Traffic rules

Driving in the Czech Republic: traffic rules, speed limits, tourist information from the Czech car rental agency Royal Rent A Car, Prague. We give you information and travel ideas for your journey around the Czech Republic and other Europian countries. Find some helpful travelling information before starting your marvelous trip to the Czech Republic.

112 - SOS call (foreign languages)
158 - Police of the Czech Republic (not all policemen speak foreign languages)
156 - Local town police
150 - Fire emergency
155 - First aid assistance

Child seat is obligatory for kids of less than 36 kg of weight or 1,5 m of height. If there are 3 kids on the rear-seat, the oldest child may be just belted without having a child seat. The use of seat belts is compulsory for front- and rear-seat passengers.

The legal blood alcohol limit is 0 mg. Driving of the car under action of alcohol or drugs is regarded as a crime.

Speed limits are as follows: 50 kph (30 mph) in built-up areas, 90 kph (56 mph) outside built-up areas, 130 kph (78 mph) on expressways, 80 kph (50 mph) for a car with a caravan or trailer traveling outside built-up areas or on expressways.
Speed control camera

Headlights must be always on. When waiting at level train crossings use sidelights only. Horns can be used only to warn of danger or to signal that you are about to pass.

It is not aloud to use your mobile phone without HANDS-FREE system when driving a car.

Having heard a signal of a special vehicle with blinking alarm (police, first aid or firemen), the driver is obliged to brake and, having handed over a little aside, to stop and pass a special transport. In traffic jam on the expressway reserve one line always free for special transport (police, ambulance, firemen cars).Trams should be passed on the right. It's illegal and dangerous to pass trams on the left. At entrance on a roundabout (traffic circle) the motor vehicles already going on a circle have advantage. At leaving from a circle it is necessary to switch on a side-light.

Policemen are empowered to collect fines of up to 5000 crones on the spot. Fines of upper amount may be imposed for later collection. The police is strict at rough infringements (alcohol in blood); at insignificant infringements (Eg: the delayed payment for a parking) it is possible to keep within the penalty of 500 crones. From 01.07.2006 the penalty points system started working. Total max amount of 12 points deprives a foreigner of right to drive in the Czech Republic for 1 year. One breaking is estimated at 1-7 points.

If you have found out "Reference to the driver / Výzva pro ridice" from Czech police (a small white paper, with hand written number of a motor vehicle, date and time, with a stamp of Czech police, the address of police and working hours) under a wiper, it means, that you have slightly broken traffic rules, most likely parking rules.In this document you are asked to come to the specified address, to explain the reason of infringement and to pay the possible penalty. If you found your car clamped, call to the attached phone number, tell the plate number and the address. The police will arrive and after penalty charge will remove the clamper. If you have not found out the car on a place where you have parked, it means, that your car has been towed by police to a penal parking because of wrong parking. Call on free-of-charge phone 156, where you will get the information about address of penal parking. It will be necessary to pay one day of a parking (1450 crones) and the penalty.

But it is better to follow the traffic rules. As an attachment to the car rental agreement all our clients get an instruction with basic driving rules in the Czech Republic.

There is a warning triangle, spare wheel, tool kit, first aid kit, safety vest, highway prepaid coupon, standard road atlas of Czech Republic in the trunk.

Foreigners are required to carry an International Driving Permit. If you are from EU country, it will be enough to have your national Driving licence.

Parking in Prague and Czechia
Parking is only allowed on the right side of the road, but this restriction does not apply to one-way roads. Parking along a tram line is prohibited unless a 3.5-metre wide lane is left between the vehicle and the tram lane. Don't park within 5 metres of an intersection, pedestrian crossing, or public transportation stop. Don't park within 15 metres of a train crossing. Do not park with an exhaust to a side-walk, on a place with a sign RESERVE or on a place with a sign HANDICAP.

White dotted line on road or corresponding signs resolve parking. The parking can be free-of-charge or paid. In Prague, parking at "automats", indicated by a green stripe, have a six-hour maximum and those indicated with an orange stripe have a two-hour maximum. Road areas, marked with a blue line on road (the Blue zone), are only for cars with resident parking card. In "Yellow zones" (yellow line on road) - NO parking. Illegally parked vehicles may be towed or clamped.

Fuel
Fuel stations are usually located on the edge of towns. Stations on international roads and in large towns are open 24 hour. Credit cards are accepted in main towns and in popular tourist areas. Finding a station in Prague is difficult. Leaded regular petrol has an octane rating of 91; the octane rating of super is 96. Lead-free petrol is known as Natural; its octane rating is 95 or 98. Diesel is designated by a sign that reads TT Diesel or Nafta.

Beside the main highway corridor and the segments still under construction, there are a number of high-speed roads similar to highways. A number of smaller roads connecting major cities and tourist regions meet the same quality standards. The roads are generally well marked, with plenty of gas stations, refreshment, dining and shopping options.

To travel the expressways your vehicle must bear a special sticker on its windscreen. You will get the above mentioned sticker for free for the whole car rental period. It is forbidden to use motorways without the above mentioned sticker. In many other Europian countries the motorway are also tolled. When crossing border it is necessary to inquire about the expressways tolls rules in the country. In Germany, Holland, Belgium motorways are FREE-OF-CHARGE.

There is more in the Czech Republic than just Prague!

The country’s smaller towns have plenty to offer visitors, who will be impressed by their well-preserved historical centers and carefully maintained monuments whose importance often transcends regional borders. Some of these towns were declared urban monument reservations or even included on the UNESCO List of World Cultural Heritage.

To find more Czech sights information