Prague Castle Tickets and Opening Hours 2026: Full Visit Guide
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The Prague Castle grounds are free to enter every day from 6:00 to 22:00, and you only need a ticket for the buildings. The main circuit (St Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica, Golden Lane) costs CZK 450 (about €18.50 at the Czech National Bank rate), CZK 300 reduced or CZK 950 for a family, and lasts 2 days. Buildings open 9:00–17:00, the cathedral from 12:00 on Sundays, and the gardens close from 1 November until March. The guard changes hourly from 9:00 to 18:00, with the ceremonial change at noon. Around Prague checked prices, opening hours and transport on official websites on 30 October 2026.
For what to see inside, read Prague Castle from the Inside.
What is free and what needs a ticket
Under the Castle's visitor rules you pay only for the visitor buildings. Without a ticket you can:
- walk the courtyards and watch the changing of the guard;
- from March to October, visit the Royal Garden, South Gardens and Stag Moat;
- whenever the complex is open, use the Garden on the Bastion and the Riding School terrace;
- walk Golden Lane after closing time, without entering the houses.
Don't count on a free section of the cathedral. The cathedral's website calls the tourist visit paid, and the Castle said in October 2023 that the free part was closed until further notice. We found no notice of it reopening, though blogs still mention it. People coming to pray may enter without a ticket: tell the attendants at the door.
Prague Castle tickets and prices 2026
| Ticket | Includes | Adult, CZK | Reduced, CZK | Family, CZK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main circuit | St Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower | 450 | 300 | 950 |
| Permanent exhibitions | The Story of Prague Castle, Castle Guard exhibition in the Mihulka Powder Tower, Picture Gallery, Rosenberg Palace | 300 | 200 | 700 |
| Picture Gallery | gallery only | 200 | 150 | 500 |
| Cathedral South Tower | the climb, more than 280 steps | 200 | 150 | 500 |
- Reduced: ages 6–16, students up to 26 inclusive and over-65s, with proof.
- Family: 1 to 5 children under 16 with up to 2 adults.
- Free: children under 6 and disability ID holders.
- Tickets last 2 days, cover one entry per building and cannot be refunded.
- Audio guide: CZK 350 for 3 hours plus a CZK 500 deposit.
- Castle guide tour of the cathedral and palace: 60 minutes, CZK 250 plus ticket, book via [email protected].
Prices come from the 1 March 2024 price list. We found nothing newer, and prague.eu and the cathedral website match it.
Prague Visitor Pass: the main circuit is included and the South Tower is 50% off. Collect your ticket at the Prague Visitor Centre in the third courtyard, skipping the ticket office queue. Our pass guide works out whether it pays off.
Prague Castle opening hours by season
| Area | Hours |
|---|---|
| Grounds | daily 6:00–22:00 |
| Main circuit buildings | daily 9:00–17:00, closed 24 December (grounds stay open) |
| St Vitus Cathedral | Mon–Sat 9:00–17:00, Sun 12:00–17:00, last entry 20 minutes before closing |
| South Tower | November–March 10:00–17:00, April–October 10:00–18:00, last entry 30 minutes before closing, closed in bad weather |
| Gardens | March and October 10:00–17:00, April–June and September 10:00–19:00, July–August 10:00–20:00, closed November–February |
Official sources disagree about winter. Prague.eu, the cathedral website with its November 2026 calendar, and the Prague Visitor Pass give 17:00 year-round. The 2023 visitor rules and parts of hrad.cz give 16:00 for November to March. We show the newer figures, but in winter plan to finish by 16:00.
Tourists cannot enter the cathedral during services and events: see the daily programme on its website. Buildings or the whole complex can close for state or operational reasons, so check the current closures on the day.
Where to buy tickets, queues and security checks
On site, buy at the information centres in the second and third courtyards or the ticket office in the cathedral tower. Online, the Castle's tickets page points to GetYourGuide, for the main circuit only. Check price and terms when you buy.
Skip Ticketportal, which prague.eu still names: the Castle changed ticketing provider, and Ticketportal tickets for visits from 1 July 2026 were cancelled.
We found no compulsory time slots on official pages, and the Castle publishes no waiting times. Our advice: arrive at 9:00 and avoid the August and December peaks, see the best time to visit Prague.
- Security checks are random, but if you refuse one you will be turned away.
- The Castle asks you not to bring bulky luggage. We found no size limit or left-luggage service.
- Weapons, fireworks, flags, banners and drones are banned.
- Food, drink and selfie sticks are not allowed indoors. Photos are banned in the Picture Gallery, Treasury, Powder Tower and The Story of Prague Castle; elsewhere indoors you need a purchased licence, with no flash or tripod.
Changing of the guard: times and where to watch
- Hourly, 9:00–18:00: at the Titans Gate on Hradčanské náměstí and at the Powder Bridge Gate.
- At 12:00: the ceremonial change with fanfare and a change of standard in the first courtyard.
It is free to watch. You may not stand closer than half a metre to a sentry.
How to get to Prague Castle
Trams 22 and 23 stop at Pražský hrad, Královský letohrádek and Pohořelec. Most visitors take tram 22 to Pražský hrad and leave on foot down the Old Castle Stairs to Malostranská metro.
| From | Route | Time to Pražský hrad |
|---|---|---|
| Malostranská (metro A) | tram 22 or 23 | 5 min |
| Národní třída | tram 22 or 23 | 15 min |
| Old Town (Staroměstská, metro A) | tram 2 or 18, change at Malostranská to 22 or 23 | 9–11 min |
| Main railway station (Hlavní nádraží, Bolzanova tram stop) | tram 15, change at Malostranská to 22 or 23 | 18–19 min |
Times are from IDOS for the mornings of 4 and 7 November 2026. Tram 22 runs every 4–5 minutes by day. Historic line 23 runs about 8:00–19:00, every 30 minutes on weekdays and 15 at weekends, on normal fares.
Don't drive: parking is very limited, with the nearest paid car park at the Pražský hrad stop. Check PID service changes first, as the track by the Castle sometimes closes. For fares, see our transport guide.
Where to start and how long you need
The audio guide runs 3 hours. Our estimate: 1–2 hours for the courtyards and gardens, about 3 hours for the main circuit, half a day with the exhibitions and tower.
- Tram to Pražský hrad, then turn left: the Castle says the second courtyard is 5 minutes away.
- Third courtyard and cathedral. On Sundays, palace first, cathedral from 12:00.
- Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica, Golden Lane.
- Old Castle Stairs down to Malostranská.
To start with the noon ceremony, get off at Pohořelec: the Castle says Hradčanské náměstí is 10 minutes downhill.
Visiting with children
- Calculation: 2 adults and 2 children aged 6–16 pay 450 × 2 + 300 × 2 = CZK 1,500 separately, so the family ticket saves CZK 550. For 1 adult and 2 children it saves CZK 100. For 1 adult and 1 child (CZK 750) skip it.
- Pushchairs: all buildings are step-free except the White Tower, Daliborka, Powder Tower, South Tower and Golden Lane defence corridor.
- Castle toilets are at the Riding School and at the Golden Lane exit.
Prague Castle questions answered (FAQ)
How much are Prague Castle tickets in 2026?
The main circuit costs CZK 450, reduced CZK 300, family CZK 950. The South Tower costs CZK 200.
Can you visit Prague Castle for free?
Yes: the courtyards 6:00–22:00, the gardens from March to October and the changing of the guard. Buildings need a ticket.
Do I need to book Prague Castle tickets in advance?
No. All tickets are sold on site, and only the main circuit is sold online.
Is St Vitus Cathedral free?
Not for tourists: it is part of the main circuit. People coming to pray may enter free.
What time is the changing of the guard at Prague Castle?
Hourly from 9:00 to 18:00, with the ceremonial change at 12:00 in the first courtyard.
Sources: prague.eu: Castle, gardens, Golden Lane, South Tower; cathedral: tourists, pilgrims; Castle: price list, visitor rules, guided tours; Prague Visitor Pass, Ticketportal, Castle Guard, IDOS, line 23, Czech National Bank. Checked on 30 October 2026.
See also: Prague Walking Tours, Prague Visitor Pass, Best Time to Visit Prague, Where to Stay in Prague, Is Prague Safe?, Prague with Kids, Prague Itinerary: 1, 2 and 3 Days.
Photo: Prague Castle and St Vitus Cathedral from Charles Bridge. Alvesgaspar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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