SCAM attack - Accommodation attempt

It has not been the first time that I have received scam, but this one seems to be very smart way to do it. As we also operate couple of accommodation websites (www.123Praha.com and www.Prague-guide.com) we are ideal target for accommodation scam.

So what is it all about? You receive an email like this:

Hello Sir/Madam,
I am Dr Miky Fare of Miky Travels & Tours. I need reservation in your facility for 3 double or 6 single rooms. Arrival date:20th June 2008 Departure date :30th June 2008 Number of nights: 10 nights, Number of Room: 3 DBL or 6 Sgl, Type of Room: Double or Single,Number of Guest 6, Mode of Payment: Credit card, Confirm availability and get back to me with your rates and total cost.

Best Regards,
Dr Miky Fare

The email looks ok, but second look at it reveals, that the email address is usually freely accessible (aol., yahoo. Etc.) and does not have to do anything with any agent's website (e.g. As I would expect miky.fare@mikytravel.com).

I gave the reply a try and I offered accommodation of undescribed type at rate 350 EUR per night per room. I could feel some trick in the email so I was not properly worried of loosing an client.

The reply I received thereafter clearly convinced me of SCAM. Dr. Miky Fare accepted my ridiculous offer.

I did not go to much further in the communication and therefor I can not refer from my own experience, but basically what is suppossed to happen:

1.You charge their credit card
2.Your bank does not proceed the payment
3.You do not mention it
4.You send the partial money somewhere to cover other expenses that Dr. Fare is unable to proceed on his own (usually car rental, logistics etc.)
5.You lost what you sent. Good job.

Conclusion? DO NOT SEND ANYONE ANYTHING and DO NOT TRUST ANYONE ELSE BUT YOURSELF!

Now I am awaiting SCAM attack on Prague airport transfers, I can imagine that someone will request full service on congress meeting where part of the money will be used for transfers and rest to be abused... But that wont work with us!

Virtual identity of Martin Stich

After looooong weekend Martin AKA (also known as) smRt or sMARTIN is back to the real life. Me - Martin Stich apart of being a real identity lives also in virtuality.

This weekend a local area network was set up in a small village Ostrovce where other freaks like me met to play computer games. The event was temporary called Hell Mill Lan as the house we used as a shelter was situated near very old scary mill.

The atmosphere at the LAN was great, however I was out of reach on my mobile which may have caused some trouble to those who were trying to call me. I have had the phone calls forwarded though. Thank you for patience and please accept my apology for inconvinience. After all I am back. I am upset that I had to leave such a good fun behind, but where something ends something starts. Let's see what future brings.

Thanks and regards to all who attended the ultimate HELL MILL LAN FEBRUARY 2008 :

Simon AKA Ody, Kubik AKA K3K, Patrick Aka War_machine, Marek AKA Mustafa, Honza AKA Sipkos, Tomas AKA Karax, Ondra AKA Blackhawk and Filip AKA Wulezz

Prague airport transfers - SKODA SUPERB limousine

Official website of the leading Czech car producer SKODA recently released pictures of the upcoming new model of limo SKODA SUPERB. The car looks simply great. Front may remind you of BMW and rear seems to be a little bit like Renault Laguna. However the unique limo look remains. Once our current SUPERB limos get three years old, we have worthy replace. On March 2008 the model will go gold and become available to purchase. I am already thinking about buying one!!

Picture 1, picture 2, picture 3, picture 4

All pictures were downloaded from www.skoda-auto.cz, all rights reserved to: 2008 ŠKODA AUTO a.s.

Conversion rate of Czech koruna - impact on Prague taxi prices

Czech koruna (CZK) the official currency of the Czech republic gets stronger. It is breaking its maximum records on conversion rate to Euro as well as the U.S. Dollar.

It may be unfortunate for travel and tourism in Prague as visitors find the city being more expensive. To give comparison, not even a year ago we charged 20 EUR each way (return airport transfers), nowadays (February 2008) we charge 24 EUR each. I find 20% rate-increase already dramatic.

Although the rates of Prague airport transfers and taxi services have not raised much in local currency the impact on tourism is already obvious.
Visitors tend to use cheaper ways to get from the airport to the city center such as Prague public transport or Prague airport shuttle services. Public transport prices were raised recently by almost 30%! One way regular ticket costs 26 CZK (cost 20).

Public transport as well as regular Prague city taxi drivers are still not happy with the prices and their maximums. It seems that increase of the maximum taxi rates as well as costs of Prague public transport is inevitable. Not only because of the strong currency but also more expensive energies and resources (electricity, gas, petrol, diesel).

Among the most known airport shuttle providers are:
CEDAZ (operated by AAA taxis since 2007/2008)
Smart Shuttle (operated by Stefanie s.r.o.)
Both companies provide fixed-rate shuttle service from Prague airport to city center.

Fortunately the dominance of the CEDAZ shuttle gets weaker as more companies approached shuttle transport services. We can see the same what happened in private airport transfers in last two years. Prices of shuttle services DECREASE due to stronger competition in the market.

Along with CEDAZ and SMART SHUTTLE you can find other shuttle providers:

HFS s.r.o. - http://www.123-Prague.com (3 GBP per person minimum / 12 GBP per person maximum - depends on group size, 2 EUR per person surplus to non-city center hotels)

Resorthoppa.com and Cityhoppa.com (8 GBP per person - flat rate, no surplus on non-city center

Holidaytaxis.com (8,4 GBP per person - flat rate, no surplus on non-city center)

Prague-transfers.cz (provides only city center shuttle - 12 GBP - 1-2 persons)

Praguenet.com (shuttle for 1-2 persons 15 GBP)

Shuttlepragueairport.com (from 4 GBP per person, depending on group size, the rates are not clear on the website, website also does not say surplus on non-center)

World-airport-transfer.com (8 GBP per person - operates only 6:00am - 9:00pm)

Comfort-shuttle.com (14 GBP per two persons, no surplus)

Cedaz shuttle bus (1-4 persons 15 GBP - 1 persons pays the same as 4, 5 - 8 persons 30 GBP, there is surplus to non-city center hotels, ZONE price list is available on their website)

Smart shuttle (very similiar pricing as CEDAZ)

I am sure that Prague airport shuttle services will now become more demanded especially due to the strong currency and increased prices of services in general.

Jump to www.123-Prague.com to book our shuttle service

If you operate independent Prague airport shuttle services and you wish to get listed in this article, feel free to contact me office@prague-guide.com. Please do not contact me if you provide private transfers and just call yourself Prague airport shuttle :P (Hi Chris :)).

Privatization of Prague Ruzyne airport

finally becomes a headliner all around Europe not just in the Czech republic. Privatization of Prague airport is a slow process, however it is moving forwards and quickly brings big attention. Prague Ruzyne airport is currently ran and owned by the Czech republic.

Credit suisse - the advisor of the Czech goverment on sale of Prague airport - should let the goverment know about the best option on March 2008. There are several companies and organizations interested in purchase of Prague airport. Essar, GMR group, Flughaffen Wien (Vienna, Austria), Fraport (Frankfurt, Germany), Abertis airport (Spain), hochtief airport (Budapest, Hungary), GVK (operator of Mombaj airport) and a few more international subject. There are several issues especially with sale / purchase of land around Prague airport. Agreement is yet to be negotiated.

We as airport transfers providers are not really interested in the sale itself, morelikely we are a bit frightened of what restrictions may the new owners bring and thereby complicate pick up service and parking. Prague airport expands and the sale is going to bring 70 - 100 billion Czech korunas to Czech treasury...

Prague airport transfers are BLOGGED!

It is my pleasure to announce that Prague airport transfers (web site) have found its first online BLOG. I will do my best to provide up-to-date information from our business, Prague airport and Prague airport transportation situation. I will use this Prague airport transfer BLOG to let you know about new upgrades and services we introduce, new vehicles join our fleet and also new about changes in our team.

I hope you will find the blog interesting and leave us some comments. 
You can always contact us at  email.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Prague!
Martin & team