Christmas in Prague 2026: What's Open on December 24–26
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On Thursday, December 24, 2026, larger stores in Czechia close at noon, and on Friday and Saturday, December 25 and 26, they stay closed all day under Act No. 223/2016 Coll.; shops up to 200 m², gas stations, pharmacies and station and airport shops are exempt. Prague Castle buildings are closed on December 24 (grounds open 6 a.m.–10 p.m.); the National Museum is closed on the 24th and open 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on December 25 and 26. The Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets run daily 10 a.m.–10 p.m. through January 6, 2027. The PID transit holiday schedule and midnight Mass times at St. Vitus Cathedral and the Týn Church were not yet published. Around Prague checked these details on official websites on November 11, 2026.
Christmas Eve (Štědrý den), with dinner and presents from Ježíšek, is the heart of a Czech Christmas. Our guide to Czech Christmas traditions covers the customs; this page covers what is open, transit and where to eat. Dollar amounts use the Czech National Bank rate of November 10, 2026: $1 = 21.702 CZK.
The three days at a glance
| What | Thu, Dec 24 | Fri, Dec 25 | Sat, Dec 26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stores over 200 m² | until noon | closed | closed |
| Prague Castle buildings | closed; grounds 6 a.m.–10 p.m. | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Christmas Stroll at Prague Castle (free) | closed | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| National Museum | closed | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square markets | 10 a.m.–10 p.m. | 10 a.m.–10 p.m. | 10 a.m.–10 p.m. |
| PID public transit | not announced | not announced | not announced |
Castle and market hours for December 25 and 26 are the regular schedules; no special holiday hours have been published.
Stores: what the law allows
Section 1 of Act No. 223/2016 Coll. bans retail sales all day on December 25 and 26, and on December 24 from noon to midnight. So supermarkets and malls close at noon on Christmas Eve and stay shut Friday and Saturday. December 27, a Sunday, is not restricted.
The ban does not apply to:
- shops with a sales floor of up to 200 m²;
- gas stations;
- pharmacies;
- shops at train stations, airports and bus stations;
- shops in hospitals and other health care facilities.
Fines reach 1,000,000 CZK (about $46,000), or 5,000,000 CZK (about $230,000) for repeat offenses, enforced by the Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI). Restaurants and cafés are not covered. For details on the exceptions, see Are shops open in Czechia on public holidays; for medicine, see our list of 24-hour pharmacies in Prague.
Prague Castle and the Christmas Stroll
According to Prague City Tourism (prague.eu), the ticketed Prague Castle buildings are closed on December 24, but the grounds are open 6 a.m.–10 p.m. On December 25 and 26 the buildings keep regular hours, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; the main ticket is 450 CZK (about $21). The castle's own site, hrad.cz, blocks automated checks; see its closures page before you go. See our Prague Castle 2026 guide.
From November 28, 2026, to January 3, 2027, the castle hosts the free Christmas Stroll at Prague Castle (Vánoční putování Pražským hradem): a tree on St. George's Square, a nativity scene by the cathedral and the Forman brothers' Christmas labyrinth in the Imperial Stables. From December 21 it is open daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m., except December 24.
Museums, towers and the zoo
| Place | Dec 24 | Dec 25 | Dec 26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Museum, Wenceslas Square | closed | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | 10 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Jewish Museum: synagogues and Old Jewish Cemetery | 9 a.m.–2 p.m. | 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | closed (Saturday) |
| Old Town Hall with the Astronomical Clock | 9 a.m.–3 p.m. | 11 a.m.–6 p.m. | 9 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Clementinum | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. | 11 a.m.–9 p.m. | 8 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Petřín Lookout Tower | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. | 11 a.m.–6 p.m. | 10 a.m.–7 p.m. |
| Charles Bridge towers | 10 a.m.–2:30 p.m. | 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m. | 10 a.m.–7 p.m. |
| Prague Zoo | 9 a.m.–2 p.m., grounds until 4 p.m. | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. | 9 a.m.–4 p.m. |
The Náprstek Museum has the same holiday hours as the National Museum. The 50% early-morning discount at the Old Town Hall, Clementinum, Petřín Tower and bridge towers does not apply on December 25. Zoo hours on December 25 and 26 are its regular December schedule. The Prague City Museum and National Gallery list no Christmas hours yet. For the Old Town Hall visit, see our guide to the Prague Astronomical Clock.
Public transit: holiday schedule not out yet
PID (Prague Integrated Transport) has not yet announced how the metro, trams and buses will run on December 24–26. It usually does so in mid-December: on December 20 in 2023, December 16 in 2024 and December 17 in 2025. We will check pid.cz on December 15 and 18 and update this section.
For orientation only, 2023–2025 (not confirmed for 2026): on Christmas Eve PID ran a Saturday schedule, daytime trams and buses stopped around 6 p.m., and the metro ran until midnight at longer intervals; December 25 and 26 ran on a Sunday schedule. On December 24, 2025, the metro ran every 20 minutes after 6 p.m., and night lines started around 6 p.m. For tickets, see our Prague transport guide.
Plan your Prague trip
1. From the airport to the centre
2. Public transport and tickets
3. Money and currency exchange
4. Where to stay
5. What to see in 1, 2 and 3 days
6. What to book in advance
7. Beer halls and pubs
8. Day trips from Prague
9. What is on this week
Christmas markets on December 24–26
- Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square (organizer Trhy Praha): November 28, 2026, to January 6, 2027, daily 10 a.m.–10 p.m., with no separate hours for December 24–26 and no 2026 program yet.
- Anděl, by the metro station: November 27 to December 31, daily 8 a.m.–8 p.m. (prague.eu), no special holiday hours.
- Republic Square, Peace Square and Tyl Square (náměstí Republiky, náměstí Míru, Tylovo náměstí): the last day is December 24, with no Christmas Eve hours listed; prague.eu gives Peace Square 10 a.m.–8 p.m.
- The Advent market on Jiřího z Poděbrad Square ends on December 23.
What to buy and taste: our guide to Prague Christmas markets 2026, and the full calendar in Advent in Prague 2026.
Midnight Mass and Christmas concerts
Neither St. Vitus Cathedral nor the Týn Church has published a 2026 time for midnight Mass (půlnoční mše). The Týn parish has posted notices only through November 29; its regular Sunday Masses are at 9:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. We do not reuse past years' times: we will check the cathedral on November 25 and December 2, and Týn on December 2 and 16.
On December 25, Prague churches perform Jakub Jan Ryba's Czech Christmas Mass (Česká mše vánoční). According to prague.eu:
- Church of Saints Simon and Jude (Dušní, Prague 1): Matěj Forman's "Magic Rybovka" at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.;
- Church of St. Wenceslas in Smíchov: 4 p.m., tickets 250 CZK (about $12), reduced 200 CZK (about $9), children under 15 free;
- Rudolfinum: 4 p.m., tickets 300–600 CZK (about $14–28);
- St. Nicholas Church in the Lesser Town: 5 p.m.
Christmas dinner and carp
The traditional Christmas Eve dinner is fish soup and fried carp with potato salad. Live carp is sold at street stands. Rybářství Třeboň still shows its 2025 list of sellers, when certified stands typically traded December 20–23. There is no 2026 list yet; the prodejkapru.cz map, linked by the fish farm, will show stands from December 1.
Year-round, Rybářství Třeboň sells live carp in Prague at the Lahovice ponds (K Sádkám 160, Prague 5): Monday–Friday 9:00–11:45 a.m. and 12:30–6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–1 p.m. No special December hours or 2026 prices have been published.
Restaurants on December 24–26
We list only restaurants with a 2026 Christmas offer on their own website.
- Restaurace Obecní dům (Municipal House, náměstí Republiky): on December 24, a Christmas Eve menu for 4,990 CZK (about $230) with a pianist, arrivals at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 or 8:30 p.m. Book via a voucher on its website. The menu has no carp.
- Červený Jelen (Hybernská 5, Prague 1): open December 24–26. Special à la carte on the 24th and regular à la carte on the 25th and 26th, noon–10 p.m.; on all three days, a Family style set for two or more, 6–10 p.m. Bookings need a per-person deposit of 300 CZK (about $14) for à la carte or 1,490 CZK (about $69) for Family style, refunded if you cancel at least 10 days ahead.
Christmas in Prague 2026: FAQ
Are stores open in Prague on December 24–26, 2026?
Larger stores close at noon on December 24 and stay closed on December 25 and 26. Shops up to 200 m², gas stations, pharmacies and shops at stations, the airport and hospitals are exempt.
What time is midnight Mass at St. Vitus Cathedral in 2026?
Not published yet; we will update this article when the cathedral posts its December program.
How does public transit run in Prague over Christmas?
PID will likely announce it in mid-December. In 2023–2025, daytime trams and buses stopped around 6 p.m. on December 24, with Sunday schedules on December 25 and 26.
Can I visit Prague Castle on December 24?
The grounds are open 6 a.m.–10 p.m., but the buildings and the Christmas Stroll are closed. On December 25 and 26 the buildings open 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sources: Act No. 223/2016 Coll. on retail opening hours, prague.eu: Prague Castle, Christmas Stroll at Prague Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral: services, Týn parish, National Museum, Jewish Museum in Prague, Old Town Hall, Clementinum, Petřín Tower, Old Town Bridge Tower, Prague Zoo, PID news, PID holiday service 2025, Trhy Praha, Republic, Peace and Tyl Square markets, prague.eu: markets, prague.eu: Ryba's Christmas Mass, Rybářství Třeboň: Christmas sales, Lahovice ponds, Restaurace Obecní dům, Červený Jelen, Czech National Bank exchange rates. Checked on November 11, 2026; holiday hours can change, so confirm on the official sites before you go.
See also: Are shops open in Czechia on public holidays, Christmas in Czechia: traditions, Advent in Prague 2026, Prague Christmas markets 2026, Czech holiday calendar 2026, New Year's Eve in Prague and the fireworks ban, Prague in winter, 24-hour pharmacies in Prague, Prague Castle tickets and hours 2026, Prague transport guide, Dresden Christmas market day trip from Prague 2026, Castles near Prague in winter 2026/27.
Photo: Christmas tree on Old Town Square and the Týn Church. Karelj, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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