Safety & Pickpockets

- Prague is one of the most popular European destinations which makes it the pickpocket’s paradise!
- Don’t become paranoid. Make sure you are still enjoying yourself on your trip. Although pickpocketing is a problem in Prague, just like it is a problem in many tourist destinations around the world, it doesn’t mean that thieves are waiting for you at every corner.

Tips to avoid becoming the victim of a pickpocket:
- Always remember to keep your bag closed and avoid carrying your passport, wallet and valuables in your back pocket.
- It is also recommended to wear your backpack on your chest.
- Leave all your documents at the hotel – in the safe deposit box if possible.
- Don’t carry large amounts of cash with you – carry a credit card and take money out of a cash machine as you go (there are plenty of cash machines in Prague).
- Don’t show your money or wallet in public places.
- Wear a money belt instead of a handbag.
- If you are carrying a handbag, always be aware of it.
- In pubs and restaurants, don’t sit at a table that is near the entrance.
- Always choose the less crowded means of transportation and watch out for people touching or pushing against you.
- Be careful in the historical center: on the Charles Bridge, in front of the Astronomical Clock on the Old Town Square – while your eyes are looking up, the pickpocket’s hands are working down…
- While being hypnotized by shops windows, pay attention to your back, too.
- Always keep your eyes open to know who’s around you, especially in crowded places (trams and subways, crowded town squares, stores, etc.)
- Trams, buses, underground: especially tram no. 22, mostly in Malá Strana. They let all the passengers get on and then push themselves in: while they push, they help themselves.
- Never leave valuables in your car.
- When in restaurants, fastfoods (Mc Donald´s, KFC) in the touristy areas, never lieve your jacket/bag on the back of your chair unattanded.
- If you are robbed in spite of following these tips, get ready to wait in long lines at the police station and at your embassy.
- Always go the police station with your pictures – they might be useful.
- See the „Emergency numbers“ section for addresses of police stations in Prague.
- You must go to the police station that is nearest the place where you got robbed.
- Be very patient because this process usually takes a long, long time.