58812EAS
- Routine passport checks no longer take place at the border, although your driver may need to stop for a Czech toll box, which can take 10 minutes or so. Nonetheless tell the group to have passports available
- Your hotel in Prague will almost certainly not be downtown. Most of central Prague is out of bounds for buses
- If you are leaving the Czech Republic, it is possible to reconvert Czech crowns at the border. In the other direction, try to discourage them from changing money as it is very time consuming. They can always change money/use ATMs in Prague, or at the recommended lunch stop of Česky Krumlov
- An advance bus reservation slot is now required for Česky Krumlov
This is not a bad drive – under six hours driving time and 380km.
Salzburg to Linz is on the Autobahn (A1), then towards the border take A7/B310 – in the Czech Republic follow the E55 (direction Praha), which eventually becomes a motorway (D1) just before Prague.
The recommended lunch stop is the UNESCO world heritage town Česky Krumlov), site of the wonderful Schwarzenberg Castle with its moat and brown bears. The castle is the second largest in Central Europe and its grounds are free of charge to access. The “fairy tale” town is a highlight of the entire tour for some groups.
There is a bus drop off point (maximum stay 30 minutes) at the P1 car park (signposted) on the right-hand side of the road. This requires a reservation slot and QR code, which the driver should arrange. The bus will then have to move to the more distant bus park further up the road. Arrange a time for the driver to return to the drop off point: allow at least 3 hours in total for a visit including the good 20 minute walk each way from the bus drop off point to the town square.
Lead the group into town, passing underneath the castle, across the Vltava/Moldau River and onto the town square where you should make your meeting point. The walk will be considerably longer if people stop to photograph (it is absurdly scenic) so recommend that they do this in their spare time.
There are plenty of restaurants and ATMs. Suggest that people used WCs in cafés or restaurants as the only useful public ones are at the P1 carpark, (which are now free). Recommend strongly that people walk up to the castle. Call in advance if the group wants to tour inside the castle. Check opening. (Closed Mondays except Castle Museum & Tower from April to October.)
The town is easy for people to find their way around.