Subject: [80attendees] Currency

From: Songhaibin <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:43:11 +0000

Hi,

Today I would like to exchange some money from the bank for this trip. What kind of currency is more convenient? Czech koruna or Euros?

Thanks,
Haibin

---

From: Larissa Shapiro <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2011 22:46:18 -0700

I'm already in Prague on other business, and while Koruna are the
standard, the taxi I took from the airport did specifically note it
accepts Euros, so if you get just Koruna, or both, you should be fine. I
wouldn't get just Euros.

Larissa

On 3/20/11 10:43 PM, Songhaibin wrote:
> _______________________________________________
> 80attendees mailing list
> [email-masked]
> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/80attendees

-- 
Larissa Shapiro
Internet Systems Consortium Product Manager
Technology Leadership for the Common Good
+1 650 423 1335
www.isc.org

---

From: Lars-Göran Forsberg <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:10:11 +0100

Hi,

From experience with traveling to Prague a few times over the last two years I can say that the Koruna is what you should get. 

The places accepting Euro away from the airport are few and the currency rate will be bad.

Regards,
LG

---

From: Yoav Nir <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:15:34 +0200

What Lars said, about changing Euros to Koruna in Prague.

However, depending on where you're coming from, you might be able to get a far better exchange rate for Euros (that are almost as ubiquitous as dollars) than for Koruna (which are rare)

So I suggest you compare the exchange rates you're getting at your home country, and then decide.

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Songhaibin
Sent: 21 March 2011 07:43
To: [email-masked]
Subject: [80attendees] Currency

Hi,

Thanks,
Haibin

Scanned by Check Point Total Security Gateway.

---

From: Songhaibin <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:24:02 +0000

Thank you LG and Larissa. I would like to get Koruna from the bank. The bad news is, the banks here in my city (Nanjing, China) can not exchange the Chinese Yuan for Koruna for me: ( I think I can only exchange for some Euros now. And then suffer from the bad exchange rate in Prague.

BR,
Haibin

> From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]
> On Behalf Of Lars-G?ran Forsberg
> Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 3:10 PM
> To: [email-masked]
> Cc: [email-masked]
> Subject: Re: [80attendees] Currency
> 
> Hi,
> 
> From experience with traveling to Prague a few times over the last two years I
> can say that the Koruna is what you should get.
> 
> >> Today I would like to exchange some money from the bank for this trip. What
> kind of currency is more convenient? Czech koruna or Euros?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Haibin

---

From: "Marc Lampo" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:25:18 +0100 (CET)

Hello,

You can also get Koruna out of bank terminals in Prague airport, with
credit card "exchange rates".

Kind regards,

Marc Lampo

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]]
On Behalf Of Songhaibin
Sent: 21 March 2011 08:24 AM
To: Lars-Göran Forsberg; [email-masked]
Cc: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [80attendees] Currency

Thank you LG and Larissa. I would like to get Koruna from the bank. The
bad news is, the banks here in my city (Nanjing, China) can not exchange
the Chinese Yuan for Koruna for me: ( I think I can only exchange for some
Euros now. And then suffer from the bad exchange rate in Prague.

BR,
Haibin

> The places accepting Euro away from the airport are few and the currency
rate
> will be bad.

---

From: Henk Uijterwaal <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:11:22 +0100

On 21/03/2011 08:24, Songhaibin wrote:
> Thank you LG and Larissa. I would like to get Koruna from the bank. The bad
> news is, the banks here in my city (Nanjing, China) can not exchange the
> Chinese Yuan for Koruna for me: ( I think I can only exchange for some Euros
> now. And then suffer from the bad exchange rate in Prague.

If you have a bank card, just wait until you arrive.  There are plenty of ATMs
at the airport and in the city where you can get Koruna from your regular account.

If you have to bring cash, get euro's and exchange at the airport.  There you'll
get the official exchange rate for cash.  Only when you change money at
unofficial places downtown or try to pay taxis/restaurants/etc in euro, you'll
get a horribly bad rate.

Henk

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Henk Uijterwaal                           Email: henk(at)uijterwaal.nl
RIPE NCC                                  http://www.xs4all.nl/~henku
                                          Phone: +31.6.55861746
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There appears to have been a collective retreat from reality that day.
                                 (John Glanfield, on an engineering project)

---

From: Songhaibin <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:12:15 +0000

Thanks. I will compare it.

BR,
Haibin

> From: Marc Lampo [mailto:[email-masked]]
> Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 3:25 PM
> To: Songhaibin
> Cc: [email-masked]
> Subject: RE: [80attendees] Currency
> 
> Hello,
>

---

From: Songhaibin <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:59:08 +0000

Thanks. I think I will exchange at the airport.

BR,
Haibin

> On Behalf Of Henk Uijterwaal
> Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 4:11 PM
> To: [email-masked]

---

From: "Ing.Tomas Marsalek" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:53:07 +0100

Dear all,

as local person I suggest:

- exchange small amount at airport <exchange office or ATM>

- take a taxi AAA - there is yellow stand at arrival hall -> ask 
there for transport to your hotel, you will have better rate there. 
Another cheap option is use airport-express bus which is going every 
30minutes directly to city center

- pay at restaurant, shops with CZK. If you will pay with EUR you 
will have very bad rate. Very good rates for money exchange are at 
exchange offices at city center:

http://www.exchange.cz/
or
http://www.eurochange.cz/

BR
Tomas

---

From: "George, Wes E [NTK]" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:00:25 +0000

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On
Behalf Of Ing.Tomas Marsalek
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 5:53 AM
To: Songhaibin; Henk Uijterwaal; [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [80attendees] Currency

Dear all,

[WEG] What about acceptance of credit cards? Should we make sure to have enough
cash to cover all expenses (except hotel) for the week, or will most major
credit cards be accepted at places like restaurants, taxis, public transit?
Dare I ask about AMEX?

---

From: "Ing.Tomas Marsalek" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:39:34 +0100

>credit cards be accepted at places like restaurants, taxis, public transit?

No problem with credit cards incl AMEX almost everywhere. It's still 
good to have some cash for "old small pubs", small shops etc.
About public transport. Probably the best is buy 3 or 5 day ticket 
see prices: http://www.dpp.cz/en/fares-in-prague/. Shop is at airport 
too. This give you unlimited travel <underground,tram,buses>. 
Inspector checking validity of tickets are almost everywhere......and 
there is high penalty => I strongly suggest travel with valid ticket.

btw: Some tip for beer-lovers => special type of self-servis beer 
pub. http://www.thepub.cz/welcome

BR
Tomas

---

From: Dan Burnett <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:57:23 -0400

Tomas,

Thanks for the great info.  I notice on the site below that the 30-day  
pass is only slightly more expensive than the 5-day ticket.  For  
someone staying more than 5 days, is there any reason not to get the  
30-day pass?  For example, does it not provide something that the  
tickets do?

-- dan

On Mar 21, 2011, at 9:39 AM, Ing.Tomas Marsalek wrote:

> see prices: http://www.dpp.cz/en/fares-in-prague/. Shop is at  
> airport too. This give you unlimited travel  
> <underground,tram,buses>. Inspector checking validity of tickets are  
> almost everywhere......and there is high penalty => I strongly  
> suggest travel with valid ticket.
>

---

From: "Ing.Tomas Marsalek" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:21:04 +0100

For 30day pass you need to provide your personal info and it's 
working from 1st day of month - just whole month no 30day. It's what 
they say at website.
But to be 100% sure I will check it at DPP shop today afternoon and 
confirm to this list.

BR
Tomas

At 14:57 21.3.2011, Dan Burnett wrote:
>>>From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked] ] On

---

From: Ondrej Filip <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:28:19 +0100

> 30-day pass?  For example, does it not provide something that the

Hi!
Those passes are the same as normal tickets, but there is a small
problem: I rather called the public transport company and for some
strange reason you cannot buy 30-day passes at the airport. So the
best way is to buy one single trip ticket (26CZK) go to the hotel and
buy this pass at e.g. Florenc metro station (which is closest to Hilton).

Here is the list of all sales locations:

http://www.dpp.cz/en/advance-sales-in-metro/

			Ondrej

-- 
 (  CZ.NIC z.s.p.o.                              )
 -------------------------------------------------
  Ondrej Filip  -  CEO

  Office : Americka 23, Praha 2,   Czech Republic
  Email  : [email-masked]  http://www.nic.cz
  Private: [email-masked]
 -------------------------------------------------

---

From: Khuzema Pithewan <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:49:14 -0700

Hi,
Couple of questions..

1. Are traveller cheques accepted by banks/money changers?
2. Which currency gets better rate/acceptance US Dollars or EURO?

Khuzema

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Henk Uijterwaal
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 1:41 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [80attendees] Currency

Henk

---

From: Jelte Jansen <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:09:10 +0100

> http://www.dpp.cz/en/advance-sales-in-metro/

btw, bit of initial experience from someone who arrived early to extend
this useful info from the locals :)

We took the bus to a random metro station and the metro after that.
Tickets are 26CZK but we had to pay an extra 13CZK for our luggage. Be
aware that these tickets do not get you on the airport express bus,
which supposedly takes you directly to the central station (that one
costs more, but at these prices, who's counting), but 'just' to the
nearest metro station (there are 3 metro lines, different buses take you
to different lines, but as usual, once you are in the metro system
everything's easy :))

Regarding money and ATMs: with my Dutch bank card I could simply get
money out of these, and I had the option to take the (at that point
unknown) bank fee, or choose a worse exchange rate.

The first machine did crash on me but that may not have anything to do
with general support, I just seem to have that effect on machines.

Jelte

---

From: Scott Brim <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:16:06 -0400

> We took the bus to a random metro station and the metro after that.

To get to Florenc it's probably easiest to take bus 100 to Zličín (metro line B)

> Tickets are 26CZK but we had to pay an extra 13CZK for our luggage.

How small must luggage be in order to avoid being charged?

Thanks ... Scott

---

From: David Singer <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:21:59 +0100

> How small must luggage be in order to avoid being charged?

a suitcase is charged as a child, as I recall.  it's not exactly much money; my sense is that if it takes up floor space, they'll charge for it.

> Thanks ... Scott

David Singer
Multimedia and Software Standards, Apple Inc.

---

From: Rao Shoaib <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:23:33 -0700

It seems like there are a lot of folks with a lot of good local 
information. Can someone clearly list the steps involved in getting from 
the Airport to the Hotel and back using bus and metro.

Thanks,

Rao.

---

From: Ondřej Surý <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:29:09 +0100

On 21.3.2011 18:16, Scott Brim wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 13:09, Jelte Jansen<[email-masked]>  wrote:

http://www.dpp.cz/en/transit-terms-of-service-excerpt/6-conditions-for-the-transport-of-luggage-and-live-animals/

Luggage of dimensions greater than 25 x 45 x 70 cm, rod-shaped items 
longer than 150 cm with a diameter greater than 20 cm, and tabular items 
larger than 100 x 100 x 5 cm are subject to fees per the PIT Tariff

(Basically being a local I have never paid for a luggage and until 
Jelte's message I have never known anybody who did pay for it :-))).

O.
-- 
  Ondřej Surý
  vedoucí výzkumu/Head of R&D department
  -------------------------------------------
  CZ.NIC, z.s.p.o.    --    Laboratoře CZ.NIC
  Americka 23, 120 00 Praha 2, Czech Republic
  mailto:[email-masked]    http://nic.cz/
  tel:+420.222745110       fax:+420.222745112
  -------------------------------------------

---

From: David Singer <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:31:16 +0100

On Mar 21, 2011, at 18:29 , Ondřej Surý wrote:

> Luggage of dimensions greater than 25 x 45 x 70 cm, rod-shaped items longer than 150 cm with a diameter greater than 20 cm, and tabular items larger than 100 x 100 x 5 cm are subject to fees per the PIT Tariff
> 
> (Basically being a local I have never paid for a luggage and until Jelte's message I have never known anybody who did pay for it :-))).
> 

<http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/prague-airport-bus.html> also seems to have a good list of options and directions.

David Singer

---

From: Scott Brim <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 13:30:31 -0400

> a suitcase is charged as a child, as I recall.  it's not exactly much money; my sense is that if it takes up floor space, they'll charge for it.

Aha:

"For each piece of luggage larger than 25 cm x 45 cm x 70 cm (10 in x
18 in x 28 in), it is necessary to purchase a 13 Kč transfer ticket."

-- <http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/prague-airport-bus.html>

---

From: Ondřej Surý <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:39:24 +0100

Again speaking as resident, I see this paragraph as exaggerated:

 > Please watch your belongings at the Dejvická metro station where
 > pickpockets prey on tourists traveling from/to the airport. Don't get
 > caught in a crowd (e.g. on the stairwell that leads into the station)
 > and know what's happening around and behind you. Keep an eye on your
 > backpack, side pockets and back pockets.

This paragraph basically applies to any city where you look like a 
tourist (and even in Dubai, where are severe punishment for 
prostitution, we were approached by a hooker).

The Dejvicka station is crowded not because of pickpockets, but because 
it's a Metro A ending station (aka a transfer station) and because there 
are several universities in vicinity (so those vile grubby unshaven 
looking people are more probably the computer science or chemistry 
students :).

So apply a usual common sense when travelling and you should be just fine.

O.

---

From: Jelte Jansen <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:39:33 +0100

> the Airport to the Hotel and back using bus and metro.

Depends on how much time, effort, and money you are willing to spend.

*easiest* is probably a taxi, but also expensive :)

Otherwise;

1. In the hall where you exit the airport there are ATMs and booths
where they sell public transport tickets. Ask for a normal single ticket
(+one for luggage, but they will probably give you one anyway if you
look touristy)

2. Go outside to the bus platform (clearly marked), may depend on your
flight but for us it was 50 meters to the right and then across the street.

3. Get on Bus line 100 to Zličín (arrival time of next is shown on
electronic board)

4. Validate your ticket(s) in the yellowy machine thingy in the bus (at
this point you will have access to the public transport system for 75
minutes), there is one near every door of the bus as far as i could see,
so you do not need to enter at the front

5. After about 15-20 minutes it'll kick everyone out at its final stop,
which conveniently contains an entrance to the metro system, which you
can simply walk into (no weird ad scary gates or anything).

6. Get on metro (this is also a metro end point so direction should not
be a worry)

7. Get out at Florenc station

8. Walk to hotel

Last 2 steps have been guessed, I'm in another part of town right now.

Reverse steps for route back :)

Jelte

---

From: Ondřej Surý <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:43:49 +0100

On 21.3.2011 18:39, Jelte Jansen wrote:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>

It's probably faster to take 119 to Dejvická and change the Metro line 
from A to B to get to Florenc metro station.  But the Zličín way is 
simpler (just one transfer from bus to metro and you're at the end 
station so you cannot mix the direction).

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From: Sandra Murphy <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:31:04 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

In my last trip to Prague, I took advantage of the following service:

http://www.cedaz.cz/public-shuttle-bus-from-airport-to-prague-centre.php.

It lets off just one place downtown, a couple of blocks from the Hilton, 
in front of the Mariott (an IETF hotel in 2007).  I think it would be 
about a 15 minute walk, trundling a suitcase.

The fare is 120 CZK.

--Sandy

On Mon, 21 Mar 2011, David Singer wrote:

David Singer

---

From: Richard Barnes <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:37:47 -0400

+1

This worked very well for me last time I was in town.  Fast and cheap
-- and I was the only one on the bus.

--Richard

On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 4:31 PM, Sandra Murphy <[email-masked]> wrote:
> It lets off just one place downtown, a couple of blocks from the Hilton, in
> front of the Mariott (an IETF hotel in 2007).  I think it would be about a
> 15 minute walk, trundling a suitcase.
>
> The fare is 120 CZK.
>
> --Sandy
>
>
>> (Basically being a local I have never paid for a luggage and until Jelte's
>> message I have never known anybody who did pay for it :-))).
>>
>
> <http://www.myczechrepublic.com/prague/prague-airport-bus.html> also seems
> to have a good list of options and directions.
>
> David Singer