Living in Brno
While Prague has long been a travelers’ destination, Brno, just 210km to the east, is Czech Republic’s second city. The capital city of Moravia, Brno, sits in the heart of wine country and proudly displays its rich history and culture with an array of excellent galleries and museums, a brooding castle fortress, and traditional Moravian folk festivals. Brno is also a university city with an abundance of concerts, music festivals, and film festivals to entertain their diverse residents. Being centrally located, Brno is also the perfect starting point for traveling around Europe. Students can easily plan weekend trips to Vienna, Cracow, Prague, Budapest, Pilsen (home of the Pilsner Brewing Company), Dresden, Munich, Berlin, Croatia and more.
Official websites:
A – Z Guide for international students in Brno
Are you lost with all information about your stay abroad at CA Institute, our TEFL program or IDRAC? About your stay in Brno or in the Czech Republic in general? Don’t worry. We made this special guide for you so that you will have everything in order from your decision to study with us, through your arrival and stay all the way up to your departure and return trip home.
A – B – C – D – E – F – G – H – I – J – K – L – M – N – O – P – Q – R – S – T – U – V – W – XYZ
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B
C
D
E
Electricity – plugs, adapters, voltage
Emergency (police, medical & fire service)
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Financial & money matters, currency, exchange rate, cost of living
Forms & guidelines for international students to download
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H
I
IDRAC rules
Internships, placements, volunteering
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K
L
Long term visa for purpose of study
M
Medical aid (emergency, pharmacy, doctors)
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O
P
Photos
Public Transport Maps and Timetables
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R
Registration with foreign police
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Telephones, mobile net, free SIM card
Translations & interpretations
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V
W
Work permit & job opportunities in Brno
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Z
A
Arrival to Brno
This page contains information on how to get to Brno from Prague and Vienna airports, how to get to the city centre from Brno airport, and the bus and railway stations. Other useful links are listed below.
1. HOW TO GET TO BRNO FROM PRAGUE OR VIENNA AIRPORT
FROM PRAGUE BY BUS
There are several bus companies operating buses from Prague to Brno. The yellow Student Agency buses also leave directly from Prague’s Vaclav Havel airport (you will have to change buses at the main bus station Florenc in Prague, but one ticket is valid for the whole journey by both buses). There is a ticket office of Student Agency at Terminal 1 in Prague. You can buy your ticket in advance and pay by credit card – it is really easy. Flixbus, Eurolines and other companies operate buses from the bus station Florenc – you can get there by another bus operated by Student Agency or ask for directions at the airport. Student Agency and Flixbus will drop you off at the Grand Hotel bus station in Brno, while other companies usually stop at Zvonařka bus station.
FROM PRAGUE BY TRAIN
To get to Brno by train, you will first need to get to Prague’s main railway station – you can go by Airport Express, or buy a special bus + train ticket directly to Brno, go to the railway station by public transport or ask for the directions at the airport. You can buy your ticket online on the website of the České dráhy company or at the railway station. Student Agency/Regiojet also offers a combined bus + train ticket directly from the airport. Please do not forget to count at least 2 hours extra time to get to the railway station from the airport – it does not take that long but since you do not know the way, you must count some extra time to find it and time to buy the ticket at the railway station to be on the safe side!
- Plan of Vaclav Havel Airport
- Interactive clickable plan of Florenc Coach Station – the main bus station in Prague
- You can check the bus and train schedules online here, switch it to English (bottom right corner). The yellow “buy” button will redirect you to the e-shops of most bus and railway companies.
FROM VIENNA BY BUS
Student Agency and Flixbus operate direct buses from Vienna’s Schwechat airport and both stop at the Grand Hotel bus station in Brno. LEO Express leaves from the airport, but stops at Zvonařka bus station. Other buses leave from bus stations in Vienna – ask for directions at the airport. You can check their schedules and buy tickets online here.
FROM VIENNA BY TRAIN
You can also travel from Vienna airport by train – there is a railway station in front of the arrivals hall. You can check the schedules and buy your ticket online here. Type Flughafen Wien in the “From” field and Brno hl. n. in the “To” field. You will have to change trains at Wien Hauptbahnhof and possibly in Břeclav as well.
- Plan of Vienna Schwechat Airport
2. HOW TO GET TO THE CITY CENTRE FROM BRNO AIRPORT OR OTHER STATIONS
FROM BRNO AIRPORT
From some destinations, there are direct flights to Brno Airport
Taxi service from the airport – offered by the Foreigners.cz agency. It is highly recommended to order a taxi at least one day before (Online ordering here). A price list and order form can be found here.
Public transport – bus E76 (every 30 minutes) or N89 (at night). Both will take you to the “Hlavní nádraží” stop. You can continue to your dormitory from there. You can check bus timetables online here. Switch the page to English (bottom right side) and type Letiště Tuřany – terminál in the “From” field and Hlavní nádraží in the “To” field. The journey takes around 20 minutes, but don’t forget to buy a ticket at the airport.
FROM THE MAIN RAILWAY STATION (HLAVNÍ NÁDRAŽÍ)
If you are coming to the main railway station – Brno hlavní nádraží, you will only have to get to the public transport stop “Hlavní nádraží” located in front of the building (see the map above). Check the how to get to your dormitory section below.
FROM THE GRAND HOTEL BUS STATION (AUTOBUSOVÉ NÁDRAŽÍ U HOTELU GRAND)
The Grand Hotel bus station – Autobusové nádraží u Hotelu Grand is located very close to the main railway station (see the map above). You will only have to walk 5 minutes to get to the public transport stop “Hlavní nádraží”. Check the how to get to your dormitory section below.
FROM ZVONAŘKA BUS STATION
The Zvonařka bus station is located further from the city centre (see the map above). In order to get there, you will have to walk around 300 metres to the public transport stop “Zvonařka” and take the tram No. 12 in the direction “Technologický park” and get off at the “Hlavní nádraží” stop. You can continue to your dormitory from there.
For more information on ways from/to Brno, and from/to the airport – see the website of the South Moravian Integrated Public Transport System and the travel planner.
You can also find other possibilities of getting to/from Brno from different cities on this useful website.
You can check the timetables of public transport in Brno here.
Czech online maps are available on this link.
Or you can ask your tutor to pick you up at the station, and go by public transport together to the accommodation (it takes only about 15 minutes by tram).
B
Bank accounts
It is not necessary for international exchange students to open a Czech bank account. There are other ways how to pay the rent in the halls of residence. Those who wish to open a Czech bank account will be accompanied by student tutors to the bank.
Comprehensive brochure Financial Services in the Czech Republic.
C
Computers
CA Institute is fully equipped with internet service for all students via three access points. We also have an educational platform by which you can see your calendar, events, attendance and class details. Once you register for a course, you will receive your login details.
Currency
The Czech currency is the koruna (crown, abbreviated Kč), which is made up of 100 haléřů (hellers, abbreviated hal.). Coins in the following denominations are in circulation: 1 crown, 2 crowns, 5 crowns, 10 crowns, 20 crowns and 50 crowns. In addition there are the following notes: 100 crowns, 200 crowns, 500 crowns, 1,000 crowns, 2,000 crowns and 5,000 crowns.
D
Downloads
All downloads that you will need and necessary links for your courses are in our LangLion platform. When you log in and scroll through class details, you will find all the information you need concerning downloads.
E
Electricity
The electric power in the Czech Republic is 220 volts, 50 Hz AC, so you may need anadapter and a converter to use your electrical appliances. If you have dual-voltage appliances, you will only need an adapter. It is best to purchase what you might need in your home country.
Worldwide Voltage Conventor: http://www.voltageconverters.com/voltageguide.htm
emergency phone numbers
112 – police, fire, medical and rescue service
Czech emergency phone number
158 – Police
156 – Municipal Police
155 – Emergency Medical Service
150 – Fire and Rescue Service
L
Long term visa for purpose of study
| Students from EU countries | Students from the EU (plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland) are exempt from student visa requirements |
| Students from countries outside the EU | Once you have been accepted for studies, you will have to turn to the local Czech embassy or consulate: the Czech Republic, like most other countries, requires foreign students studying in the country to have a student visa. Possession of a student visa is a condition for studying in Brno. |
| Students from EU countries but originally from outside the EU | The same procedure as for students from countries outside the EU. You are obliged to apply for a visa to study in the Czech Republic (even though you have a residence permit in one of European countries). |
Lost property
LOST PROPERTY OFFICE
Things found in the Brno City territory are handed over in the lost property office, which is established for the whole Brno City in the filing room of Internal Affairs Department of Brno City Municipality, Malinovského nám. 3 and is situated in the ground floor of the building.
Papers of foreign nationals found are handed over to the Foreign Police Department of Police Regional Head Office of the South Moravia Region, Kounicova 24, Brno.
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Postal services
Czech Post is a state-funded postal company of the Czech Republic. It primary serves the Czech Republic but also delivers aborad.
Find out more on how to understand posting and delivery of letters and parcels.
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Taxi
City Taxi Brno – 542 321 321
Trips and excursions
With its central europe location, Brno also is a good place to discover others countries.
You can go to Prague, Vienna and other cities by bus for 15-30€ (depending of the destination).
It is an easy and cheap way to travel on week-ends!
Bus companies: