safe to go to Czech Republic by car?

This topic was created by dafne (poffettina@hotmail.com)
[Tue 11 May, 5:05 Tasmanian Standard Time]

I┤d like to go from Nuremberg to Prague by car and visit
some other towns on the way to the capital. Is there a high
risk to have one┤s car stolen or damaged? Are there other
problems connected with driving in the Czech Republic or
other things I should know before leaving? Please, tell me!

[There are 9 posts - the latest was added on Sun 23 May, 17:56]

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  1. take the train Added by: pere lachaisse
    [Timestamp: Tue 11 May, 20:53 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    The train costs next to nothing especially the czech portion
    of your trip. They leave all the time , so if you're
    interested in stopping off at cheb or karlovy vary it's a
    lot easier. I am not sure if driving is dangerous or whether
    there is a great risk of having anything stolen, but the
    east-west road network has a long way to go before it could
    accomadate all the traffic.



  2. No risk at all Added by: Arne (iluze@email.cz)
    [Timestamp: Tue 11 May, 21:58 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    As a Czech I am I can say there┤s no risk to drive your own
    car throughout the Czech republic. There is no difference
    between Germany and Czech republic.



  3. No worries Added by: John the Brit (J.O.M.Banbury@durham .ac.uk)
    [Timestamp: Tue 11 May, 22:57 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Loads of Germans go over for weekends to pick up cheep
    goods, there is no problem at all. I did it last summer and
    really enjoyed it. The roads were open and good, very
    pretty and a hell of a lot safer than Autobahns.
    John



  4. well, Added by: it depends
    [Timestamp: Wed 12 May, 4:19 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    the Czech republic is relatively safe, the route to Karlovy
    Vary is grand, but you might have trouble with a new car in
    Praha (theft & damages) - just ask the Nⁿrnberg car rental
    about Vollkasko fees for the Praha journey !



  5. questionable Added by: fastpoodle
    [Timestamp: Wed 12 May, 8:07 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    i was in prague a few months ago. in one of the free papers
    (mass produced for all the english speakers there and
    printed in english) about town, there was a letter to the
    editor by a couple from the UK i think who had just arrived
    downtown in their van, parked it, left and when they
    returned EVERYTHING had been stolen.
    i don't know how accurate this is/whether it is just a case
    of the paper choosing to print the story of the van that got
    broken into versus the 20 that didn't, who knows? not
    saying that czechs are any keener to rip you off than
    anyone else, of course but it may be something that you wish
    to keep in mind.



  6. renting or your own Added by: CS
    [Timestamp: Thu 13 May, 11:31 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    You didn't say whether you are renting a car or taking your own. If renting one the fees are either HIGH if you want to take it to the Czech Rep. or absolutely not allowed. Either way I would recommend the train, once in Prague you can get around a lot better by public transport anyway.



  7. I agree Added by: Lucie
    [Timestamp: Fri 14 May, 23:04 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    Driving is safe, but stealing cars is quite common.



  8. parking Added by: Joanna
    [Timestamp: Sat 22 May, 18:23 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    parking & traffic sucks in Prague anyway, so you'd just have
    to find a place to park & leave it. The trains were very
    easy & cheap!



  9. A car the only way Added by: California wanderer
    [Timestamp: Sun 23 May, 17:56 Tasmanian Standard Time]

    In 1997 my 14 year old son and I spent 14 days driving
    throughout the Czech Republic. Gasoline by European standard
    was dirt cheap. Tthe countryside, small towns, and villages
    werealways interesting and often charming. The Czech
    Republic is much more than Praha. Many small places have
    inexpensive pensions and zimmer frei arrangements.
    Best of all we were not tied to train and bus schedules.
    Many of the wonders of the Czech Lands arein the countryside
    beyond thr reach of rail or bus. During prior journeys in 94
    & 95 we found the buses often not show up or to run
    infrequently and cease service early.
    Only a fool would leave valuable items unattended in a
    vehicle anywhere including the "safest" neighborhood in
    anyone's country.
    In Praha parking restrictions preclude visitor parking on
    the streets in most areas unless one has a special permit
    but that's why there are secured parking lots
    at reasonable prices in Praha. We often kept a days
    purchases tucked away in the cars trunk(boot)out of sight
    and had no problem.
    Czech highways & byways have little traffic and very
    courteous and sane drivers unlike ever so perfect countries
    such as the U.K., Germany, and the Netherlands. Driving in
    the CR was a pleasure.
    I have found few if any nation to have a more civil
    citizenry than the CR. Kindness and civility seem to be an
    integral part of the nations way of life. Hurry and see all
    of the country before every historic town becomes a tawdry
    imitation of Coney Island or Disneyland as one finds all to
    often in Western Europe or North America.




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