Ostrava

Ostrava {{Audio|Cs-Ostrava.ogg|listen}} (German: Ostrau, Polish: Ostrawa) is the third largest city in the Czech Republic and the administrative center of the Moravian-Silesian Region. It is located at the junction of the Ostravice, Oder and Opava rivers. Its history and growth were largely affected by exploitation and further usage of the high quality black coal deposits discovered in the locality, giving the town a look of an industrial city and a nickname of the ?steel heart of the republic? during the communist era of Czechoslovakia. Many of the heavy industry companies are being closed down or transformed nowadays.

Transportation

Ostrava-Mosnov International Airport is about 30 minutes away from Ostrava by bus. Most visitors, though, arrive to the city by train from Prague, which takes about 4½ hours, Brno (2½ hours), Olomouc (1½ hours). It is also relatively close from Vienna, Bratislava and Warsaw. Despite several attempts to begin building of the D47 highway, Ostrava still lacks a modern highway and visitors coming by car have to choose regional roads instead.

Related Topics:
Ostrava-Mosnov International Airport - Prague - Brno - Olomouc - Vienna - Bratislava - Warsaw

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Getting around the city itself is easy using the public transportation. Ostrava is one of the few Czech cities to have all the three types of public transportation common to Czech republic: buses, trams, as well as trolleybuses.

Related Topics:
Buses - Trams - Trolleybuses

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