Prague, Czechia - TUG 2024 local information

TUG 2024 will be held at the Hotel Grandior, Prague, Czechia. Specifics for traveling to/from Prague are on a separate page. This page is about being in Prague, and general information.

If you have time, we recommend visiting the Czech National Technical Museum, in particular the printing exhibition.

Our local host, Tom Hejda, is happy to provide more information or answer questions. Please contact him at the conference address.

Currency

• Local currency is the “koruna česká” (Czech crown), abbreviated “Kč” (CZK).
• Exchange rate is about EUR 1 = CZK 27, USD 1 = CZK 23, GBP 1 = CZK 30.
• You might get around without ever needing cash.
• If you need to exchange, go to Travelex or a major bank. Never use small no-name exchange offices.
• If you need to withdraw, use the cash machine of a major bank (the nearest is on the Florenc tram stop for Česká spořitelna/Erste) or Travelex (one is in the lobby of Grandior).

Food

Some tips for good places around the venue (most will require reservations):

• Remember—Vietnamese food, Biskupská 5 (just across the street). There’s a big Vietnamese community in Prague and this place is really nice and cosy, and their Pho soup or Bun Bo Nam Bo or just any dish is great! Serves fish and vegetarian as well.
• Bistro Špejle, Jindřišská 16 (2 tram stops away or ~20 minutes walk). Inspired by Czech traditional food, they serve everything on a stick. It’s self-serve and you pay per number of sticks you get, so you can taste a lot of various stuff and it’s quite fun.
• Yam Yam Karlín, Urxova 5 (4 tram stops away). Great Asian Fusion. Serves fish and vegetarian as well.
• Čestr, New building of the National Museum, Legerova 75 (2 stops from Florenc by Metro C). The top place in Prague for beef steaks. “Čestr” is short for “český strakatý skot”, which is a local breed of mountain cattle with great meat. They have non-steaks as well, but no vegetarian dishes.
• Pizza Nuova, Revoluční 1 (2 tram stops away or ~15 minutes walk). Really good place for Italian pizza.
• Pasta Fresca, Celetná 11 (~20 minutes walk, or 2 tram stops + ~10 minutes walk). Excellent Italian.
• Dva Kohouti (Two Roosters), Sokolovská 55 (in a yard). Easily the best beer bar in Prague.

Czech restaurants have a few specifics:

• Tap water is usually not free. When requesting water, you will usually get a small bottle and it will be about as expensive as beer.
• Tipping: About 5–10% is expected. Most places accept tips when you pay by card: They will show you the bill and you tell them either how much they should add or what is the final amount you want to pay.
• Many places don’t have good vegetarian and other dietary options, unfortunately, so if you have any restrictions, it’s recommended to check their website/menu beforehand to avoid disappointments. Tom is ready to offer help or advice.

Using public transport

• Beware of pickpockets! The situation is similar to any other tourist city—please be cautious: Avoid very crowded metros/trams (they run quite often), avoid placing any valuables in back pockets, cargo pockets or loose bags you don’t hold firmly. There is no need to carry your ID/passport with you—just have a copy and note down your hotel’s address, that will do.
• All public transport (including from the airport) is at the same rate of CZK 30 for a 30-minute ticket and CZK 40 for a 90-minute ticket. This excludes the “Airport Express” bus line, which is not really useful anyway. There’s also a 3-day and a 7-day ticket, but these are usually not worth it.
• Tickets can be purchased in vending machines at the airport, all metro stops and many tram stops. Look for yellow or orange machines. The ones with a touchsrceen accept cards (incl. contactless/phone). All trams have machines also on board (look for orange machines with a small touchscreen. Tickets purchased in a vending machine have to be validates at the metro entrance or when boarding the tram. Tickets purchased in the tram are automatically validated.
• An alternative to purchasing a paper ticket is downloading the official app called “PID lítačka” (issued by Hlavní město Praha), and buying a ticket there.

Other conference pages:

• Conference home page.
• Register for the conference.
• Conference program.
• Submit proposal / call for papers.
• Conference participants.
• Workshop information.
• Travel to/from the city.