Any advice for Prague trip?
 

Am planning a run from Northern Ireland to Prague this spring with a few mates. Planning on going across Holland, follow the Rhine and cross Germany probably via Heidelberg.
Has anyone any advice on route, places to see and in particular bike security while staying in Prague.

Mark

I drove regular trips to Prague, there is a security problem, but most Pension (Hotel) managers are helpful and will park other cars around your bike or use a secure compound. Don't stop or travel thru at night the city of in Pilzner, the Police go round in 10's. Get a Motorway Pass at the border, and don't get in the queue for the border,they are mainly trucks. (No HGV's leave CzRep and weekends). Just cruise upto the post in outside lanes. Border guys mainly Germans. Stay out of the city for cheaper pensions and get the tram in. V-Cheap. Try 'Repy' in the north of the city. (Come off M/way at IKEA, turn left and keep going, camp site at this junction if you are camping). Prague is great, take alook at the old queens summer palace about 30km outside city. Brno big city but quite industrial.
Have a great time.
Bluto (Manchester)

I did something similar last summer. I left from Amsterdam, followed the Rhine, into the Alps then Italy, Slovenia then back through Austria, Germany and into Prague. Some recommendations: Follow the green (scenic) routes on the Michelin Maps of Europe. I wasnt dissappointed when I followed these.

When I collected my visa (being Australian I still need one for the Czech Republic) I found free and extremely informative tourist information at the Czech embassy in London. The most useful of these was a map of the whole country showing all of the campsites and facilites. The second was a booklet and map that showed all of the scenic bicycle routes around Czech. So plotting a course around the Czech Republic was easy - chose the highlights from the booklet, then follow the marked tourist routes.

I found a very good hostel in Prague that had a lock up compound where I stored my bike. I also made use of a Czech mechanic to do routine maintenance on my bike. It was good to stay in the centre of Prague without having to worry about bike security. The accomodation was basic - but convenient. Check out an old post of mine with contact details and prices. Search this website under "prague bike freindly accomodation".

Check the visa requirements ahead of time - Czech Republic is kind of funny that way, Canadians need a visa, and they aren't very efficient or friendly about giving them out.

I tried getting one at the border, entering from Poland, so I could just transit about a 50 mile leg into Germany - no hope, they turned me away, not a smile, nothing. I was riding with about 6 Czech riders who were really embarrassed and did everything they could to convince the border guard to let me through for the 1 hour transit - "Nyet".

[This message has been edited by PanEuropean (edited 12 January 2004).]

Went to Prague two years ago via Hamburg, Berlin, Poland & Slovakia. Nice place, will be visiting again at some point. Rather than going for hotels, have a look around some of the housing areas surrounding the city centre. We found signs advertising flats for short term let & ended up with a small fully equipped apartment for less than the cost of a hotel room. It also included a good breakfast, info on the sights of Prague & free 24hr tram tickets.

On a recent European trip, we went through the Vosges (mountains) for the first time, situated on the French / German border. Can fully recommend the area & roads. If carry on all the way, you end up in south east Germany, leading you straight on through Bavaria & Thuringa Wald to the Czech Republic.

En-route to Prague you may well end up passing Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad). It's meant to be very nice but I was unimpressed.

You may well be surprised by the number of roadside prostitutes on the main road to Prague - strange if you've never come across it before? In acse anyone's wondering, I did not indulge!

Have a good trip.

Steve

I totally agree with Steve the Vosges montains are a great place to go especially
Colmar, Gerardmer (ski resort),Ribeauville
Regards Gary

i'm planning to ride to romania this summer - interested to know what experiences you have. good luck.

try this http://www.autotransinfo.ru/tc.php
for directions/distances

zenbiker

Hi what exactly do you want to know?

Hello maybe late...but if I you need to help here in Prague let me know, I will help you
bikers for bikers http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif bye dablyk www.dablyk.com