Meanwhile in Czechia... 9/26
06.03.2026
Fuel prices in the Czech Republic are rising more slowly
Suddenly, filling up in the Czech Republic is popular with Germans again. German media reported long lines at gas stations right on the border. One station in Dolní Poustevna (Niedereinsiedel) near Sebnitz is even said to have run out of fuel at times. The reason for the high demand is the sharp rise in fuel prices for gasoline and, even more so, for diesel in Germany following the attack by Israel and the U.S. on Iran.
But the situation is beginning to change. Just a few days after the rush of German drivers, prices in the Czech Republic are also rising, albeit more slowly. The daily newspaper Děčínský deník reported on Thursday that prices for a liter of Natural 95—which is equivalent to standard German gasoline—in Děčín (Tetschen) ranged from 33.50 crowns (1.40 euros) to 36.40 crowns (1.52 euros). For diesel, drivers even have to pay between 34 and 35 crowns per liter on average, which corresponds to between 1.42 euros and 1.46 euros.
According to Děčínský deník, prices have risen by an average of between 8 and 25 cents per liter since the attack on Iran, which is significantly slower than in Germany.
According to the daily newspaper Hospodářské noviny, one reason for this is the new pricing policy of the EuroOil and RobinOil gas stations. They are owned by the state-owned oil company Čepro, which also operates a refinery and oil storage facility and maintains an oil reserve on behalf of the state. Both EuroOil and RobinOil keep prices as low as possible at their approximately 300 gas stations. The daily concludes that this reflects political will based on an interview published on the Echo24 website with Industry Minister Karel Havlíček (ANO) on Thursday, in which he explained the pricing policy of Čepro gas stations: “They keep the price as low as possible. They will neither speculate nor take advantage of the situation. Then everyone can see for themselves what the real situation on the market looks like when someone starts raising prices.” This policy appears to be working for the time being, as around 300 gas stations constitute a certain amount of market power. In addition, the Ministry of Finance is investigating irregularities in pricing.
Under normal circumstances, the price difference between gasoline in Germany and the Czech Republic is around 30 cents per liter.
"Chaotic" Repatriation from Crisis Area
In contrast to the response to the rise in oil prices, the government appears to be acting in a less coordinated manner when it comes to the repatriation of Czech citizens from the Middle East. In particular, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists’ Party) once again drew inglorious attention to himself when he advised citizens in the crisis region to “enjoy the time. It will certainly be an experience,” said the Foreign Minister. This was no consolation for the approximately 5,000 Czech citizens affected. Of the nearly 4,000, most are in the United Arab Emirates. Oman, which has temporarily suspended authorization for evacuations, poses a particular challenge. More than 1,300 people are stranded there, the second-highest number of Czech citizens in the region. Several hundred people are in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.
Pirate Party MP Zdeněk Hřib criticized the government’s communication chaos in particular: “Chaotic, just like during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the Pirate Party member. Many citizens felt poorly informed, and there was a lack of government support. At the very beginning, Foreign Minister Macinka had stated that the government was not planning any evacuation flights. In the meantime, he has apparently changed his mind or was pressured to do so within the government. Planning for evacuation flights began on Monday with the help of the Czech airline Smartwings and the Czech military. The first planes landed in Prague on Tuesday. They came from Oman, Egypt, and Jordan. On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka told the returnees that they would have to pay for their return flight themselves—an average of 15,000 crowns per person (625 euros)—a proposal that Prime Minister Andrej Babiš categorically rejected. On Thursday, Macinka acted as if he had never mentioned that anyone would have to pay for their flight.
However, the thousands of Czechs currently in the Far East—in Thailand, Vietnam, or the Maldives—are left to fend for themselves. As a rule, they have booked flights with a layover in the Gulf region. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has announced that the government will not be able to help them for the time being.
Deutsche Bahn Closes Elbe Valley Line
Rail travelers should be prepared for new closures in the Elbe Valley in the direction of the Czech Republic. The years-long renovation and expansion of the Bad Schandau freight station have been completed. However, further modernization work is now pending. Deutsche Bahn is therefore planning new closures in the coming months. Specifically, the section between Bad Schandau and the border town of Schöna will be closed daily from March 15 to 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. After that, it will be closed every Monday—except on public holidays—between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. until November. Another complete closure is planned from April 14 to 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will also be nighttime closures from April 13 to 17 and from April 25 to 29, from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. During the full closures, buses will run between Dresden and Ústí nad Labem (Aussig) to replace the Eurocity service. Further closures will follow from June through November 2026. Details will be announced by Deutsche Bahn in a timely manner.
Regardless of this, there will still be restrictions on the section between Heidenau and the spa town of Rathen until April 11. During the day, only one track can be used at a time due to construction work. At night, there will be total closures.
Hardly Any Savings from Relocation to the Czech Republic
Relocating production facilities from Germany to Poland or the Czech Republic yields fewer savings for companies than hoped for. As the Handelsblatt reports, citing a study by the consulting firm Strategy&, in addition to the comparatively small savings on wages, there are other problems such as a shortage of skilled workers and insufficient automation in the industry.
The study was prompted by increased investment by German industrial companies in neighboring countries to the east, as labor costs in Germany are 30 percent higher than the EU average. China’s declining appeal in recent years has led companies to focus more on their immediate surroundings. This is why Poland and the Czech Republic were the two most popular destinations between 2015 and 2024.
However, hopes for greater savings are often dashed. Significant disadvantages of the region include labor costs, which have risen three and a half times faster than productivity in recent years; a shortage of skilled workers for industry, which is estimated to be 16 percent greater than in Germany; and energy prices, which have nearly tripled in five years.
Cities in the border region are investing in swimming pools
The Aquapark in Děčín is one of the main attractions in the city on the Elbe. Nearly 300,000 people visit it every year. But that’s also the problem. The facility, which was expanded with a modern water play area at the turn of the millennium, is reaching its capacity limits. In the mornings, school classes are held here, and daycare centers also visit. Clubs train in the afternoons. There are only ever short time slots available for the public in the morning, around noon, and then in the evening.
The city of Děčín is therefore planning to expand and modernize the facility. The plan is for the clubs to train outdoors year-round. Even though the water is warm thanks to thermal springs, the pool also needs to be covered to ensure year-round training. At the same time, the 50-meter pool needs to be replaced with a new one. Initial designs are to be presented to the public this spring. The costs are estimated at up to 200 million crowns, which is equivalent to about 8.3 million euros. This is far too much for the budget of a town with 50,000 residents. Therefore, the expansion can only begin if a suitable funding program is launched.
Not only Děčín, but also Rumburk (Rumburg) in the Schluckenauer Zipfel region is planning to modernize its indoor pool. Exact plans are not yet known. The only certainty is that the existing technology will be replaced and a solar power system installed. This system will also be connected to the solar power system on the roof of the nearby school. In this way, the city aims to reduce operating costs. A sauna complex is also planned.
Rumburk is also relying on subsidies for the modernization. The costs there are also around 200 million crowns. The modernization would also have cross-border effects, as clubs from nearby Saxony already train in the facility today. The sauna should make the facility even more attractive to guests from Saxony.
Exhibition from the Perspective of Plants
What does the world actually look like from a plant’s perspective? An exhibition at the Regional Museum in Ústí nad Labem aims to help visitors put themselves in the shoes of plants. The exhibition, titled “Planeta Plantae” (The World of Plants), which opened at the end of February, is spread across three rooms and features real plants—mostly houseplants—that will remain on display through August 2. In the first room, the exhibition organizers demonstrate how plants have shaped the world and made life possible for humans and animals. The second room explores the life of roots underground. In the third room, the exhibition highlights the similarities and differences between plants and humans.
The exhibition is presented in a multimedia format and features minimal text, making it appealing even to visitors who do not speak Czech. There are also several interactive elements. The exhibition can easily be combined with a visit to the permanent exhibition “Our Germans” in the same building. However, visitors will look in vain for exotic plants. The available space does not allow for this. However, a visit to the botanical garden in Teplice is recommended. An exhibition on plant scents and perfumery is running there through the end of March.
The exhibition at the museum in Ústí is open daily except Mondays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.