Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Driving
With two or more passengers,
driving to Prague
can work out relatively inexpensive.
However, it is not the most relaxing option, unless you enjoy pounding along the motorway
systems of Europe for the best part of 15 hours.
Eurotunnel
operates a 24-hour train service carrying vehicles and their passengers from
Folkestone to Calais. At peak times, services run every ten minutes, with the journey lasting
35 minutes. Off-peak fares in the high season start at £150 return per vehicle (passengers
included). The alternative is to catch one of the
ferries
between Dover and Calais/Dunkirk,
between Ramsgate and Boulogne or Newhaven and Dieppe. Prices vary enormously but if
you book in advance, summer fares can be as little as £50 return per carload. Journey times
are usually around ninety minutes. If you're travelling from north of London, it might be
worth taking one of the longer ferry journeys from Newcastle, Hull or Harwich. To find the
cheapest fares across the Channel, check out
directferries.co.uk
.
Once you've made it onto the Continent, you have some
1000km of driving
ahead of
you. Theoretically, you could make it in twelve hours solid, but realistically it will take you
longer. The most direct route from Calais is via Brussels, Liège (Luik), Cologne (Köln),
Frankfurt, Würzburg and Nuremberg (Nürnberg), entering the Czech Republic at the
Waid-
haus-Rozvadov
border crossing.
Motorways
in Belgium and Germany are free (for now),
but within the Czech Republic you need to buy the relevant vignette (
dálniční známka
), a
sticker available from all border crossings and petrol stations: a ten-day sticker costs 310Kč,
a month-long one costs 440Kč. If you're travelling by car, you'll need proof of ownership,
or a letter from the owner giving you permission to drive the car, and International proof of
insurance.Youalsoneedaredwarningtriangleandreflective jacketincaseyoubreakdown,
afirst-aidkit,asetofreplacementbulbsandasetofreplacementfuses,allofwhicharecom-
pulsory in the Czech Republic. From 1 November until 31 March your car must be equipped
with winter tyres if the temperature falls below 4˚C or when driving on compacted snow.
AGENTS AND OPERATORS
ČEDOK
cedok.com
.
Former state-owned tourist board offering flights, accommodation
and package deals.
ebookers
ebookers.com
.
Low fares on an extensive selection of scheduled flights and
package deals.
MartinRandallTravel
martinrandall.com
.
Small-group cultural tours, led by experts on
art, archeology or music.
NorthSouthTravel
northsouthtravel.co.uk
.
Friendly,competitivetravelagency,offering
discountedfaresworldwide.Profitsareusedtosupportprojectsinthedevelopingworld,es-
pecially the promotion of sustainable tourism.
