Austria Czechia
Austria 
CzechiaLast reviewed July 2026
Crossing the border
Austria and Czechia share a land border you can cross by car. Keep your passport, national driving licence and International Driving Permit together, and check opening hours and any toll or vignette requirements before you travel.
Driving rules in Czechia
- Zero-tolerance alcohol limit (0.0%).
- Motorway e-vignette required.
- Headlights on at all times.
- Reflective vest and triangle mandatory.
What to see when you arrive in Czechia
- Prague's Charles Bridge and Old Town Square
- Prague Castle
- the spa town of Karlovy Vary
- Český Krumlov
- the Bohemian countryside
Once you're driving in Czechia
Destination-specific detail sourced from national road authorities, motoring clubs and rental policies — the things that catch cross-border drivers out.
Driving on a foreign licence
EU/EEA licences are valid without formality; non-EU visitors may drive on a valid home licence for short stays and should carry an International Driving Permit if the licence is not in Latin script. Rental firms generally require age 21+ and at least one year's licence.
Tolls & road charges
An electronic motorway vignette (dalnicni znamka), linked to the number plate with no sticker, is required on motorways: 2026 prices for cars are about CZK 230 for 1 day, 300 for 10 days, 480 for 30 days and 2,570 yearly. Buy it online at edalnice.cz, at petrol stations or post offices.
Parking in the cities
Prague uses coloured zones managed via the Virtual Parking Hours app: orange/purple are paid visitor zones and blue zones are resident-only with a limited 3-hour visitor option. Rates run from about CZK 80/hour in Praha 1 down to CZK 20-40 in outer districts.
Fines & camera enforcement
Czechia enforces a strict 0.0 alcohol limit and heavy fines - serious offences can run into tens of thousands of crowns with on-the-spot collection possible. Speed cameras are common and rental firms pass camera and parking fines to the renter with an administration charge.
If you have an accident
Call 112 (or police 158); police attendance is mandatory if there is injury, damage above CZK 100,000, or damage to a third party's or public property. For minor damage-only crashes, complete a European Accident Statement and exchange details.
Driving in the capital
Prague's historic centre around Old Town Square and Mala Strana is largely pedestrianised with tram-priority streets and dense paid zones; most visitors use a park-and-ride (P+R) at a metro terminus rather than driving in.
Sources: rac.co.uk · portal.gov.cz · tolls.eu · mobility.autopay.eu