Czech Dos and Don'ts
These dos and don’ts have mostly been compiled by foreigners living in the Czech Republic. You can register to add new dos and don'ts. You can also use comments to add your perspective.
| Health • Medicine • Hospitals | It is common to wear casts. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | At restaurant expect to sit with other people if there is space - others will sit with you. | View full |
| Cultural Life | Spectators coming late for a theater performance often have to wait for the next break. | View full |
| Tipping | Tipping is usual in restaurants, bars, snack shops, cafes, at hairdressers, taxi drivers etc. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | Don’t expect a napkin on the table. It will be brought to you with your food. | View full |
| Tipping | Do not tip in offices, shops, where the prices are fixed, although it is not exceptional and in no way insulting to leave small change behind. | View full |
| Shopping/Services | Services (laundries, shoemakers, repair workshops, tailors,...) are often expensive and with long delivery times. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | Restaurants don’t have fixed dress codes but shabby clothing is looked down upon. | View full |
| Telling Time and Using Calendars | Czech week starts with Monday. | View full |
| Traveling | You need to pay 3 – 5 Kč for public rest rooms. | View full |
| Post Office and Telephoning | Be aware that in smaller towns the post office closes early. | View full |
| Shopping/Services | Get a basket or a cart in all self-service stores. | View full |
| Health • Medicine • Hospitals | Prescribed medicines are usually free of charge. | View full |
| Tipping | Do not tip in offices, shops, where the prices are fixed, although it is not exceptional and in no way insulting to leave small change behind. | View full |
| Cultural Life | The theater season is from October to May. There are no performances during the summer. | View full |
| Visiting People’s Homes | When you leave, shake hands again. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | Restaurants don’t have fixed dress codes but shabby clothing is looked down upon. | View full |
| Traveling | You are expected to offer your seat to older people, pregnant women and women with little children. Seats for disabled people are marked. | View full |
| Visiting People’s Homes | It is not usual to give written thanks for hospitality. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | Raise glass in toast before drinking (touch all glasses). | View full |
| Traveling | City transportation - differs from town to town: you can usually buy tickets in advance at special counters, grocery stores, hotels, newspaper stands, vending machines; in some towns you can also buy tickets from the driver on the bus (they are usually more expensive); | View full |
| Post Office and Telephoning | Be aware that in smaller towns the post office closes early. | View full |
| Traveling | City transportation - differs from town to town: you can usually buy tickets in advance at special counters, grocery stores, hotels, newspaper stands, vending machines; in some towns you can also buy tickets from the driver on the bus (they are usually more expensive); | View full |
| Health • Medicine • Hospitals | In Lékárna (pharmacy) you have to ask for everything over counter. There are two different counters - prescription counter and the regular counter. | View full |
| Health • Medicine • Hospitals | It is common to wear casts. | View full |
| Money and Banks | Exchange money at banks, or travel agencies. Most exchange office chains (including American Express) and hotels have bad rates and charge exorbitant commission fees). | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | Plain water is not common but can be had upon request. | View full |
| Traveling | You are expected to offer your seat to older people, pregnant women and women with little children. Seats for disabled people are marked. | View full |
| Health • Medicine • Hospitals | Medical emergency numbers is: 155 - ambulance. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | When finished eating, put utensils together on the right side of the plate. | View full |
| Shopping/Services | In small shops, it is customary to greet the shopkeeper "Dobrý den". | View full |
| Visiting People’s Homes | It is normal for people to only wear underwear at home but not when there are guests. | View full |
| Post Office and Telephoning | Use large envelopes instead of packages if possible (you don’t have to take them to customs). | View full |
| Traveling | Feel free to ask questions - anyone could help!. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | The knife and fork left on the plate crossed is the sign that you want to continue and the waiter will not take your dishes away. | View full |
| Health • Medicine • Hospitals | In Lékárna (pharmacy) you have to ask for everything over counter. There are two different counters - prescription counter and the regular counter. | View full |
| Visiting People’s Homes | Beverages - the only excuse for not drinking when you are going to drive or using antibiotics. One way how to avoid drinking too much is to keep your glass full, because your host will refill your glass immediately when it is empty as a sign of politeness. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | When finished eating, put utensils together on the right side of the plate. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | When entering a bar, man goes in first. | View full |
| Post Office and Telephoning | Expect to go to customs to send packages to U.S. | View full |
| Post Office and Telephoning | Expect to wait in line for phones. | View full |
| Restaurants • Food • Eating Habits | Plain water is not common but can be had upon request. | View full |
| Cultural Life | When moving into your row, you have to take the seat shown on your ticket. | View full |
| Health • Medicine • Hospitals | It is normal to miss work for illness. | View full |
| Post Office and Telephoning | Expect to go to customs to send packages to U.S. | View full |
| Post Office and Telephoning | Expect to wait in line for phones. | View full |
| Tipping | Do not press the tip into the waiter’s hand - tell the waiter the total sum you want to pay including the tip, and he will give you change accordingly. Leaving the tip on the table is not common but possible. Leaving no tip is not common but possible. | View full |
| Visiting People’s Homes | Visitor initiates termination of visit. | View full |
| Traveling | In buses or trains do not put your feet on the seat. | View full |
| Visiting People’s Homes | It is not usual to give written thanks for hospitality. | View full |
