Pre Arrival
Information

Brno is located halfway between Vienna and Prague which makes it very easy to travel to Brno. In most cases students are responsible to travel to and from Brno themselves. 

Flying

There is an airport in Brno, however the only connection is to London/Stansted. Therefore, for most of our students (if flying) arrival at Vienna’s Schwechat or Prague’s Vaclav Havel airport is easiest. On top of that there Bratislava airport serves a few European destinations (and Dubai). All three options provide connections to Brno, however Brno is closer to Vienna and typically the travel time is shorter, and there are direct connections from the airport to Brno. It is also possible to travel in Prague, however it will always be necessary to transfer in the city Prague. In the acceptance emails, students are informed of where the programme will conclude. If the programme does not end in Brno, but on a trip RegioJet, FlixBus, and České dráhy can be used for finding connections to Brno. This website will also help you arrive to Brno.

Traveling by Bus or Train

Brno is very well connected to cities around Europe by bus and train. There are two bus stations in Brno, RegioJet and Flixbus  usually drop off at  Grand Hotel bus station in Brno, while other companies usually stop at Zvonařka bus station. RegioJet, FlixBus, and České dráhy can be used for finding connections to Brno. This website will also help you arrive to Brno.

Traveling from Prague (detailed information)

If you fly to PRAGUE and you intend to travel immediately to Brno, take either a train or a bus. If you decide for the train, the most convenient is an Airport Express. The Express leaves the airport every 30 minutes and brings you to Prague Train Station (“Hlavni nadrazi”) from which you can take a direct train to Brno (there is a train nearly every hour). There is no need to buy tickets in advance – you can buy them from the Airport Express driver and then at the train station. The whole journey (even with the transfer) takes about three-four hours, depending on how long you have to wait for a train. If you prefer traveling from the airport to Brno by bus, take RegioJet. It does not travel directly to Brno - you will have to transfer to a different bus at the Prague central bus station but this is easy to do as it is the same company and the buses arrive to and leave from the same station. Tickets can be purchased on-line or right at the airport, however we advise to purchase them in advance to ensure a space. The whole journey (even with the transfer) takes about four hours.
Both options are comparable in length and also cost about the same so it is really up to you and whether you prefer taking a bus or a train.

If planning on spending some time in Prague before going to Brno, you can travel to Brno by train (from the main train station – “Hlavni nadrazi”) or by bus from the central bus station, which is situated at the Florenc metro station.

Traveling from Vienna (detailed information)

If you are arriving in Brno from VIENNA you can also take a bus or a train. Numerous buses a day leave directly from the airport in Vienna, some options are with RegioJet, FlixBus,; on the way they stop close to the centre of Vienna (at the “Stadion” metro station). The journey lasts around 2 hours 20 minutes from the airport, or an hour 50 minutes from downtown Vienna. There are also direct trains daily (from Wien Hauptbahnhof = main train station) that cover the distance between the two cities in around 1 hour 32 minutes. If you want to take the train, you will first need to travel from the Airport to the train station, but this is easy.

Ending locations by programme

Ending in Vienna:

• January: Human Rights and International Law
• January: International Security: Practical Insights
• Global Perspectives: Media, Communication, Culture
• International Security: Practical Insights
• Urban Sustainability: Engage in the Future

Ending in Brno:

• 3D Printing in Pharmaceutics
• Anthropology of Cremation
• Business Process Analysis
• CzechMates Internship
• Digital Marketing
• Embryology - from Gametes to Organisms
• Energy Policy & Security of the EU
• European Social Policy
• Language, Culture and Mind
• Multiscale Modelling Methods
• Next-generation Sequencing: Current Trends
• Penn State Business
• Research Lab Internship
• Sign Language: Linguistics & Practice
• Sports Sciences and Outdoor Education

Winter (January) programmes
Students live in apartment style accommodation in the historical city centre while in Brno. Students will share a room with 1-2 other students depending on the room size. On trips, students will share rooms with 2-3 other students.

Summer (May-July) programmes
Students live dormitory style accommodation at the Hotel Centrum. Students will share a room with 1 other student with a private bathroom. A shared kitchen is available on the floor for cooking. Pots, pans, dishes, etc. will be provided to the students. On trips, students will share rooms with 2-3 other students. Breakfast is included in the accommodation for summer programmes.

In Brno – “NA ŠALINU” to take a tram

The public transport system is quite comprehensive, and usually reliable, frequent and quick. The IDOS app and website is a quick and easy way to check the connections, and discover where the tram stop is located.

Students who study in a 3 week or more summer school are provided a tram pass. Our team will ask for a passport size photo and copy of your passport during the application to administer this. Winter school students are not provided a tram pass as their accommodation is within a 5-8 minute walk to class.

For those who are with us for 2 or less weeks, it is possible to buy a two week ticket on your card for 420 CZK. If you choose this, you will only need to pay once, and the ticket will be connected to your credit/debit card that was used to purchase this. Please note, this is only possible with cards that use contactless payment (or through Google/Apple pay). More information can be found here. 

If you do not have a multi-day or long term tram pas you must be sure to have a valid public transport ticket for every ride. This can be done with Beep and Go with a contactless card or by purchases paper tickets at the train station and validating them in the tram/bus/trolleybus

Important stops

Česká - Centre for International Cooperation
Komenského náměstí - locations of classes/Centre for International Cooperation
Hlavní nádraží - Main Train Station
Klusáčkova - Kounicova dormitories
Lipová - Vinarska dormitory (by tram/trolleybus 25/26)
Pavlíkova - Vinarska dormitory (by trolleybus 38)

In Prague

AVOID traveling by taxi in Prague: it can be a VERY expensive adventure, owing to the lack of proper regulation by city authorities. Instead, use the public transportation system.

Electricity

The electric power in the Central European region is 220 volts, 50 Hz AC. You might need an adapter and converter to use your electrical equipment if you come from a non-European country. If you have dual-voltage appliances, you will only need an adapter. Converters and adapters can be readily purchased at your local hardware and department stores, or at the airports. Country-specific converters and adapters are difficult to buy in Central Europe, so you are advised to obtain them before departing for this program. All European Union countries have the same adapter. 

Cell phones
If you brought a phone with you and want to use a Czech sim card, you need to make sure it is unblocked. This often needs to be done in your home country.
You can buy a Czech SIM card. Vodafone is definitely often the cheapest provider – gives you SIM cards for free. One of their stores is also in the Vankovka shopping mall and should be open also on Sunday. Don't forget to arrange roaming service which might be useful while going on trips abroad (within the European Union, plans and usage remains the same).
If you choose to use your phone plan from home, we encourage you to be aware of the rates, and if you will have limited data/calling.

Laundry
January programmes
The accommodation has laundry facilities. 

May-July
The accommodation for summer schools do not have access to laundry facilities. Students can use one of the following laundry facilities. 
• Arbela (Koliště 9) - very professional, clean and good price 
• Clubwash (Stará 107/27) – a launderette and a club in one, with internet, wireless-LAN access, coffee and beer. The English speaking staff can also help you out if you have any questions. You can even make a reservation for a washing machine over the internet (info@clubwash.cz) or a phone (+420 731 271 154). 
• Café Laundry (Lidická 46) – a public laundromat which serves as a pub/café as well. Quite a cool place with an OK beer and a good atmosphere.

Weather

January is the coldest month of the year and you won’t get temperatures much higher than 2°C during the day. You’ll need to wear thick layers at night when temperatures lower to -4°C. There’s an average of nine hours of daylight per day with quite a lot of cloud coverage towards the end of the month. There’s 20mm of rainfall over 15 days of the month and snow is more likely during the last two weeks. 

Summer months are usually mild (20-27°C/70-80°F) and somewhat humid, with the highest temperatures climbing to 30-35°C/85-95°F (occasionally even higher) for short periods of time. Such heat waves can be expected in June and July. Sudden showers and thunderstorms are common, so bring an umbrella or be prepared to dash for cover.

However, Czech weather can be unpredictable in every season. A number of summers in the past few decades have seen heavy and protracted rains causing more or less serious floods in many areas around Central Europe. None of them, however, hitting Brno.

Packing

Students can buy most toiletries and other such necessities in Brno. We recommend that students should have enough clothing for 1 week, as they will have access to laundry, however some students here longer may prefer to ensure they have enough clothing for 10 days at a time. 

Recommended packing (beyond the normal packing):

• Weekend bag - ideally a backpack that can fit your clothes for the 3 day excursions (students should not bring large suitcases, and backpacks are easier if there are cobblestones)
• Good walking shoes/light hiking shoes (the biggest surprise to students is how much more walking they end up doing in our programmes)
• Swimming suit and shower shoes (even for January programmes!)
• Raincoat
• Winter schools: hat, gloves, warm coat, warm socks
• Towel - one is provided at the accommodation, but if you want your own
• Adapters/converters (for your laptop, it is easy to buy a wall plug for USB which may be more efficient)
  • Keep in mind if you pack a straightener/hair dryer you should make sure it converts the voltage so you don't destroy it!)
  • Find out what kind of plugs are used in Czech Republic
• Semi-nice dress in case you want to go to the theatre, philharmonic, or other such culture events
• Keep in mind most of the destinations will have cobblestones - if packing high heels, we recommend thicker heels

Shopping

Shopping Etiquette

• Take a basket even if you are only buying one little thing.
• Fruits and vegetables might need to be weighed in the fruits and veggies section. Some stores will weigh them at the cash register so don’t panic if you don’t see the scales.
• Make sure you tell the cashier in advance that you are going to pay by a credit card.
• Bring a bag with you, so you don’t have to buy one.
• Don’t forget to pack your own groceries 

Where to shop:

• You’ll quickly see that there are lots of places where to buy food – you can start with stands selling pizza, hot dogs or local specialty – fried cheese!
• Some of you may be interested in a shopping mall. Galerie Vaňkovka is quite an easily accessible place which houses about 130 outlets and is based in an architecturally interesting venue of an old factory. As the bonus, it usually hosts some exhibition in its premises. You will find it between the main railway station and the main bus station so within an easy walking distance from the city center.

For your reference, the currency of the Czech Republic is the crown/koruna (CZK). USD/AUD/CAD $1 is between 17 and 25 CZK; €1 is about 24 CZK. You will need Euros for Austria, złoty for Poland (€1= approx. 4.6 PLN) and Forints for Hungary (€1= approx. HUF 370). A useful conversion website is at http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

Most locations will accept cards. If you have a contactless card, there is no reason to withdraw Czech Crowns prior to your arrival. All first day purchases can use a card. There are many ATMs in Brno with good transaction rates that you can withdraw money once arriving, but please confirm with your local bank if there are any fees.

We would advise against bringing money only in cash to exchange, so you do not need to worry about loosing money or having to go to exchange offices too frequently. 

We strongly advise students not to use any ATM's owned by EuroNet as you loose a lot of money - this is not only the Czech Republic, but you will see this all over the world! This video helps you learn how to withdraw money and not loose a lot of money!

How much money should you bring?

The amount will depend on your own spending habits for food, eating out, shopping, clubbing, etc.

Students should estimate between the following amounts depending on the length of programme.

• €300-600 for a two week programm
• €500-1000 for a three week programme
• €700-1500 for a 7 week programme
• €900-1800 for a 8-10 week programme. 

Language differences will be a challenge for you since English is not the official language of the countries you will be visiting. The spoken languages in the countries you might be visiting are Czech, German (in Austria), Polish, Slovak and Hungarian. We suggest you purchase a guidebook before leaving and practice some basic phrases. Even being able to communicate “please” and “thank you” in the native tongue is appreciated as it demonstrates courtesy and shows respect. Lonely Planet has a Central Europe Phrasebook and a Czech Phrasebook.

In case of an emergency, not being able to speak the local language can be an insurmountable challenge. Even a few words will often be appreciated. There will be a brief Czech survival class as part of the Orientation. Use this opportunity to write down any information that a person might need to know about you in an emergency (e.g. food or medication allergies).

Since 2015 Brno has been voted in the top 10 safest cities in the WORLD - so you don't need to worry too much. However, it is always good to follow some common sense when travelling.

Emergency contacts

Erin and Petr are available 24/7. Numbers are provided to students upon arrival.

University emergency number:
+420 777 44 86 86
emergency@czs.muni.cz​

Common practices

• Especially when outside Brno, but even in Brno - practice the buddy system!
• Keep an eye on your purse, luggage, bag at all times (make sure it is locked, and follow our advice when on trips about extra common areas for being robbed!)
• Be aware of your surroundings
• Make sure you know how to get home at the end of a night out!

Tips against being robbed

• You’ve probably already heard a hundred times, be careful and watch for pickpockets… Well here it goes again...
• There are thousands of better ways of spending your time here than getting stuck at a Czech Police station explaining how your wallet got lost or stolen. While you should always watch your belongings, this is especially important when visiting tourist and crowded places, such as Prague, Vienna, and Budapest.
• Leave your passport, (back-up) credit cards, SIM cards, licence, home university student card, picture of your fam and dog at home in Brno. Only carry a copy of your passport - except when travelling overnight. Take only the cash you need for that day. Unattended bags got lost in restaurants a few times...