Travel
The Czech Republic is a member of the European Union and the Schengen area. It has a typically European continental climate (summer temperatures average between 20°C / 68°F and 25°C / 77°F but often reach as high as 30°C / 86°F). The time zone is Central European Time (CET, CEST in summer). The local currency is Czech Crown (Koruna, Kč/CZK, exchange rates to USD/EUR/GBP). Many shops and restaurants accept Euro; card payments (including Apple Pay/Google Pay) are also widely accepted. Official language is Czech, but English and German are also widespread. The Czech Republic is a safe country (ranking in Top 10 in global ratings annualy).
A lot of practical information can be found at #VisitCzechia.
Arriving by plane
Prague has an international airport Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG), originally Prague-Ruzyně. It has direct connections to major European airports and some overseas destinations, e.g., New York.
The easiest way to get to the city center is by using Bus #119 to Metro Line A station Nádraží Veleslavín.
Arriving by train
The main train station in Prague is Praha hlavní nádraží, There are direct train connections to European cities such as Wien, Berlin, or München.
Prague main train station is directly in the city center, close to Wenceslas Square. There is Metro Line C station Hlavní nádraží.
Arriving by bus
The major bus terminal in Prague is Praha - Florenc. There are direct bus connections to many European cities.
The bus terminal is very close to the city center. There is Metro Lines B/C station Florenc.
Getting to the conference venue
The conference venue is Aquapalace Hotel Prague that is is located on the outskirts of Prague. The hotel can be reached easily by public transport by Metro line C going to the station Opatov and then using bus line no. 385 to the Čestlice - Aquapark stop. You may need to buy a separate ticket for the bus either directly from the driver or using app "PID lítačka" (the bus ticket cost is 22 CZK, the travel time is 10 minutes and the bus is going approximately every 30 minutes). The total travel time from the airport to the hotel by public transport is 70-80 minutes (the fare is 50 CZK, tarif 120 minutes / zones P+0+B+1).
The hotel has own instructions how to get there with alternative routes.
Moving around Prague
The easist way to move around Prague is using public transport that is fast, cheap, and reliable. Prague has three Metro lines A, B, and C, all going through the city centre. Metro (underground) is very reliable, fast and with short intervals between trains. There is also a dense network of trams that is particularly useful in a wider city centre. To visit areas not covered by trams or metro, one can also use numerous bus lines. There are even ferries and cable cars in Prague. In the historial city center the best way to move is by foot.
The fare is 30 CZK for 30 minutes (for most travel), 40 CZK for 90 minutes (enough to get almost anywhere in Prague), 120 CZK for 24 hours, and 330 CZK for 72 hours. The ticket is always valid from the moment of its marking and it can be bought from vending machines located in most stations and stops. There is also an app "PID lítačka" that can be used to buy tickets directly via mobile phone.
Public transport in Prague is managed by Dopravní podnik hlavního města Praha. Current fares, timetables, trip planner etc. can be found at their web page.
