Quick summary: Prague Castle opening times
| Hours | |
|---|---|
| Castle grounds and courtyards | 6:00–22:00, every day, all year, free |
| Historical buildings, 1 Apr – 31 Oct | 9:00–17:00 |
| Historical buildings, 1 Nov – 31 Mar | 9:00–16:00 |
| St. Vitus Cathedral | Mon–Sat from 9:00, Sundays from 12:00 |
| Advance booking | Not required — but dated tickets skip the ticket-office queue |
| Time to allow | 3 hours for the Main circuit, 4–5 hours with exhibitions |
| Quietest hours | 8:30–9:30 and after 15:30 |
| Weekly closing day | None |
Summer season: 1 April to 31 October
| Place | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Castle complex — courtyards, streets, passages | 6:00–22:00 |
| Historical buildings — Old Royal Palace, The Story of Prague Castle, St. George's Basilica, Castle Guard Exhibition, Golden Lane with Daliborka, Picture Gallery | 9:00–17:00 |
| St. Vitus Cathedral | Mon–Sat 9:00–17:00, Sun 12:00–17:00 — last entry 16:40 |
| Great South Tower of the Cathedral | 10:00–18:00 — last entry 17:30 |
| Exhibition halls — Riding School, Imperial Stables, Theresian Wing, Royal Summer Palace | 10:00–18:00 |
| Gardens — Royal Garden, Deer Moat, South Gardens | April–June 10:00–19:00, July–August 10:00–20:00, September 10:00–19:00, October 10:00–17:00 |
| Garden on the Bastion | 6:00–22:00 |
Source: hrad.cz visitor information. Individual buildings can close at short notice for state ceremonies — check the official site on the morning of your visit.
Winter season: 1 November to 31 March
| Place | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Castle complex — courtyards, streets, passages | 6:00–22:00 |
| Historical buildings | 9:00–16:00 |
| St. Vitus Cathedral | Mon–Sat 9:00–16:00, Sun 12:00–16:00 — last entry 15:40 |
| Great South Tower of the Cathedral | 10:00–17:00 — last entry 16:30 |
| Exhibition halls | 10:00–18:00 |
| Gardens — Royal Garden, Deer Moat, South Gardens | Closed 1 November – 28 February. March 10:00–17:00 |
| Garden on the Bastion | 6:00–22:00 |
Opening hours building by building
St. Vitus Cathedral
The only monument with different Sunday hours. Morning services occupy the nave, so ticketed visits start at 12:00 on Sundays instead of 9:00. Last entry is always 20 minutes before closing — 16:40 in summer, 15:40 in winter. Anyone attending a service enters free of charge, but that is worship, not a sightseeing shortcut. Full detail on our St. Vitus Cathedral page.
Great South Tower
Opens an hour later than the other buildings, at 10:00, and closes an hour later too. Last entry is 17:30 in summer and 16:30 in winter. The 287 steps are a single narrow spiral with two-way traffic — allow 30 minutes for the climb, the view and the descent.
Golden Lane
Keeps the standard building hours, 9:00–17:00 in summer and 9:00–16:00 in winter. After the houses close the lane itself is opened for free walking, which is the cheapest and quietest way to see it. More on the Golden Lane page.
The gardens
The Royal Garden, the Deer Moat and the South Gardens run a seasonal timetable that peaks at 20:00 in July and August, then closes entirely from 1 November to the end of February. Only the Garden on the Bastion stays open all year with the grounds, 6:00–22:00.
Exhibition halls
The Riding School, Imperial Stables, Theresian Wing and Royal Summer Palace host temporary exhibitions on a 10:00–18:00 schedule in both seasons. Admission is priced per exhibition and is not covered by circuit tickets.
Changing of the guard: the timetable inside the timetable
- Every hour on the hour, 7:00–20:00 in summer and 7:00–18:00 in winter, the sentries at the gates change. A short, quiet swap that takes about five minutes.
- Daily at 12:00 the ceremonial changing takes place in the First Courtyard with a fanfare from the Castle Guard band and a flag ceremony. It runs roughly 15 minutes.
- It is free. No ticket, no booking, no seating. Stand in the First Courtyard by 11:45 if you want a clear view.
- It is also the busiest 30 minutes of the castle day. If crowds bother you more than pageantry appeals, use noon to be somewhere else — the Old Royal Palace empties out while everyone is outside.
Timing is everything: the best time to visit
By hour
- 8:30–9:00 — the grounds have been open since 6:00. Clear security in minutes, be at the cathedral door as it opens.
- 9:00–10:30 — comfortable. Groups have not arrived in force yet.
- 10:30–14:00 — the peak, every day, every season. Expect queues at security and shoulder-to-shoulder movement in Golden Lane.
- 15:30 onwards — coach groups leave. Summer still gives you 90 minutes indoors, and the light on the cathedral's south face is at its best.
- 17:00–22:00 — buildings closed, grounds open, courtyards genuinely quiet. The best hours for photographs without people in them.
By day and month
- Tuesday to Thursday are consistently the calmest days.
- Monday absorbs weekend overflow; Friday to Sunday belong to city breaks.
- January and February are the quietest months — short hours, closed gardens, but you can stand alone in Vladislav Hall.
- July and August are the busiest, though the gardens stay open until 20:00, which extends the useful day considerably.
- Late April to early June and September are the sweet spot: full summer hours, open gardens, fewer people than high summer.
Best light for photographs
- Third Courtyard, 8:30–9:30 — early sun on the cathedral's south façade and an empty square
- Golden Lane, first 20 minutes after opening — the lane is barely two metres wide, so later means photographing other visitors
- South Gardens terraces, late afternoon — the classic view down onto the red roofs of Malá Strana
- From outside, at sunset — Letná Park or the Charles Bridge tower, when the west-facing walls turn amber
Pick your date while availability is open
Live calendar from our booking partner — most tickets are cancellable free of charge.
The insider entry: arriving before opening
Because the grounds open three hours before the monuments do, you can be inside the walls long before the queue forms. Use it.
- Arrive at 8:15 through the Prašný most entranceThe northern gate by the tram 22 stop Pražský hrad is the fastest security screening in the complex, and at this hour there is effectively no line.
- Walk the courtyards while they are emptyTwenty minutes of photography in the Second and Third Courtyards with nobody in the frame. This alone is worth the early alarm.
- Be at the cathedral door at 8:55You enter the nave with the first handful of visitors, before the acoustics fill with 400 people.
- Do Golden Lane last, not firstMost people enter from the west and reach Golden Lane around 11:00, at maximum density. Coming from the cathedral at 10:00 puts you ahead of that wave.
Closures to watch for
- The Castle Administration can close individual buildings, or the whole complex, for state ceremonies — presidential inaugurations, state visits, national commemorations. These are announced on hrad.cz, usually days rather than weeks ahead.
- St. Vitus Cathedral closes to sightseeing during major religious ceremonies, and the Sunday 12:00 start is permanent, not seasonal.
- The gardens are shut from 1 November to 28 February. Do not plan a winter garden walk.
- The Crown Jewels are not on permanent display. They are shown only on rare, separately announced occasions.
- Temporary exhibitions in the Riding School and Imperial Stables change over between shows, leaving those halls empty for weeks at a time.
Closure notices are published in the archive of closures on hrad.cz. We mirror the official timetable here but we are not the operator — the official site is the authority.
How to get there in time
| Route | Journey |
|---|---|
| Tram 22 to Pražský hrad | About 5 minutes on the flat to the Second Courtyard. From Malostranské náměstí the ride takes roughly 6 minutes. |
| Metro A to Malostranská | Then 100 m to the Old Castle Stairs and a 10-minute climb to the Na Opyši gate. |
| Metro A to Hradčanská | About 12 minutes on foot via Prašný most to the northern entrance. |
| On foot from Old Town Square | 35–45 minutes across Charles Bridge and up through Malá Strana. |
| First trams | Prague's daytime tram network starts around 4:30, so an 8:00 arrival is easy from anywhere in the centre. |
Route options follow the official access guidance on hrad.cz. Tram sections are rebuilt regularly in Prague — verify stop status on the day you travel.
Once you know when to go, the next question is which ticket to hold when you get there. Compare them on our ticket prices page and the circuit ticket guide.
Prague Castle tickets: frequently asked questions
What are Prague Castle's opening hours?
The castle grounds and courtyards are open daily 6:00–22:00 all year round and cost nothing to enter. The historical buildings open 9:00–17:00 from 1 April to 31 October and 9:00–16:00 from 1 November to 31 March, according to the official timetable on hrad.cz.
Is Prague Castle open on Sundays?
Yes, every day of the week. St. Vitus Cathedral is the exception to the standard schedule: it opens to ticketed visitors at 12:00 on Sundays because of morning services, rather than 9:00.
Is Prague Castle open on Mondays?
Yes. Unlike most Prague museums, the castle has no weekly closing day. Monday is often busier than Tuesday to Thursday because visitors shift there from museums that are shut.
What time is the changing of the guard at Prague Castle?
Sentries at the gates change every hour on the hour, 7:00–20:00 in summer and 7:00–18:00 in winter. The full ceremony with a fanfare and flag ceremony takes place daily at 12:00 in the First Courtyard, lasts about 15 minutes and is free to watch.
When is the last entry to Prague Castle?
Last entry to St. Vitus Cathedral is 16:40 in summer and 15:40 in winter. The Great South Tower stops admitting climbers at 17:30 in summer and 16:30 in winter. Other historical buildings admit visitors until closing time, but arriving in the final 20 minutes is not enough for a real visit.
Are the Prague Castle gardens open in winter?
No. The Royal Garden, the Deer Moat and the South Gardens close completely from 1 November to 28 February and reopen in March with 10:00–17:00 hours. The Garden on the Bastion is the exception and stays open 6:00–22:00 all year.
How long does it take to see Prague Castle?
Allow three hours for the Main circuit at a comfortable pace. Add an hour for the permanent exhibitions, 30 minutes for the Great South Tower and another hour for the gardens in summer. A fast highlights loop is possible in 90 minutes if you skip the queues.
Can you walk around Prague Castle for free?
Yes. All four courtyards, the passages between them, the Deer Moat path, the exterior of the cathedral and the changing of the guard are free at any time between 6:00 and 22:00. Only the building interiors require a ticket.