Directory A–Z - Prague and Czech Republic - page 662

» Smoking It is prohibited to smoke at most indoor public places, including
schools, government offices, hospitals, libraries, railway stations and public
transport. Smoking is permitted in some restaurants and bars, provided the
smoking section is physically separated from the non-smoking section. In prac-
tice, most upscale restaurants are non-smoking, while most pubs and bars allow
smoking. Most hotels are non-smoking.
» Television Most hotels offer satellite television with some English-language
channels, including usually at a minimum CNN International, Eurosport and BBC
World. Czech Television ( www.ceskatelevize.cz ) operates two state-con-
trolled broadcast channels; additionally, there are several private channels. All
broadcasts are in Czech.
» Tipping In restaurants, tip 10% of the bill to reward good service. Leave the
tip on the tray that the bill is delivered in or hand the money directly to the waiter.
Taxi drivers won't expect a tip, but it's fine to round the fare up to the nearest
10Kč increment to reward special service.
» Weights & Measures The Czech Republic uses the metric system.
Medical Services
The quality of medical care in Prague and the Czech Republic is high. Rest
assured, if you do suffer a medical emergency you will receive proper care.
Citizens of EU countries can obtain a European Health Insurance Card
(EHIC); this entitles you to free state-provided medical treatment in the Czech
Republic (see www.cmu.cz - click on the UK flag - for information on using
the card in the Czech Republic).
Non-EU citizens must pay for treatment, and at least some of the fee must
usually be paid upfront. Bring cash or credit cards.
If you do need to seek emergency medical treatment, be sure to bring along
your passport and any insurance information you have with you. Save all bills
and receipts for later reimbursement with your insurance company.