The Czech Republic - Eastern Europe - page 215

Tipping Rules for tipping aren't as strict in the Czech Republic as they are in the
United States. At most restaurants and pubs, locals just round the bill up to the
nearest few koruny. When you're presented with good service at tablecloth
places, a 10% tip is proper. Washroom and cloakroom attendants usually expect
a couple of koruny, and porters at airports and train stations usually receive
25Kc ($1.05/50p) per bag. Taxi drivers should get about 10%, unless they've
already ripped you off, in which case they should get a referral to the police.
Check restaurant menus to see if service is included before you leave a tip.
3 Prague
GETTING THERE
BY PLANE
Prague's Ruzyn ê Airport ( & 220-113-314; www.prg.aero or www.csl.cz) is located
19km (12 miles) west of the city center. Its new, airy, and efficient departures and
arrivals terminals have lost the Communist-era feel and have many added amenities.
There's a bank for changing money (usually open daily 7am-11pm), car-rental offices
(see “Getting Around,” below), and information stands that can help you find accom-
modations if you've arrived without reservations.
GETTING DOWNTOWN You can make your way from the airport to your hotel
by taxi, airport shuttle bus, or city bus.
Official airport taxis are plentiful and line up in front of the arrivals terminal. Alas,
the Volkswagen Passats queued directly outside the terminal's main exit all belong to
the same cartel sanctioned by the airport authority. (See “Getting Around” below for
details.) The drivers are getting more pleasant but are still often arrogant and dishon-
est. Negotiate the fare in advance and have it written down. Expect to pay about
700K c to 800K c ($29-$33/£14-£16) for the 20 or so minutes to the city center,
depending on the whims of the syndicate. If you want to save money, find other trav-
elers to share the expense.
CEDAZ ( & 220-114-296; www.aas.cz/cedaz) operates an airport shuttle bus
from the airport to nám ê stí Republiky in central Prague. It leaves the airport daily
every 30 minutes from 5:30am to 9:30pm and stops near the nám ê stí Republiky
metro station. The shuttle costs 90K c ($3.75/£2) for the 30-minute trip.
Even cheaper is city bus no. 119, which takes passengers from the bus stop at the
right of the airport exit to the Dejvická metro station (and back). The bus/metro
combo costs only 20K c (85¢/40p), but the bus makes many stops. Travel time is about
40 minutes.
BY TRAIN
Passengers traveling to Prague by train typically pull into one of two central stations:
Hlavní nádra z í (Main Station) or Nádra z í Hole s ovice (Hole s ovice Station). Both are
on line C of the metro system and offer a number of services, including money
exchange, a post office, and a luggage-storage area.
At both terminals you'll find AVE Ltd. ( & 251-551-011 ), an accommodations
agency that arranges beds in hostels as well as rooms in hotels and apartments. It's