The Czech Republic - Eastern Europe - page 213

beer is a little heavy to carry home and the local wine isn't worth it, take home a bot-
tle of Becherovka, the nation's popular herbal liqueur from Karlovy Vary. You'll find
the distinctive green decanter in shops; it costs about 400K c ($17/£8) per liter.
FAST FACTS: The Czech Republic
Area Code The area codes for each city are combined with the local numbers.
Local phone numbers consist of 9 digits, which must be dialed from anyplace
within the Czech Republic.
Business Hours Most banks are open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6pm.
Business offices are generally open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. Pubs
are usually open daily from 11am to midnight. Most restaurants open for lunch
from noon to 3pm and for dinner from 6 to 11pm; only a few stay open later.
Stores are typically open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday
from 9am to 1pm, but those in the tourist center keep longer hours and are
open Sunday as well.
Currency Exchange Banks generally offer the best exchange rates, but Ameri-
can Express is competitive and doesn't charge commission for cashing traveler's
checks, regardless of the issuer. Don't hesitate to use a credit card; card
exchange rates often work to the traveler's advantage.
Electricity Czech appliances operate on 220 volts and plug into two-pronged
outlets that differ from those in America and the United Kingdom. Appliances
designed for the U.S. or U.K. markets must use an adapter and a transformer
(sometimes incorrectly called a converter). Don't attempt to plug an American
appliance directly into a European electrical outlet without a transformer;
you'll ruin your appliance and possibly start a fire.
Emergencies Dial the European Emergency Number & 112 or you can reach
Prague's police at & 158 and fire services by dialing & 150 from any phone. To
call an ambulance, dial & 155.
Language Berlitz has a comprehensive phrase book in Czech. A clever illus-
trated Web tutorial is found at www.czechprimer.org .
Liquor Laws There's no law against teenagers drinking alcohol, but it can only
be sold to those who are over 18. Any adult selling liquor to younger person
can be prosecuted. Pubs and clubs can stay open 24 hours.
Mail Post offices are plentiful and are normally open Monday to Friday from
8am to 6pm. Mailboxes are orange and are usually attached to the sides of
buildings. If you're sending mail overseas, make sure it's marked “Par Avion” so
it doesn't go by surface. If you mail your letters at a post office, the clerk will
add this stamp for you. Postcards to the U.S. cost 14Kc (60¢/30p), to any E.U.
country 9Kc (40¢/20p). Mail can take up to 10 days to reach its destination.
Police Dial the European Emergency Number & 112 from any phone in an
emergency. For Czech police dial & 158.
Restrooms You'll find plenty of public restrooms. Toilets are located in every
metro station and are staffed by cleaning personnel who usually charge users
5Kc (20¢/10p) and dispense a precious few sheets of toilet paper.