Permit required for travel to Prague?

Author Message   Martha Fralia Advanced Member Username: Mjfralia Post Number: 377 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 75.141.137.233 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 07:04 pm:    When renting a car in Europe, be sure to inform the rental company the countries you will be driving through so you can get the proper documentation. This is separate from the vignette required by some countries.   Lester Green Advanced Member Username: Rtgreen5 Post Number: 314 Registered: 03-2007 Posted From: 69.143.222.224 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 06:34 pm:    Mike: Thanks for your input. My friend did not rent from Hertz, but another rental car agency at Ramstein. He told me that there are 3 lined up in a row at the new building and that he rented an economy-type diesel. I will be seeing him soon and will get the details about the rental and refer him to your posting...Thanks and I thought that his experience would be of interest to others who intend to travel to the CR.   Mike Senior Member Username: Immerfertig Post Number: 2136 Registered: 01-2007 Posted From: 75.132.184.202 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 04:24 pm:    Lester, I'm going to take a guess and say the reason your friend got stopped and asked for a permit to drive the rental car in the CR was not related to the vignette. Most car rental companies apply certain restrictions when driving from Germany into Eastern Europe. These two quotes from the Hertz website: "If driving into Eastern Europe, you will be required to obtain a stamped authorisation from the vehicle control department. Please inquire about this at the pick-up location. This permit is free of charge." "Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi models as well as Convertibles, Landrovers and Chrysler Cherokees cannot be driven into or dropped off in Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia." Maybe your friend was driving one of these restricted vehicles? Or maybe the police were looking for the "stamped authorisation?" Entering the Czech Republic by car you will need: •a valid driving licence (including an International Driving Permit) •a vehicle registration card •a hire certification (if the car was rented) •Green Card (an international motoring certificate for insurance) •a highway sticker (can be purchased at the border or at any fuel station) _   John D. Moderator Username: John_d Post Number: 4505 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 95.208.80.143 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 03:11 pm:    Bob, The requirement is not new - a Vignette was needed for Czech motorways at least the last 8 years or so (and maybe even years before that).   Bill Docekal Intermediate Member Username: Bill_d1 Post Number: 126 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 76.186.199.157 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 12:51 pm:    Bob, the toll sticker is required for use on Czech motorways. (The motorways in the Czech Republic are defined as two-lane motorways in each direction, with emergency lane. The speed limit is 130 km/h or 80mph. Their road signs are white on red.) If you were not on a motorway when you asked for directions, the police would not have ticketed you for lack of a toll sticker. When we were in Prague last year, the B&B manager where we stayed said, “Hey, you need a toll sticker”. We immediately got one at a gas station.   Bob M Advanced Member Username: Bob_m Post Number: 164 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 71.70.76.61 Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 12:32 pm:    I wonder if this is new or if it only applies to motor vehicles carrying "out of state/country" license plates, I was in the Czech Republic in 2006 using a rental car (with Czech Republic plates); and stopped police cars often when I felt I was getting lost. None of those cops ever asked abour a "permit".   John D. Moderator Username: John_d Post Number: 4502 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 95.208.80.143 Posted on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 04:57 pm:    Yes, A vignette is required for traveling on the Czech Motorways. You can purchase it at the border crossings. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vignette_%28road_tax%29   Lester Green Advanced Member Username: Rtgreen5 Post Number: 313 Registered: 03-2007 Posted From: 69.143.222.224 Posted on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - 04:54 pm:    A friend of mine just returned from Prague and told me that the police had stopped him on one of the roads in country and asked him if he had a permit to drive his rental car there. I know that the Swiss have such a requirement or tax for tourists to use their roads, but I was not aware that this fee or tax is required to be paid in the Czech Republic. I travelled there in 1999 and did not have such a permit. Does anyone know whether this is required there and where one purchases it? The car was rented at Ramstein and no one told my friend that there was a fee that had to be paid for use of the roads.