Skiing in the Czech Republic: practical tips for visitors from Germany and elsewhere

Many things in the Czech Republic work just as they do in Germany or elsewhere in the EU, but some do not: the currency, the rules for drivers and the question of who pays when mountain rescue is called out. We have summarised the key points from official sources, including the German Federal Foreign Office, the Czech police, the Czech National Bank and the Czech Mountain Rescue Service (Horská služba). The information is as of September 2026.

Money: koruna, cards and exchange offices

The currency is the Czech koruna (CZK). According to the German Federal Foreign Office, paying by card and withdrawing cash with credit and debit cards is widespread. If a card terminal asks whether you want to pay in euros or in koruna, the European Consumer Centre Germany advises choosing the local currency, because the conversion into euros uses a worse rate. Your bank may charge a fee for payments in a foreign currency, but according to the consumer centre it is still lower.

• Do not change money on the street. The German Federal Foreign Office warns of counterfeit notes and of offers to break cash you have just withdrawn into smaller notes.
• At exchange offices, check the selling rate, not just the rate on display. According to the Czech National Bank, you can cancel an exchange free of charge and without giving a reason within three hours at the same office, up to the equivalent of one thousand euros.
• Before using a cash machine, check the rate and fees, the Federal Foreign Office advises.

Driving: zero alcohol, lights and winter tyres

According to the German Federal Foreign Office, there is an absolute ban on alcohol for drivers in the Czech Republic, meaning 0.0 per mille, and the Czech police speak of zero tolerance. The law forbids driving as long as you may still be under the influence after drinking. That includes driving the next morning.

• Dipped headlights or daytime running lights must be on all year round.
• Czech law requires winter tyres from 1 November to 31 March whenever there is snow, ice or frost on the road or it can be expected. Under the Winter equipment road sign, the rule always applies. The German Federal Foreign Office simply describes a general winter tyre requirement for this period, and for mountain roads in winter you will need them anyway.
• According to the Federal Foreign Office, you must clear snow and ice from your car before driving off, including from the roof.
• A reflective vest is compulsory after an accident outside built-up areas.
• You only need a motorway vignette on toll sections of motorway. According to the route planner, the routes via Zittau and Liberec do not use any.

Emergency numbers and mountain rescue

• 112: the European emergency number, free of charge. According to the Czech fire and rescue service, it works even without credit or a SIM card, and operators take calls in English and German.
• 155: medical emergency service. Operators usually speak only Czech, and the number only works through a Czech mobile network.
• 158: police, 150: fire service.
• +420 1210: Czech Mountain Rescue Service (Horská služba), around the clock.

According to its makers, the Czech emergency app Záchranka is only available in the Czech and Austrian app stores. For most visitors from abroad, the phone numbers matter more: save 112 and +420 1210 on your phone before you travel.

Mountain rescue and insurance: what the EHIC does not cover

With a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you receive necessary treatment in the Czech Republic from doctors and hospitals with a contract with a Czech health insurance fund. However, according to the German contact point DVKA, mountain rescue costs are borne in full by the patient, and statutory insurance does not pay for transport back to Germany either. The Mountain Rescue Service sends foreign visitors an invoice and recommends insurance that covers all its call-outs, including searches and transport. The DVKA and the German Federal Foreign Office advise travel health insurance that includes repatriation.

How the Krkonoše differ from the Alps

• Altitude: the highest peak, Sněžka, is 1,603 m. In Harrachov, the resort says the town lies at about 650 m and the top station at around 1,022 m.
• Ski areas: they are separate, and the regional tourist portal lists more than twenty. According to ČTK, Špindlerův Mlýn has had 27 km of pistes so far, and SkiResort ČERNÁ HORA – PEC lists 50 km of pistes and ski paths in six areas on one pass. Ski buses often run between areas.
• National park: according to the park administration, skiing is only allowed on groomed pistes and going into the neighbouring forest is illegal. Off-piste skiing is therefore not permitted.
• Weather: according to the tourist portal, it is changeable and can turn within minutes.
• Ski passes: the larger resorts sell them online and prices change with the date; in Špindlerův Mlýn through the Gopass system.
• Piste colours: blue, red and black, as in the Alps.

Renting skis in Vrchlabí

Our family-run rental is in Vrchlabí on the main road to Špindlerův Mlýn, with parking right outside. It is 16.1 km to Špindlerův Mlýn, about 18 minutes by car. Mr Honců spent several seasons as a ski instructor at an Alpine ski school in Austria. We choose ski length by height, weight and experience and set the bindings to your weight.

• Bring an ID card or passport.
• It helps to know the height, weight and shoe size of everyone you are renting for.
• Book online at least one day in advance; without a booking, we choose from whatever is available.
• We do not run a ski school.

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