
zip through the border without stopping.
Time:
In Europe—and in this topic—you'll use the 24-hour
clock. It's the same through 12:00 noon, then keep going—13:00,
14:00, and so on. For anything after 12, subtract 12 and add p.m.
(14:00 is 2:00 p.m.)
The Czech Republic is generally six/nine hours ahead of the
East/West Coasts of the US. The exceptions are the beginning and
end of Daylight Saving Time: Europe “springs forward” the last
Sunday in March (two weeks after most of North America), and
“falls back” the last Sunday in October (one week before North
America). For a handy online time converter, try www.timeand
date.com/worldclock.
Watt's Up?
Europe's electrical system is different from North
America's in two ways: the shape of the plug (two round prongs)
and the voltage of the current (220 volts instead of 110 volts). For
your North American plug to work in Europe, you'll need an
adapter, sold inexpensively at travel stores in the US. As for the
voltage, most newer electronics or travel appliances (such as hair
dryers, laptops, and battery chargers) automatically convert the
voltage—if you see a range of voltages printed on the item or its
plug (such as “110-220”), it'll work in Europe. Otherwise, you can
buy a converter separately in the US (about $20).
Computer Keyboards:
Most computers at Czech Internet
