Foreign drivers working for Bolt, Uber and traditional taxi fleets across Czechia will have to prove basic Czech-language skills under a draft amendment to the Road Transport Act unveiled on 25 February. The Transport Ministry says the rule—modelled on similar requirements in France and Belgium—aims to improve passenger safety, cut fraud and ensure drivers understand police instructions in the event of accidents.
Prague’s taxi market has exploded over the past decade from 5,000 to roughly 16,000 licensed drivers; City Hall data indicate that about half are foreign nationals, led by Ukrainians, Uzbeks and Nigerians. Officials and passenger-rights groups complain that inadequate language skills make it hard to navigate, issue receipts or resolve disputes. Under the proposal, all new licence applicants from 2028 must pass a state-approved A2-level Czech exam; existing drivers will receive a two-year grace period.
Platform operator Bolt has already launched free courses combining an online test and a 40-hour vocabulary programme focused on directions, traffic rules and emergency phrases. The company warns, however, that mandatory testing could shrink the driver pool and push up wait times—particularly for airport runs and late-night journeys favoured by business travellers.
![Prague moves to require Czech-language test for 8,000 foreign taxi and ride-hailing drivers]()
Companies and individual drivers grappling with the paperwork that often accompanies cross-border work—residence permits, business visas or letters of invitation—can simplify the process through VisaHQ. Its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) offers step-by-step checklists, online applications and real-time support, helping applicants stay compliant with local immigration rules while saving valuable time.
For global-mobility teams the measure matters because ride-hailing is a staple of expatriate life. Employers may need to brief incoming assignees that English-only interactions could become trickier, and that official complaints will increasingly be handled in Czech. Conversely, the change may create job opportunities for foreigners willing to invest in language training, supporting their longer-term integration and residence-permit renewals.
The draft amendment is expected to clear inter-ministerial review by May and reach Parliament before the summer recess. If approved, the Czech language test will join existing obligations such as a clean criminal record, medical fitness and knowledge of Prague’s tariff system. Platforms are lobbying for computer-based remote testing to keep barriers low, but the ministry has hinted it prefers proctored, in-person exams. Either way, mobility planners should assume that from 2028, ordering a cab in English could cost more—or require a little Czech.
Prague’s taxi market has exploded over the past decade from 5,000 to roughly 16,000 licensed drivers; City Hall data indicate that about half are foreign nationals, led by Ukrainians, Uzbeks and Nigerians. Officials and passenger-rights groups complain that inadequate language skills make it hard to navigate, issue receipts or resolve disputes. Under the proposal, all new licence applicants from 2028 must pass a state-approved A2-level Czech exam; existing drivers will receive a two-year grace period.
Platform operator Bolt has already launched free courses combining an online test and a 40-hour vocabulary programme focused on directions, traffic rules and emergency phrases. The company warns, however, that mandatory testing could shrink the driver pool and push up wait times—particularly for airport runs and late-night journeys favoured by business travellers.
Companies and individual drivers grappling with the paperwork that often accompanies cross-border work—residence permits, business visas or letters of invitation—can simplify the process through VisaHQ. Its Czech Republic portal (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) offers step-by-step checklists, online applications and real-time support, helping applicants stay compliant with local immigration rules while saving valuable time.
For global-mobility teams the measure matters because ride-hailing is a staple of expatriate life. Employers may need to brief incoming assignees that English-only interactions could become trickier, and that official complaints will increasingly be handled in Czech. Conversely, the change may create job opportunities for foreigners willing to invest in language training, supporting their longer-term integration and residence-permit renewals.
The draft amendment is expected to clear inter-ministerial review by May and reach Parliament before the summer recess. If approved, the Czech language test will join existing obligations such as a clean criminal record, medical fitness and knowledge of Prague’s tariff system. Platforms are lobbying for computer-based remote testing to keep barriers low, but the ministry has hinted it prefers proctored, in-person exams. Either way, mobility planners should assume that from 2028, ordering a cab in English could cost more—or require a little Czech.
