CTA: Basic info

The Czech Republic: 1993 – today
On January 1, 1993, the Czech Republic peacefully split with Slovakia to form two independent countries with a lot of shared history. You might see the nickname “Czechia” on GPS maps or sports jerseys since it was introduced in 2016, but the full official name of the country is still the Czech Republic. Using the shortened version is likely to ignite a decisive love-it-or-hate-it debate among the locals, so sticking to “the Czech Republic” is a safer bet.

Czechoslovakia: 1918 - 1993
A united Czechoslovakia experienced periods of both independence (1918 - WWII 1989 - 1993) and foreign occupation (WWII-1989) during the 20th century.

Part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire: 1526 - 1918
The modern-day Czech Republic spent centuries (1526 - 1918) under the rule of the Habsburg family as part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The Czech lands also had their own royal families in previous centuries, but we’ll get into that later.

What Else You Need to Know

Geography
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country, with Germany stretching along the northwest to the southwest, Austria along the south, Slovakia to the east, and Poland neighboring the northeast.

Currency
the Czech Republic is part of the European Union, but to the surprise of many visitors, does not use the Euro. The official local currency is the Czech crown. Cash-only shops and restaurants are also fairly common, so keeping some cash on hand comes in handy when no credit or debit cards are accepted.

Language
Around 96% of the population speaks Czech, with moderate levels of conversational English in most major cities, especially in the city centers.

Weather
Visitors to the Czech Republic can expect all four seasons. Winter hits a low of – 5 C, with snowy winters common but not guaranteed. Summer temperatures peak at about +25 C, fluctuating between lovely sunny days and humidity with summer storms.

Transportation
Prague’s public transportation is one of the best in the world, with a network of metro lines, trams, and buses criss-crossing the city. A single ticket works across all forms of transportation, bought in increments of time (30 mins, 90 minutes, 24 hours, 72 hours, 30 days). Cross-country travel is also simple and reliable via public and private trains and bus companies.