From Prague to Olomouc:
The easiest way to get from Václav Havel Airport Prague to the main train station (Praha, hlavní nádraží, sometimes abbreviated to Praha, hl. n.) is to take the Airport Express (AE) bus. More info here. The bus journey is about 40 mins. From the Prague main train station, you can then take a train to Olomouc hl.n. (Olomouc main train station), which takes about 2.5 hours.
There are several Czech train companies to choose from and you can get tickets online:
https://www.cd.cz/en/nase-vlaky/default.htm
There are also coaches going from the Prague to Olomouc. More info at https://global.flixbus.com/bus/olomouc
From Vienna to Olomouc:
We recommend to take the Student Agency coach which goes directly to Olomouc (3 times daily). See the company website, or call: +420 542 424 242 or +420 800 100 300, or of course, you can also take the train.
Getting from Olomouc main train station to the city centre:
Once you get off the train station, there are a lot of trams just outside which will take you to the city centre (e.g., 4, 6). It is less than 10 mins away by tram to the city centre. You can get a one-time ticket off the yellow machines by the stop, or you can get the ticket at the ticket counter inside the station, you will need to stamp the ticket on the tram and the ticket is valid for 30 mins.
There is also a taxi-stand (in a public carpark) next to the train station (on the right, same side as the train station). It might not look like a taxi-stand, but if you see a taxi there, you can hop-on. There are often a few taxies waiting. The price is about 100-120 Kc to anywhere in Olomouc.
General:
Olomouc is a beautiful town in the eastern province of Moravia in the Czech Republic. It’s known for its 6 baroque fountains and the 18th-century Holy Trinity Column, a monument adorned with religious sculptures (which is included in the UNESCO list). About 1/4 of its 100,000 residents are students so the town is filled with funky cafes, restaurants and fun activities. There is a lot of ice-cream and beer to be had everywhere in the summer.
For some beautiful pictures of Olomouc, check out these pages:
https://www.mywanderlust.pl/visit-olomouc-czech-republic/
https://www.boboandchichi.com/2017/09/12-reasons-love-olomouc-czech-republic/
Weather:
July is a good time to visit because it is warm (around 25°C during the day and 13°C in the night).
Money:
The Czech koruna (CZK or Kč) is the official currency in the Czech Republic. The approximate exchange rate is about 25 Kč to a Euro and 22 Kč to a US Dollar. Exchange rates for all major currencies are available here. Credit cards are accepted in most places.
It will be handy to have some Czech Koruna with you (for the airport bus and tram tickets in Olomouc). You can change money in Olomouc if needed. There is one in Galerie Moritz (8. května 465/24, 779 00 Olomouc), which is right in the centre of town. It is called směnárna.
Accommodation:
Accommodation in Olomouc is very affordable and there is a big range of options, catering for different budgets and needs. Here are some options (from economical to luxurious):
(We have pre-booked a number of rooms at Hotel Palac for your convenience. When you do the booking at the hotel, please tell them you are coming for the EACL-11 Conference).
https://miss-sophies.com/olomouc/
https://www.arigone.cz/cz/index/o-hotelu
Restaurants:
Olomouc has a wide and interesting range of restaurants to offer. These are close to the conference venue and thus possible choices for lunch:
5-10 mins walk from workshop venue:
https://www.longstoryshort.cz/
http://www.svatovaclavsky-pivovar.cz/
10-15 mins walk from workshop venue (near/at historical city centre):
http://www.hanackahospoda.com/
http://www.nepalirestaurant.cz/
http://www.moravskarestaurace.cz/
http://www.restauracedrapal.cz/
https://www.hostinec-moritz.cz/
And if you like fresh fries, check out this place (you can smell the fries when you are still 50 metres away, only take- away though):
Got a question? mail Joanna Sio at joannautseong.sio@upol.cz.