Prague Safety

Hi all,

I'm planning to visit Prague. However, I've heard some discomforting safety issues like a train officer will try to fine you (even though you have a correct ticket) or someone will come up to you pretending to be a police officer.

How safe is Prague for tourists? I am easily noticeable as a tourist. Will anybody (e.g. the authorities, thieves) pick on me?

How safe is the train from Prague to Bratislava?

Thanks. :)

Hi

If you do have to carry a rucksack then wear it on your front.

Hmmm... padlock is a good idea. But I suppose if the pickpoketers are determined, a padlock won't really stop them. They can always use a knife. That would be worse.

I wonder if I should steer clear from using the metro at all.

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Sorry but when you wear your backpack in the subway or count 5000cr in the middle of the street beeing robbed is the most certain thing. Everything we do in our hometowns should be down in every other city. Every city is as safe as you allow it to be.

About the blending thing mentioned a few posts earlier:

maybe this is the best way to avoid getting targeted but i wouldn`t (haven`t) go into this kind of methods

I`m supposed to be on vacations. I should have a map on one hand and a camera on the other. I can`t stay more alert than i`m in my own town because of pickpockets...

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Brewsta
Prague, Czech...
 

That's terrible.

I've never been hit, myself though I've foolishly kept my wallet in my back pocket for years. I do hook my thumb in my pocket on public transport.

I alway think they wouldn't bother someone like me, who could possibly inflict damage if they got caught in the act.

But your story brings home the fact that I'd have a tough time dealing with five of them.

I've never heard or read a story about the Czech police devoting serious resources to this issue, despite it being such a well-known problem. I've heard laws are such that if they don't catch them in the act, it is hard to prosecute. And it is pretty easy for the thieves to spot the cops. Plus the victims don't come back to testify.

The best the authorites could do: They were running audio recording on trams warning about thieves -- in Czech only!!!

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MartinaPrague
Prague
 

I am very sorry that this happened to you. But I agree, for some reason (maybe the rucksack) you must have looked like an easy target to these people. I have not had any incident here, but I have seen this happen in Paris actually (I doubt they count the money in front of the victim though).

I personally do not even have a wallet anymore - I keep the change in my coat (for the metro ticket) and the notes in my hand bag. The hand bag right by me, also in the restaurant. We are very much aware of the pickpockets here and live with it, precaution is everyday life here. But when a gang like that aims at you, you have little chance. Really sorry to hear that.

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Oh, and btw, there are stickers all over the metro in Czech AND in English about pickpockets.

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This sounds like Rome.

If this 'gang circle' is common, what is the reaction of the other gang members, and the police, if you 'take one of them out'?

Are they likely to retaliate or run? Will the police prosecute the tourist if he knocks out one of these characters?

Stoofer

Wow always sad to read these kind of things. Been to Prague twice and never encountered anything like what I'm reading. We stay in the tourist areas at night, as any city anywhere, keep our money in front pockets zipped up. I think common sense goes along way. I've seen so many tourist with packpacks open in back. Women walking around with open purses. People pulling out large sums of money or counting it on the streets.

We also use a money belt that goes under the pants for valuables until we are in our rooms and put stuff in a safe. Only take out what is needed each time we go out.

Many travel stores sell great money belts. Walking around public areas, including airports, with valuables exposed is just not a good idea.

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Hi, I travel with my sister in 2006 to Prague and its wonderful. Very safety place, people is very nice, I ask to someone from Cedok agencie to buy a ticket by bus to Budapest, pass my credit card number and at the day of my arrival Paula from Cedok came to the Hotel with the train tickets, and apologize because the bus isn´t runing at a holliday.

I travel by train between Prague and Budapest, and we hadn´t any problem.

I contact Athos agency to have someone at the airport to pick me up to the hotel, and the Hotel is very nice- Pension Standard at river bank and we can walk around or by tram.

I hope you enjoy Prague.

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MartinaPrague

Stooferuk, I saw it happen in Paris, not here. I am very very careful and leave a situation that feels the slightest bit iffy. Within my circle of friends I have not heard of these gang movements actually, only here. And I am not keen on getting in such an awful situation - this sounds like brasilian methods.