Czech Travel—How Safe is Prague for Tourists

Based on a World Happiness Report, Czech Republic is one of the happiest countries in Europe.  But, is it safe to travel in one of her most visited city—Prague?

Prague is a generally safe city, but the prevalence of car theft and vandalism pushes up the crime statistics of Prague. Due to the low risk of violent crime, the threat of pickpockets is a great issue. Begging is also a serious problem in this city and you can even see beggars in this city's top tourist attractions.^[1]

Unsafe Areas

Prague is a generally safe city.  However, as [2] warned that there are some unsafe areas to avoid:

Be careful on Wenceslas Square (Václavské nám). It is usually packed with tourists and the crowds make things easy for pickpockets. There have also been cases of trusting "love-seekers" being robbed of all their money at night.

The park around the main train station (referred to by the locals as "Sherwood") is not a place to be at night. It is a popular hangout of the homeless and drug addicts who beg for money and can be pushy about it. If you need to get to or from the train station at night, take the metro (the station is inside the building) rather than the tram (you have to walk through the park to get to/from the tram stop).

Video 1.  Money Exchange Scam in Prague (YouTube link)

5 Things NOT to Do in Prague

As [3] warned, you should avoid the below 5 things:

1. Do not exchange money on the street
• If you're arriving at Prague Airport, skip the currency-exchange booths in the arrivals hall and instead use the ATMs that are lined up just as you enter the main airport hall from customs clearance.
2. Avoid a "Wikipedia-Tour"
3. Avoid the City Center
• Like in many other popular European destinations, the heart of the old town is such a beautiful pearl to visit and take photos.
• However, locals do not drink or eat in the city center.
4. Make sure you know the name of the country you are visiting
• Czech Republic is not the same as Chechnya or Czechoslovakia.
5. Plan less, enjoy more
• Slow-Travel is the key for Prague.

References

1. How Safe Is Prague for Travel?
2. Tips on Staying Safe in Prague
3. 5 Things NOT to Do in Prague
4. From Prague Airport to the City Center: 3 Best Ways to Get There
5. Transport to and from the Airport Airport Express (AE)
• Václav Havel Airport Prague is directly connected to Prague Main Railway Station (Praha hlavní nádraží)
6. Luggage safety on the bus
7. czechcrime.org