Search
Survival Kit VIII. Practical Information: Working and Living in South Moravia Traveling Around the Country and Abroad

Traveling Around the Country and Abroad

Trains

The railway system of Czech Railways (ČD-České dráhy) is one of the densest in Europe. Trains go just about everywhere, and you can choose from many types of trains. Fares are calculated by the distance, but in many cases you can use various discounts. There are two kinds of train fares: “common fare” and “customer fare”. To obtain the customer fare you have to buy an In-customer card. You can buy it at railway station ticket offices, and you will need a passport-sized photograph.

Czech Railways offer a whole range of price reductions, for example for groups (minimum 2 persons to maximum 99 persons) or for return tickets. Price lists and detailed information on price reductions and rail passes can be found at the ČD official Website: www.cd.cz.

There are two main types of train (vlak): rychlík trains are the faster ones, which stop only at major towns; osobní, or ordinary trains, stop at every single station on the line and the average travel speed is about 40 km an hour. Other fast trains go by the name of expres or spěšný. Faster trains are the international expresses – known as InterCity and EuroCity. The fastest and the most expensive are the SuperCity trains, where you pay the fare and the seat reservation.

First-class carriages (první třída) exist on all fast trains; tickets are more expensive but should guarantee you a slightly more comfortable seat on a busy train. For all international services (and any other trains marked with an “R” on the timetable), you can buy a seat reservation (místenka).

In addition to ČD, the main corridor routes are also served by RegioJet (from Břeclav, Brno to Prague, Ostrava, Bratislava) and by LeoExpress (from Hodonín, Břeclav to Prague, Olomouc, Bratislava). These private carriers offer the best prices and economy class includes basic onboard service. Of course, there is Wifi connection in all train.

You’ll find the train time schedule at idos.idnes.cz (English and German version also available).
www.regiojet.cz
www.leoexpress.com

Buses

Buses go almost everywhere, and from town to town they are often faster than the train. Although not exactly executive travel, in most cases these will do if you want to avoid driving your own car. Bear in mind, though, that in rural areas timetables are often designed with the working and/or school day. During the week this can mean departures at 6 am, returning at around 3 pm, with completely different services at weekends.

In many towns and villages, the bus station is adjacent to the train station, though you may be able to pick up the bus from the centre of town.

A detailed railway and bus time-table is available both in English and German at the Website of IDOS: idos.idnes.cz. (When searching connections, fill in the names of destinations in Czech, for example “Praha” instead of “Prague”). This site offers even combinations of train and bus connections to all destinations in the country, including the most peripheral villages.

Air Travel

Brno has an international airport, currently serving mostly for charter and cargo flights. There is following operational line for winter season (2020/2021):

  • Brno – London / Stansted (Ryanair)

You can get easily to the Airport Brno –Turany (www.brno-airport.cz) by the bus line No. 76. This bus connection runs daily from 5:30 a.m. till 10:30 p.m. every 30 minutes. At night you can use the bus No. N89 from 23:00 p.m. till 5:00 a.m. The duration is approximately about 20 minutes depending on traffic. You need the ticket for two zones. You can check the time table here: No. E76 and No. N89.

Prague (200 Km, www.prg.aero) and Vienna (110 Km, www.viennaairport.com) are the nearest airports with comprehensively networked flights for all of South Moravia. Low-cost airlines are opening up new routes and chances to save money, particularly from Bratislava (www.bts.aero) and Prague.

Taxis

Taxis are plentiful and fairly cheap for westerners. Beware, however, that foreigners are seen as easy prey by some taxi drivers (especially in Prague; Brno taxi drivers have a better reputation than those in Prague but it is good to have a basic feel for the price levels). Ensure that the taxi has its number, company name, and prices printed on the doors. If it does not, the driver is already breaking the law. Once in the taxi, make sure that the meter (taxametr) is switched on. At the end of the ride, the driver should present a receipt (potvrzení).

Here are some of the most reputable taxi firms in Brno:


The most obvious place to get a taxi in Brno is in front of the main railway station (Hlavní nádraží) and on the corner of Česká and Joštova streets at the end of the Česká pedestrian zone.

Traffic Channels from Brno to Main Destinations

Prague

  • By fast train: Frequent connections running all day; you can get to Prague in less than 3 hrs. Be sure to check the timetable beforehand – some rides are longer by 30 minutes or more.
  • By bus: Frequent connections running all day (takes 2 hrs 30 minutes).

Direct Brno–Prague coach lines are mostly run by:

  • Regio Jet (+420 222 222 221, Ticket office: Hotel Grand Old Bus Station, www.regiojet.com)
  • FlixBus (Ticket office: Hotel Grand Old Bus Station, www.flixbus.com)


The station of the Student Agency company is located by the main Brno railway station, opposite the Hotel Grand (Benešova st.) – the so-called “Old bus station”. The price of a one-way ticket is around 100 – 200 Kč. It is according to utilization of individual connections.

The Brno main railway station (Brno hlavní nádraží) and the Central Bus station (ÚAN) in Zvonařka are only about a five minutes walk from each other and close to the centre of Brno.

Bratislava (Slovakia) – 110 Km

  • By fast train: about 15 times/day (the fastest takes 1 hour 30 minutes – EC or RJ trains)
  • By bus: frequent services all day long (takes approximately 2 hrs)
  • By car you can get there in 1 hour 30 min.


Vienna (Austria) – 127 Km

  • By fast train: about 12 times/day (1 hour 30 min – EC or RJ trains)
  • By bus: frequent services all day long (2 hours)
  • By car you can get there in 2 hours.

Public Transport in Brno

Brno has an excellent public transportation system. 11 lines of trams (tramvaj), 46 lines of buses (autobus) and 13 lines of trolley buses (trolejbus) during the day and 11 night lines will take you almost everywhere in the city within a few minutes.

There are two zones in Brno (100 and 101) and other zones in the surroundings of Brno. In any case, if you travel just in Brno, you don’t need to watch the zones because the tickets in Brno are for both of zones 100+101. For travelling in the surroundings of Brno, the best way is to get a map of the zones for better orientation (public transportation offices in Brno). The map of all lines you can find here.

Trams, trolley busses and busses run usually from dawn until around midnight, some bus lines run all the night, at 60 or 30-minute intervals (signified by a blue-yellow number on the bus stop and the digit starting with number 9).

From 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. at every hour on the hour, all buses leave in all directions from the Brno main station. However, there are differences between weekdays and weekends. Nighttime buses go more often and till 6:00 a.m. only on Saturday, Sunday, holidays and 31/12.

Tickets

There are no conductors, only plain-clothes inspectors, who will fine anyone without a validated ticket. It means that if you have ticket, but it is not validated by electronic device, you will pay the same fine as you have noticket. More information about SMS and Beep & go ticket you can find here.

Tickets costing 20 Kč are valid for 15 minutes 2 zones tickets costing 25 Kč are valid for 60 minutes 2 zones presuming that the regular fare applies to you (i.e. you are not below 16 years of age, you do not accompany a child of 3 years of age or less, or are not a holder of special pass for disabled or retired people). The same tickets are valid for the city´s buses connecting the centre and suburbs. You should also buy a special ticket for oversized luggage.

Other tickets are available – from a 1-day ticket (90 Kč), 5-day ticket (250 Kč), 14-day ticket (420 Kč) and a 1-month ticket (750 Kč). Anybody can use these types of tickets for zones 100+101.

You may also be interested in purchasing a pass – choose from a one-month pass (550 Kč), quarterly pass (1,370 Kč) or one-year pass (4,750 Kč). You can buy these passes at public transportation office in the center or in some local selling stands, and you will need passport-sized photo. The pass is related to one’s name and can’t be used by a different person.

The public transportation office at Novobranska 18 will give you complete information about Brno mass transport. Open: workdays from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Sat from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., dpmb@dpmb.cz, https://www.dpmb.cz/en/novinky/all.

Apart from Brno, other cities and towns in South Moravia do not have such an elaborate system of public transport, although most sizeable towns (over 10,000 inhabitants) have a few local public transport bus lines (no trams or trolleybuses).

Driving

Road conditions in South Moravia are generally not bad – the region has one of the highest densities of motorways in the Czech Republic: D1 from Prague to Brno and further to Vyškov and towards Olomouc, although the stretch of D1 from Prague to Brno is notorious for traffic jams. D2 from Brno to the south – via Břeclav to Bratislava. There is also a first stretch of high-speed (four-lane) road D52 from Brno to the south towards the Austrian border, which currently ends in Pohořelice (some 20 km south of Brno) but should eventually connect Brno with Vienna. If you want to travel on any motorway or high-speed road in Czech Republic, you will need an electronic vignette (dálniční známka) – see the map below for motorway and high-speed roads for which the sticker is required.

Tab. 18: Electronic vignette 2021 (prices in CZK)

Motorway tax stickers

Vehicle

Validity

Total weight under 3.5 tons

Total wight 3.5 tons < > 12 tons

Total weight over 12 tons

1 year (R)

1,500

Electronic toll

Electronic toll

1 month (M)

440

Electronic toll

Electronic toll

10 days

310

Electronic toll

Electronic toll

Source : Czech motorway internet page, www.ceskedalnice.cz, 2020

Starting 1 January 2021, you need to have an electronic vignette. You can buy it in e-shop, via mobile app or in special stores. For buying you need to have only vehicle registration number.

Starting 1 January 2010, an electronic toll was imposed on all vehicles above 3.5 tons of total weight. The total weight of the vehicle, rather than that of the vehicle combination (trailers) as was the previous practice, is the main criterion in deciding whether the vehicle must use a highway sticker or a toll unit.

Speed limits are 130 kph on motorways (speeding runs you the risk of being fined), 90 kph on other roads and 50 kph in all cities, towns and villages. Rules and regulations are stringent, radar speed checks are common and spot fines are rather heavy.

The basic rules are:

  • driving on the right;
  • compulsory wearing of seatbelts; and children under 12 must travel in the back;
  • the “don’t drink and drive” rule is very stringent in the Czech Republic. It is against law to have any alcohol or drugs in your blood when you are driving whatsoever;
  • don’t overtake a tram when passengers are getting on and off if there is no safety island for them;
  • give right of way to pedestrians crossing the road at zebra crossings;
  • motor vehicles must use their lights night and day all year long;
  • cyclists up to 18 years of age must use an approved protective helmet;
  • a child weighing less than 36 kg or whose height does not exceed 150 cm can only be transported in an approved car safety seat;
  • when passing a cyclist, the driver must use turn signals to indicate lane changes.

Parking in the Centre of Brno

The new parking system in Brno was introduced in 2019 and it helps to residents and subscribers to comfortable park cars near their places. The parking permit is valid not only for the area of permanent residence, but also in all neighbouring areas (with the exception of area 1-01). It makes easy parking for visitors too, there are only three visitors zones.

If you are resident or subscriber, you can get the parking permit in Contact point (Zvonařka 5, Brno) or online by using of data box.

If you are visitor, you need to register your car and pay the fee (parking meter, mobile app or via SMS). You need to follow the rules of visitor zone in which you park.

Rules for individual groups
I am a resident

  • Physical person with permanent residence within the designated area (temporary residence for international citizens) or an owner of a real property in the designated area.

The parking permit is valid not only for the area of permanent residence, but also in all neighbouring areas (with the exception of area 1-01). In all other parking areas, residents are regarded as visitors.

Price per year for residents

  

1st car

CZK 200

2nd car

CZK 8 000

Each further car

CZK 12 000

Every resident can provides to his visitor free parking hours and he has an option to buy additional 100 hours (per year). Visitor´s car needs to be register by resident.

Free parking hours for resident´s visitors

  

Resident (zone A, B)

200 hours of free parking

Resident (zone C)

100 hours of free parking

Additional parking hours (100 hours / zone A, B)

CZK 100

Additional parking hours (50 hours / zone C)

CZK 100

I am a subscriber

  • Self-employed physical person or legal person with registered address within the designated area or self-employed physical person or legal person with place of business within the designated area.

The parking permit is valid not only in the area of registered address, but also in neighbouring areas (with the exception of area 1-01). In all other parking areas, the persons mentioned above are regarded as visitors.

Subscriber can provide free parking hours to his visitors. Price per year for this service is 24 000 CZK and it is not bound to one parking place, visitor can choose any place in subscriber´s area. Subscriber must register the visitor´s car.

Price per year for subscribers

  

1st car

CZK 4 000

Each further car

CZK 18 000

I am a visitor

  • The parking system is divided into three visitor zones (A, B, C), the closer you are to the center, to more you pay for parking your car.
  • You have to register your car and pay the fee (parking meter, mobile app or via SMS). In case that you park only for short time (free of charge time), you have to register your car too.
  • At weekends and holidays, parking is free all day long and you don´t have to register your car. In zone A vehicle entry permit is still necessary.

In zone B it is possible to get visitor subscription. It is suitable for employees releasing them from the duty to pay for parking every day. It is valid only for Zone B from 6am to 5pm. Price is CZK 400 per week / CZK 1,200 per month / CZK 12,000 per year.

Motorcycles

In the regulated zones the motorcycles can be parked free of charge, but you need to register your vehicle in the same way as car.

For more information visit the website www.parkovanivbrne.cz/en.

Parking Garages in Brno

As in many other cities, sometimes it is very difficult to find a parking space in the centre. You can leave your car in one of the parking garages where you can rent a parking space for a longer period.

  • Parking house Domini Park, non-stop, 361 parking spaces, entrance from Husova street (official address: Panenská 1, Brno), 8th floor – parking spaces for alternative fuel vehicles (LPG, CNG), www.bkom.cz/parking
  • Parking Janáčkovo divadlo, non-stop, 400 parking spaces, www.garazejanackovodivadlo.cz, www.jd-parking.cz, parking spaces
    for alternative fuel vehicles (LPG, CNG), charging station for electric vehicles (ČEZ)
  • Parking garages Galerie Vaňkovka, 7.00–23.00, 1 000 parking spaces, Ve Vaňkovce 1, www.galerie-vankovka.cz/en/service/departure/, parking spaces for alternative fuel vehicles (LPG, CNG), charging station
    for electric vehicles (E.ON)
  • Parking house Pinki park, non-stop, 88 parking spaces, Kopečná 24, www.bkom.cz/parking
  • Parking house Rozmarýn, non-stop, 208 parking spaces, Kounicova 2a, www.parkovani-brno-centrum.cz
  • Parking garage Hotel Passage, non-stop, 140 parking spaces, Lidická 23, www.hotelpassage.eu

Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

If you are coming to Brno by electric vehicle, here are some tips for charging stations. The number of charging stations is still growing in all region and you can meet many others except listed below.

  • Airport Brno-Tuřany, 904/1, 627 00 Brno, +420 800 773 322
    • Mennekes (22 kW/32 A)
    • E.ON authorization card is free of charge in the airport hall
  • Galerie Vaňkova, Ve Vaňkovce 462/1, Brno 602 00, +420 533 110 110
    • Mennekes (22 kW/32 A), socket 230V (3,6 kW/16 A), 400V (22 kW/32 A)
    • E.ON chip card neccessary
  • Parking Janáčkovo divadlo, Rooseveltova 711/3, 602 00 Brno, +420 733 143 540
    • Mennekes (32A / 400V / 11 kW)
    • ČEZ chip, Polyfazer Direct
  • Spielberk Office Brno, Holandská 10, 639 00 Brno, +420 533 446 446
    • ABB Terra 51, CHAdeMO (50 kW/120 A)
    • EVSELECT
  • BVV – Výstaviště, Výstaviště 405/1, 603 00 Brno, +420 530 508 424
    • ABB Terra 51, CHAdeMO (50 kW), Yazaki J1772 (7.4 kW), Typ 2 (22 kW)
    • payment by cash or credit/debit card
Practical Information Leisure

  •  

    Regional Development Agency of South Moravia
    Královopolská 139
    612 00 Brno
    Czech Republic
    www.rrajm.cz

    Michaela Hrózová
    +420 541 212 125
    +420 606 551 509
    michaela.hrozova@rrajm.cz

© 2023 RRAJM
Regional Development Agency
South Moravia JMK Created by advertising agency Kreatura