Jizerska Padesatka

How to get there

Overseas visitors who intend to combine J50 with other European races and travel by car may find it interesting to rent a car at the Munich Airport (see Traveling in Europe by Car under the heading General). It takes about five hours to drive from there to Liberec (488 km) via Plzen and Prague.

Another option is to rent a car directy at Prague airport, which is only 120 km and less than 2 hours from Liberec.  At the Prague Airport you can take a taxi or a bus to Prague and from there a bus or a train to Liberec. Trains are however slow: the fastest connection takes almost 3 hours. You find all train/bus timetables on www.idos.cz. Hereafter is the description of the best way to travel from Prague Airport to Liberec by bus:

“Take bus No. 100 just in front of the airport building on the right side. You can buy the ticket in the airport building, the booth Transport Information: Metro, Tram, Bus is close to the exits from the building on the right side as you leave the customs area. Or you can buy it in a vending machine on the bus departure platform. It is necessary to stamp the ticket in the obliteration device in the bus. The ticket is valid one hour after stamping for any kind of Prague public transportation. At the terminal station Zlicin take metro line B to the terminal station Cerny Most. From Cerny Most, platform 7 or 8, a direct bus to Liberec leaves almost every hour. You can find the timetables on www.idos.cz , English and German versions available. Travel time to Liberec is about 70 min. The Liberec bus station is about 800 m from the city center where most of the hotels and the race office are. If you wish to return to Prague on Sunday, I recommend that on your arrival in Liberec you buy a seat reservation ticket at the bus station.”

A convenient but more expensive solution is to ask your hotel to quote the price for sending their taxi to pick you up at the airport, in principle it is cheaper than to take one of the airport taxis. Of course, you can rent a car at the Prague airport.

The ski area in Bedrichov is connected to Liberec (14 km) by buses, about five buses per day each way. Taxis are convenient, ask your hotel if they have an appointed taxi and agree with the driver at which time you wish him to pick you up in Bedrichov for the return trip. Or call him with your cellular phone 20 minutes before you come back from the ski track.

On the race day, even if you have your own or a rented car, we recommend that you use the organizers’ bus transport, as organizers limit intentionnally number of parking places available close to the start. The buses start from Jablonecka street near the junction with Gutenbergova street.

If the snow is abundant, it is possible to descend from Bedrichov to Liberec on skis. It is, however, to a large extent snow plowing. Near the low end of the track there is a tram stop, it takes a few minutes to the city center.

Accommodation

Skiers mostly stay in Liberec or in Bedrichov. Liberec is a big city with shops, museums and even an opera house. If you are lucky, you may enjoy an excellent opera or operetta performance during your stay, your hotel reception can arrange the seat reservation. The race office is in Liberec. Bedrichov offers the advantage of being at walking distance from the ski tracks. The next village Jozefuv Dul also offers interesting alternatives

Do you wish to see pictures of the hotels and boarding houses in Liberec and surroundings (including Bedrichov) with a description of facilities, prices, phone and fax numbers and email addresses? Go to the City Information Center’s web site www.infolbc.cz where you also find general information on the city. They can also send you a map of the area and some brochures by surface mail if you request it by email at mic@infolbc.cz .

According to our experience, you obtain the best accommodation prices by contacting the hotel directly.

Weather

The forcast is available at Accuweather.

Web site

The race web site is at www.jiz50.cz.