Everyday Life in The Czech Republic
Currency/Money
The officia; currency in the Czech Republic is the Cxech crown or Kuruna (Kc, CZK). One Crown is divided into 100 hellers or haleru, but today only 50 heller coins are used, and retailers round the total sum of your purchase to the nearest 50 hellers. New currency was issued in August 1993, and all notes and coins bearing an earlier date are invalid.
The Czech Republic is preparing itself for the transition to the Euro, which is expected to take place in about 2010. Many shops and restaurants have started to accept payment in Euros although the exchange rate may be less favourable than from an exchange bureau. US dollars are also accepted at times.
Exchange rates in March 2008
A$1 = 14.9Kc
€1 = 25.4Kc
Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs very easily. There are many banks in the Czech Republic with ATMs that will accept the major cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Plus and Cirrus. Credit cards are also accepted in almost all shops, restaurants and hotels in Prague.
Traveller’s Cheques are good options for the safe transport of funds. They are offered by a number of credit providers, including Visa and American Express.
General Budget
The Czech Republic is generally one of the cheaper countries to live in compared to the other Western countries of the European Union. Leaving aside accommodation, which is also not unreasonably priced, you can expect prices for food and other activities to be on a par or even cheaper than they are in Australia. For example milk, eggs and bread are all slightly cheaper in Prague than they are in Australian cities and wine is about the same price. The famous Czech beer tends to be slightly cheaper than its Australian equivalent. Public transport is more reliable, frequent and cheaper than that found in Australian cities. Utilities such as gas and electricity are slightly more than in Australia’s major cities and phone and internet are about the same. Eating out in the cheaper restaurants is about the same as it is in Melbourne, Australia eating out capital, and so you should be able to spend at least some time as a member of café society. Outside of Prague you can expect prices of many things to be cheaper still.
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Banking
Even though it may be easy to access money from Australia while you are in the Czech Republic, you may like to consider opening a Czech bank account as this should help to stop unnecessary fees from your Australian bank.
It is relatively simple to open a bank account in the Czech Republic. For the most part only two forms of identification (a passport and then a driver’s licence, for example) are required, although sometimes three forms of identification may be called for (including proof of address in the Czech Republic).
There are many banks to choose from. Expats.cz, an English-language website aimed at people who have moved to the Czech Republic, and Prague.tv, the Prague city guide, have published comparisons of bank fees that may be of use.
Language
The official language spoken in the Czech Republic is Czech, which belongs to the group of Slavic languages. Czech is very similar to Slovak.
Although there are courses in English and many of your fellow students will speak English it is advisable to learn some Czech while in the Czech Republic or before going there. German is also a popular second language in the Czech Republic. University-run summer school language programs are available if you want intensive training or to be able to study in Czech, which has financial advantages.
Healthcare
The Czech Republic requires all individuals to possess health insurance, including in case of hospitalisation. There is good information for students here.
Public Transport
The best resource for Czech travel information is My Czech Republic, which has a train and bus timetables as well as international train fare schedules. This website also provides information on accommodation in youth hostels and camping grounds, car rentals and general tourist information.
While transport tickets in Prague are transferable between the all of the various modes of transportation, not all cities are as well integrated. A summary here of major Czech cities describes the extent of ticket transferability as well as providing links to the Prague Public Transport Co. Inc., and timetables.
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