The Stations Page
For train stations this includes the main station at Hlavni Nadrazi and Holesovice (Masarykovo will follow). For bus stations this is Florenc (Andel, also known as Na Knizeci, will follow). For each station I've tried to include the following;
1) General layout if you were arriving there.
2) Ammenities within the station.
3) DPP station connectivity
4) Most used for. National and International destinations.
5) Closest accommodation to the station.
6) Station location in relation to the city.
7) Local warnings.
The Main Railway Station
This covers Hlavni Nadrazi (Wilsonovo) Main Railway Station North Side (South side was still in building phase in 2011). If you follow the signs that say "Exit North" then the following applies..
Note that the main train station is closed 0100 to 0330 for cleaning.
Note about the Platforms:
There are no food/drink kiosks on the platforms and smoking is not allowed. You exit the platform via the North part of the station. Exit from the platforms can be via stairs, escalator or lift. There are two corridors currently open leading from the platforms to the main concourse.
Arrival floor (first floor)
You arrive on the first floor of the building having just passed the toilet/shower facilities of the station where the toilet is 10kc (50 Euro cents also accepted) and shower is 40kc. You'll then pass a small snack bar called "picnic" at the time of writing. On your right on the corner is a cambio money changing centre open 0600-2200. In front of you will be a travelator to the main concourse suitable for disabled people. To your left are shops and amongst them are a newsagent "Relay" open 0600-2100, a chemist open 0700-2000 weekdays and 0800-2000 at weekends. Further along towards what will be the south exit you'll find a French-style cafe and a Burger King restaurant open 0800-2200. In the south corridor are drink and snack vending machines that accepted Czech currency in coins (see the "Lower Concourse" section for how to get change).
This area contains the better bars and cafes one of which has seating. You can exit this floor on the far left or right where you will find taxis (I don't recommend them). The upper floor has the big departure and arrival information boards for National and International arrivals. With your back to the platforms, the sit-down cafe is on your right. You now descend to the ground floor.
Main concourse (ground floor - street exit)
If you took the travelator then you have arrived at the far north side of the station. On your right are the Raiffeisen Bank with external ATM, Relay newsagent (0530-2200), mini market (0600-2200) and the Potrefena Husa restaurant/bar (0900-2200). Shops on your left include a Schlecker drugstore (like a UK Boots), a Fokus optician, a Vodafone shop and a florist. Opposite the Schlecker is the "in-karta" point (mostly only for Czechs, the rear machine has the credit/debit card point). Next to it is an interesting machine where you can enter the details of your train and see the carriage configuration. Opposite the Vodafone shop is a screen display in English/Czech/German which connects to the IDOS train timetable system. You must be able to enter the name of both the departure and arrival stations to get a valid result. Next to the IDOS display is a larger display showing the current timetable for the next hour or so. You can scroll down the display to see details if you know the train departure time. In the centre of the main concourse are a few fashion shops and a bookshop. Metro ticket machines and fixed phones are located close to the entry/exits of the metro station.
Lower Concourse (Tickets and lockers)
Train Tickets
Access to this floor is either by ramp of stairs. Arriving at this level on the far north side of the station you'll find the following. On your left is a tourist information point 0800-2000. Opposite and to the right is the Wasteels ticket reservation and accommodation shop mon-fri 0900-1700, sat-sun 0900-1200 and 1300-1600 (this sells Metro tickets as well). Other shops in this area include a Leonidas chocolate shop, a tea/coffee shop and a sports shop. Opposite the sports shop are 4 counters for domestic train travel. Further along on the left is a glassed area for international tickets. Opposite the entry to the glassed area is another ATM.
Lockers and small change
The locker area is at the far north side of the basement area. At the end of the central rows of lockers are two machines for getting small change. They accept 50, 100 and 200kc notes and will eject 10 and 20kc coins. The types of lockers are as follows;
60Kc per day. This gets you a suitcase sized locker suitable for two suitcases no more than 70cm high and 90cm long.
80Kc per day. This gets you more of a regular "sports" locker which is quite tall at 1.7m but not deep which makes them suitable for skis etc.
90Kc per day. These lockers have the largest volume with capacity for 2 suitcases plus other soft bags.
All lockers work in the same way. Put your luggage in. Enter the money. Turn the key and lock. Remove the key. Maximum time limit is 72 hours. After that time the locker is cleared and contents stored at their Holesovice depot. After 4 weeks unclaimed items are "disposed". There is an office in the same area as the lockers but the staff may not speak English. Locker area is open from 0320-0040 with half-hour cleaning periods at 0630 and 1130.
Metro Station
DPP metro station connections - The ground floor main concourse has the access to the Metro station on line "C" (RED). There are two specific entries to the metro depending on which direction you want to travel. The direction "Ladvi" is closest to you and the direction "Haje" is closest to the front exit. Take the direction "Ladvi" for transferring to the Holesovice Train Station or the Florenc Bus station. Take direction "Haje" and go one stop to "Museum" (Wenceslas Square) and the Green line metro which goes towards the airport.
The Main train station generally covers geographically the south and west of the Czech Republic. International services will be going to Vienna, Munich and all Western European cities. Immediately outside the station are the 3* "Hotel Chopin", 4* "Hotel Maria Prague" and 5* "Esplanade". Three minutes walk to the right and you'll find the 5* "Carlo IV" and 3* "Tulip Inn - Terminus". Three minutes walk to the left brings you to all the accommodation on Wenceslas Square.
Local Warnings - To be honest, I don't like the main train station day or night. It is a real magnet for drug dealers and hence drug takers. Don't even think about sitting down on the grass and pickpocketing is a risk. The station closes for two hours to allow for cleaning but sometimes they leave the bums asleep on the benches. As mentioned earlier, the taxis are not recommended. If being met by a tourist agent you are most likely to leave the station and get the agent transport on the other side of the small park or up on the outer station car park.
Holesovice Train Station
Layout - Vending machines are on the station platforms. After you have arrived at the platforms you exit them by descending down to an underground walkway. The walkway emerges onto the commercial area of the station.
There are only 3 platforms at Holesovice. As you exit the walkway you find the first group of shops. Right and left are souvenir shops. On the right is a reasonable restaurant and a non-stop obcerstveni. Next on the right is an Internet cafe and an exchange booth and at the end is a Tabak and a kebab cafe. Also here is a card and coin phone. On the left is the ticket info and purchasing area. At the end of the small concourse you emerge outside of the station environment. In front of you is a Relay newsagent. On your immediate left are two ATM's operted by Ceska Sporitelna and Komercni Banka. Straight ahead is the direction to the DPP trams. The metro and taxi options are to your right, the DPP and private bus services are to the left (if you are travelling to Melnik then it's the No.10 stop). If you want the airport bus it parks on the same rank as Neratovice (the sign says "Nerabus").
DPP metro station connections - Holesovice has the access to the Metro station on line "C" (RED). There is only one entry to the metro. The direction "Ladvi" would be used for the Hotel Duo i.e. going away from the centre. Take direction "Haje" and it's two stops to Florenc, three stops to the Main Train station and 4 stops to "Muzeum" (Wenceslas Square) and the Green line metro which goes towards the airport (a 18Kc ticket is required if you only intend a maximum of 5 metro stops. If you want to change to bus/tram you will need to buy the 26Kc ticket instead plus 13Kc ticket for each piece of luggage).
Holesovice train station is about 3km outside the centre of town. Generally people will be coming here to the open-air market (now called Rivertown) or in order to get a train to the East of the Czech Republic or North to Dresden or the bus to Melnik or Liberec. Accommodation in the immediate train station area includes the Hotel Splendid, the Hotel Extol-Inn and Sir Toby's Hostel.
Homeless bums are usually located at the cafe end of the outer station concourse where the smell of toilet is most prevalent (connection maybe?). Not as threatening as the main train station and not so much in the way of begging.
Masarykovo Train Station
There are two entries to the station. The side entry is next to the post office (Posta) and this is the area where you buy tickets. The other more popular entry is opposite the tram stop,
Entry from the tram stop side
As you enter the station from this side you'll have:
On your left;
Fast food including roast chicken, open sandwiches/snacks, pizza (open 0800-2345) and a bakers. Vending machines are outside some shops and largely sell sweets and coffee. There is an external ATM on this side but, I advise NOT to use it as I've seen cards swallowed on more than one visit.
On your right;
Chinese restaurant, coffee/pastry (open 07-22), casino and mini-market (open 06-22). Cafe&Go vending machine. There is a toilet at the far end on the right after the passage.
Entry from Post Office side
As you enter the station from this side you'll have:
Ticket Office and timetables 0600-2150. Smaller lockers (will take a large stuff-bag or a smaller suitcase for 60Kc per day). Key cutting shop, flower shop, internet cafe and restaurant. There is also a GE Moneybank external ATM.
Bus Station - Florenc (pronounced floor-rents)
The worst for beggars. I didn't even get to the station ticket office before somebody asked me for money. Even speaking English does not put them off as they can speak at least four languages it seems.
Route to the Florenc Bus Station
As you exit the metro carriage you follow the signs for "bus". As you exit the metro station doors, turn right and take the sign for "Zizkov-Bus-Centrum". You go down into the underpass with a couple of bars and you come up onto the street. Its signposted but if you turn right out of the underpass the new building is around the corner on your left. If you are being dropped off or arriving by car there is a small car park (20 spaces) next to the station for 60Kc per hour. As you go in you'll find the ticket offices.
Entering the building (opens at 0530) there are about 6 or 7 different companies selling tickets for various routes from 20 separate desks. Apart from CSAD, the major CZ-UK carriers are Eurolines and Capital Express. The other main CZ carrier is Student Agency which has the desks on the far right. The mini-market opens 0530-2200.
At the very far end on the right is a luggage office and two ATMs (GE and Sporitelna). On your left is a Cafe and a Burger King next to the seated area.
Outside Florenc metro station
As you exit the metro station main door the first thing to see will be a non-stop bar. If you exit to the left you'll find a florist (Summer only), a supermarket (0700-1900) and an ATM to the left of the supermarket entry. The main trams passing the station during the day are 8 and 24. At night there are the 52 and 55. If you walk around the side to the left you find another ticket office buried in the corner opposite the clock (you can buy 3 and 7 day passes here). If you exited the main doors and turned right i.e. following the "Zizkov-bus-centrum" sign into the underpass, you'll find the supervised toilet facilities (0700-2100).
|
|
|
|
|
