In Prague and Ostrava, preparations for the hockey championship are coming to an end

“We are opening on the 10th,” a security guard confirmed to Novinka, who was sitting at the entrance gate of the Prague campus on Saturday and kept a watchful eye on making sure that no one was allowed inside. “I don’t know what it will look like here,” he shrugged. According to him, the work started in the last week of April.

On the vast area in front of the largest domestic hall, where the championship will start with the duel between the Czech Republic and Finland, calm reigned on Saturday afternoon. There are already several containers on the site, the signs on them say that they will serve as luggage storage or toilets.

“We’ve only lived next door to the hall for five years, so this will be our first championship. We’ll see how we survive,” remarked Jan Novotný, while watching over his little son racing around on a plastic motorcycle.

Photo: Lucie Fialová, Law

The fun zone is growing in the neighborhood of the O2 Arena.

The staff at the restaurant on the corner of Drahobejlova and U Skládky, which is located just a few meters from the championship venue, is already flexing its muscles. “At least our shift will go by quickly if there are a lot of guests,” responded the waitress. “We are used to frmol. We’re always packed when there are concerts, hockey, we’re on fire,” her colleague smiled. They do not yet know whether the management is preparing a special hockey offer. “The boss is probably putting something together,” he thinks.

Restrictions for drivers

Due to the championship, special security measures will be temporarily introduced in the vicinity of the O2 Arena from May 8, and traffic will be restricted on selected roads. The entrance to them will be controlled by the city police. A valid parking permit will still be required to park in paid parking zones. In the defined area, the hourly rate for visitor parking will be increased to 40 crowns.

“We would like to point out that as a result of these measures, complicated traffic situations may arise in your neighborhood from time to time, and at the same time there will be an increased number of people on the streets,” the Prague 9 City Hall informs residents.

According to spokesman Vít Hofman, the Prague municipality will provide more detailed traffic safety information next week. It is clear that the city is not preparing screens on the Old Town Square this time, because the organizers of the championship have prepared a fan zone.

However, hockey enthusiasts can traditionally watch matches in the Yellow Spa in Prague’s Podolí. Campus spokesperson Han Tietze promises a surprise that he will reveal next week. The chill out zone will also open on the roof of the Harfa department store, which is adjacent to the arena. It promises large-scale projections and competitions.

Photo: Denisa Doležalová, Law

The construction of the Fun Zone is also at its peak in Ostrava.

“Fans will be able to keep their fingers crossed for the Czech hockey players on the big screen. The zone will be divided into two parts and, just like in Prague, it will open at 2 p.m. On the day when there will be three matches, at 11 a.m.,” Irena Šašková, deputy president of the Ostrava organizing committee, told Novinky.

In addition to the screen, it will also offer a stage on which bands from the Czech, Slovak and Polish music scene will perform. The large-capacity tents of Pilsenský Prazdroj will not be missing either. The beer will cost 110 crowns and will be paid cashless. The fan zones were created in the parking lots near the Ostravar Arena, which is why the parking lots are ready: in Závodní Street, Lipový Dvůr in Ruská Street and in the Lower Vítkovice area.

The Ostrava transport company has prepared a special hockey ticket for the time when the hockey championship will take place in the city. During the sports event, key tram lines will also be strengthened in Ostrava, as well as buses running between the city and Leoš Janáček International Airport in Mošnov.

You can easily get to hockey by public transport.

“The reinforced tram line X will also run along the route Nádraží Vítkovice, Sport Aréna, Dolní Vítkovice and Plynárny and back. A discounted hockey ticket will cost 250 crowns and will be valid for seven days. It will be on sale from May 9,” said the spokesperson of the transport company, Tereza Šnoblová.

The largest parking lot will be created in the Lower Vítkovice area. This industrial monument in Ostrava will temporarily change its abbreviation from DOV to FANDOV. Here, too, an accompanying program will be prepared for the fans, such as tours of Ostrava Hradčany, as DOV is nicknamed.

“Our guides are already ready. For example, we expanded foreign-language tours between hockey games. Hockey fans will also be able to go to the Bolt Tower, the observation structure of the former blast furnace. It will shine in the colors of the Czech tricolor from May 8,” said DOV director Renata Červená.

Conveniently also by train

The matches in both cities can be easily reached by train. The Praha – Libeň station, where most trains from the eastern part of the country stop, as well as regional lines from the main and Masaryk railway stations in the center of Prague, is a 15-minute walk from the hall.

Ostrava-Vítkovice railway station is about a 20-minute walk from the sports stand and is served by the regular S9 line Ostrava-Svinov – Havířov – Český Těšín. Czech Railways in cooperation with the Slovak company ZSSK will also offer special direct connections on the route Košice – Žilina – Ostrava-Vítkovice and back.

You can also watch all the details, results, interviews and clips from this year’s World Championship on the Sport.cz server.