Travel information

How to arrive to České Budějovice

Walking or biking would not increase your carbon footprints, but for majority of participants it would take too much time to get to our meeting. Therefore, you will probably prefer car, bus, train, or airplane. Basic information about the transport to České Budějovice is mentioned below. We suppose that for the most participants trip by airplane to Prague and follow by train to České Budějovice would be the easiest and cheapest way.

In case you will need help, please contact us via conference mail.

Airports

Prague (Czech Republic): 170 km – best choice
Linz (Austria): 110 km)
Vienna (Austria): 215 km)

From Prague airport you can go to the Prague main station (train) directly by bus line Airport Express (AE). Bus stops are located in front of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The way is signed from terminals to the bus stops. Tickets are available in ticket office in terminal or at the bus stop, you can also buy them on-line or directly from bus driver. Price 100 CZK (ca 4 EUR). You can pay cash in CZK or by card.

For more information, please check the web sites:

Airport Express | Vaclav Havel Airport Prague, Ruzyne (prg.aero)
Airport Express | České dráhy (cd.cz)

Trains from Prague to České Budějovice:

From Prague main station you can go to České Budějovice by direct express, eurocity and intercity trains (better choice) or fast trains. The price is ca 180 CZK (ca 7.5 EUR), depends on train and time. The journey takes ca 2 hours. Tickets are available at the ticket office at the station or on-line. You can pay both cash (CZK only) or by card. In case you will buy ticket on-line, please choose option flexi. It is slightly more expensive, but you can go by any train of ČD - České Dráhy (Czech railways). You can also buy seat reservation. If you buy ticket on-line, seat reservation is for free, if you buy the ticket at the station then reservation cost 35 CZ (ca 1.5 EUR). Typically trains to České Budějovice goes every hour (see the enclosed timetable).

For more information and buying tickets please check the web sites:

Homepage | České dráhy (cd.cz)

You can also use provided pdf with train schedules:
Trains Prague-České Budějovice

Bus lines from Prague to České Budějovice

From Prague to České Budějovice, there are also very comfortable bus lines of the company RegioJet. Board staff speaks English, but the buses go to České Budějovice from the station Na Knížecí. If you choose to travel by these buses, you have to go by city bus and metro to the station Na Knížecí. From Airport Terminal 1 or 2 bus line 119 to the stop Nádraží Veleslavín, then follow by underground (Metro) line A to stop Můstek, change to Metro line B to the stop Anděl. Price for bus ticket is about 170 CZK (ca 7 EUR), price for city transport 40 CZK (less than 2 EUR).

For more information and buying tickets please check the web sites:

RegioJet | Vlakové a autobusové jízdenky
IDOS • Prague Public Transport • Connection search (idnes.cz)

City buses in České Budějovice

České Budějovice has excellent system of city buses. Bus stops are located in front of train station and shopping mall Mercury opposite the train station. If you choose to go to the hotel by bus, you can use the trolley bus line 9 (stop opposite the main entrance to train station). Go from Nádraží (Station) to the stop Mariánské náměstí or stop Družba-Igy. The conference hotel is only 5-minute walk from both of these two stops. Tickets for city public transport is possible to buy in newspaper shops, yellow machines at all the stops (paper version), or in the bus from yellow terminal (electronic ticket). You can pay cash or by card. If you buy ticket from the machine in the bus only cards are accepted – ticket is electronic on your credit card). It is also possible to buy ticket via SMS or from bus driver. Price is 20 CZK (less than 1 EUR) and is valid for 1 hour.

For more information please check the web sites:

IDOS • Ceske Budejovice Public Transport • Connection search (idnes.cz) MHD jízdní řády | Dopravní podnik města České Budějovice, a.s. (dpmcb.cz) (only in Czech language)

Taxi in Prague and České Budějovice

Both in Prague and České Budějovice you can use also taxi to travel across the cities and to the stations. But be careful, in Prague it can be super expensive travel and extremely effective way for wasting money.

On the other hand in České Budějovice, taxi is cheap, we recommend you to use cars of the company Taxi Kroupa. These cars will come for you after you call. They are not available at the station but will come typically within 15-20 minutes after your call +420 724 708 090, Taxi Kroupa - Č. Budějovice & J. Hradec. Price for the journey from station to Clarion Congress hotel is 108 CZK (ca 4.5 EUR).

Money exchange and ATMs

If you want to withdraw your money from ATM please use preferentially ATMs of big standard well known banks (ČS,ČSOB, KB, Raiffeisen, Moneta). Please avoid ATMs with logo Euronet, they are sometimes at the airports and station, but getting cash from them is very expensive. Standard banks are usually for free or very cheap.

Money exchange is other way how to get cash in CZK. Nowadays rates are ca 25 CZK = 1 EUR, 22 CZK = 1 USD or 30 CZK = GBP. If the exchange has significantly different rate (10% or more) avoid it! Standard is no charge for exchange. If the exchange want charge leave it! You can change your money without charge and for fair rate. Unfortunately, not all the money exchanges at the airports and station are fair. Please before change ask for rate and charge! If you are not sure, go to any bank, they will change your money for fair conditions. Valid rates can be found on the web of Czech National Bank, exchange is usually about 1 or 2 CZK different.

For more information about the rate see the web of Czech national bank:

Central bank exchange rate fixing - Czech National Bank (cnb.cz)