“Being in Prague feels like you are in a fairy tale, except for one key difference – the city of Prague is for real.”
Since no fairy tale is complete without a castle, Prague has its own – the world’s oldest castle, aptly named The Prague Castle.
Prague Castle, which was built in 880 AD, is locally also referred to as Pražský Hrad.
It is a Guinness World Record-holder as the largest ancient castle in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This article covers everything you must know about booking tickets to Prague Castle.
Top Prague Castle Tickets
# Skip The Line Prague Castle Tickets
# Skip The Line tickets + Mobile Guide + Orientation
# 2.5-hour guided tour of Prague Castle
Table of contents
- What to expect at Prague Castle
- Where to book tickets
- How do online tickets work
- Skip the Line Prague Castle tickets
- Lobkowicz Palace entry tickets
- Prague City Tour with Astronomical Clock admission
- Best time to visit Prague Castle
- How long does Prague Castle take
- Where is Prague Castle?
- How to get to Prague Castle
- Prague Castle hours
- Prague Castle free entry
- What’s inside Prague Castle?
- Prague Castle map
- Understanding Circuits in Prague Castle
- Prague Castle guides
- Photography in Prague Castle
What to expect at Prague Castle
Wander through centuries-old courtyards, embracing breathtaking views of the Vltava River from atop a hill.
Gothic spires, Baroque wonders, and tales of Bohemian kings await to transport you to Prague’s historic charm.
Stroll through the iconic Golden Lane, a fairytale alley frozen in time.
Stand in awe of St. Vitus Cathedral’s sublime beauty.
Here are a few different ticket options and tours for you to pick from to explore the Prague Castle:
If money isn’t an issue, but you want to create beautiful memories, check out the Best of Prague: 5-Hours Private Guided Tour.
Where to book tickets
Tickets for Prague Castle are available online and at the attraction.
Online ticket prices tend to be cheaper than tickets at the attraction.
When you buy online, you can avoid the long queues at the ticket counters and book your preferred time of visit in advance.
Because Prague Castle is a very popular attraction and guided tours fill out quickly, booking early helps avoid last-minute disappointments.
How do online tickets work
Visit the booking page for Prague Castle, select your travel date and the number of tickets, and make the booking.
Once you complete the booking process, the tickets will be mailed to you.
You do not need to carry printouts.
Show the e-ticket on your smartphone at the entrance and walk in. Carry a valid ID.
Prague Castle Tickets
For the Prague Castle: Skip The Line Ticket, an adult ticket for all ages 17 and above costs €18.
Children between the ages of six and 16 can gain access at €8, while kids under six are only charged €4.
For the Tickets for Prague Castle: Entry + Mobile Guide & 15-Minute Orientation, an adult ticket for all ages 16 and above costs €22.
Children between the ages of five and 15 can gain access at €9, while kids under five are only charged €4.
For the Tickets for Prague Castle: 2.5-hr Guided Tour, an adult ticket for all ages 16 and above costs €35.
Kids under 16 are charged €20 for entry.
For Prague Castle: 1-Hour Guided Tour + Fast Track, an adult ticket for all ages 16 and above costs €21.
Children between the ages of six and 15 can gain access at €15, while kids under six are not charged anything.
For Prague Castle: 1-Hour Guided Tour + Fast Track, the entry ticket is priced at €40 for all ages.
For Lobkowicz Palace and Prague Castle Entrance Tickets, the entry ticket is priced at €20 for all ages 16 and above.
Kids under 16, seniors above 60, and students with ID aged between 16 and 26 can buy discounted tickets at just €12.
Discounts available at the Castle
On presentation of valid ID at Prague Castle’s ticketing booth, secondary school students, university students (aged from 17 to 26), and senior citizens aged 66 and above can also get discounts.
Note: Buying the Prague Castle tickets online will help you save money and time (because you won’t have to wait in the long ticketing counter lines).
Prague Castle Tickets
There are a number of Prague Castle Tours with varying prices, itineraries, and duration. Sift through the following to pick your favorite:
Skip the Line Prague Castle tickets
With these tickets, you don’t have to wait in line at the Castle’s ticketing counter.
This Circuit ‘B’ ticket covers all the best attractions inside Prague Castle.
The route covers the castle interiors, the Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, the Golden Lane, and the stunning stained glass windows of St. Vitus Cathedral.
Admission to the Charles Bridge Museum is included in the tickets.
On the ticket booking page, you can choose from four time slots – 10.30 am, 11.30 am, 1.05 pm, 2 pm.
A small introduction will be given to you about the tour before you start.
You will access the cathedral from the side entrance, skipping the major queues.
This ticket does not allow you to skip the security check line.
Ticket Prices
Adult ticket (17+ years): €18
Youth ticket (6 to 16 years): €8
Child ticket (up to 5 years): €4
Tickets for Prague Castle: Entry + Mobile Guide & 15-Minute Orientation
With tickets to this tour, you will get access to all attractions inside the Prague Castle Complex, a 15-minute introduction, and a mobile virtual guide on your phone.
The mobile ticket voucher will have to be exchanged for the Castle ticket once you meet your guide.
This ticket grants admission to St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, and Golden Lane.
You will go through the main entrance.
Ticket Prices
Adult ticket (16+ years): €22
Youth ticket (5 to 15 years): €8
Child ticket (up to 4 years): €4
Tickets for Prague Castle: 2.5-Hr Guided Tour
This is a 2.5-hour guided tour in which a local expert takes the lead.
Your guided tour of Prague Castle starts from a convenient location outside the Palace.
The guide will meet you near the Charles Bridge, where they will give you a short overview of the history of the castle looming over the capital city.
Then, the guide leads you across the bridge to Lesser Town Square, from where you hop on a tram to Prague Castle.
As you explore the Old Castle, Vladislav Hall, St. George’s Basilica, St. Vitus Cathedral, etc., your local guide provides all the stories of princes, kings, and emperors.
This tour is available in English, German, Italian, French, Russian and Spanish.
Tram tickets are also included in the package.
Ticket Prices
Adult ticket (16+ years): €35
Child ticket (up to 15 years): €20
Lobkowicz Palace entry tickets
These tickets guarantee entrance to the Lobkowicz Palace and also allow you to see other highlights of the Prague Castle complex, such as St. Vitus Cathedral, Golden Lane, Old Royal Palace, and St. George’s Basilica.
Learn about the Lobkowicz family’s art collection, porcelain, military equipment, and musical instruments in Central Europe.
With this entry ticket, you also get a 10% discount at Lobkowicz Palace Cafe and can attend the midday concert.
Your audio guide will be narrated by the members of the Lobkowicz family.
Pets, smoking, luggage, and large bags are prohibited at Lobkowicz Palace in Prague Castle.
Meeting Point: Meet the tour guide at the entry point of Lobkowicz Palace Prague.
Ticket Prices
Adult Ticket (16 to 59 years): €20
Youth Ticket (7 to 15 years): €12
Student Ticket (16 to 26 years with valid ID): €12
Child Ticket (up to 6 years): €12
Senior Ticket (60+ years): €12
Infants under six years are not charged anything.
Prague City Tour with Astronomical Clock admission
This tour is perfect for people who want to learn more about the history of Czech and Prague.
Visit the Gothic-style Astronomical Clock Tower and admire panoramic views of Prague.
Take a 3-hour guided walking tour from Old Town Square to New Town.
The tour is offered in five languages- Spanish, English, French, German, and Italian.
Ticket Price
Adult Ticket (15+ years): €45
Child Ticket (up to 14 years): €30
Best time to visit Prague Castle
The best time to visit Prague Castle is as soon as it opens at 9 am.
From 10 am, the crowd starts pouring in and reaches its peak around 1 pm. By 3 pm, the lines at the Prague Castle shorten again.
If you can’t make it to the Castle by 9 am, the next best time to visit is after 3 pm.
A hidden perk of arriving at the Castle after the peak time is over is that you can visit the Golden Lane for free.
That is, after 5 pm in summer and 4 pm in winter, you don’t need an entry ticket to explore the Golden Lane.
Golden Lane is a street inside the Castle, consisting of tiny houses painted in bright colors.
Like any other tourist attraction, Prague Castle sees the biggest crowd during weekends.
How long does Prague Castle take
An ideal tour of the Prague Castle Complex, where you explore the historical buildings, the cathedrals, the exhibitions, and stroll in the gardens, will take you at least five hours.
If you are not travelling with kids or seniors and want to explore everything on offer in Prague Castle quickly, three hours should be enough.
Prague Castle’s audio guide is 3 hours long.
Many tourists believe that “you can stay a whole day and still not see everything at Prague Castle.”
Prague Castle entry tickets don’t have a time limit. Once inside, you can spend as much time exploring the Castle as you want.
Where is Prague Castle?
Prague Castle is one of the most significant monuments in the Czech Republic.
The famous Castle, which also doubles up as the house of the current Czech President, is located in the Hradčany district (also known as the Castle district).
Standing on top of a hill overlooking Lesser Town, on the left bank of river Vltava, the Castle is Czech’s most significant historical and cultural treasure.
How to get to Prague Castle
Since it is a significant tourist draw, Prague Castle is well connected to every corner.
One can easily reach Prague Castle on foot, by tram, or by metro.
By Bus
You can take bus number 194 to Valdštejnské náměstí or Malostranské náměstí. Both are nearly 10 minutes walk away from the attraction.
By Metro
A brisk eight-minute walk from Metro station Malostranská (Line A) can get you to Prague Castle.
If you are roaming around in the Lesser Town Square, you can find your way to Prague Castle via Nerudova Street.
Although this walk is a bit steep, the views are worth every moment.
At the end of your small trek, you will be in front of the Prague Castle gates.
By Tram
Tram no. 22 will take you up the hill to the tram stop called ‘Pražský Hrad’.
Once you get down, turn left and start walking. In 5 minutes, you will reach the 2nd Courtyard of Prague Castle.
You can board the tram at any station of your preference.
However, Národní Třída Metro stop (in front of the National Theater – Národní Divadlo) and Malostranská Station are the most convenient boarding points.
By Car
If you want to avoid walking or the crowd of public transportation, we recommend hiring a taxi or renting a car.
Taxis can go up to the gates of the Castle.
You can use Google Maps to navigate to the castle.
Several parking spots in the vicinity can be found here.
Prague Castle hours
Prague Castle opens at 6 am and closes at 10 pm all through the year.
However, the historical buildings in Prague Castle follow their timings – in the summer months (Apr to Oct), they are open from 9 am to 5 pm, and in winter (Nov to Mar), from 9 am to 4 pm.
Wondering what the historical buildings at Prague Castle are?
1. Old Royal Palace
2. The exhibition “The Story of Prague Castle”
3. St. George Basilica
4. Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower
5. Prague Castle Picture Gallery
6. Powder Tower
7. Rosenberg Palace
And since you don’t want to miss out on these historical buildings, you must visit Prague Castle according to their timings.
Prague Castle free entry
Entry to Prague Castle is free.
Without buying any tickets, you can roam around in the castle corridors and the gardens.
However, there are many impressive buildings, exhibitions, etc., which you can’t access without entry tickets.
Here is the list –
1. St. Vitus Cathedral
2. Old Royal Palace
3. The exhibition “The Story of Prague Castle”
4. St. George’s Basilica
5. Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower
6. Rosenberg Palace
7. Prague Castle Picture Gallery
8. Great South Tower with a View Gallery
If you are NOT on a budget holiday in Prague, we recommend you buy the Prague Castle tickets online and explore it to the fullest.
Free entry to ‘qualified’ tourists
Tourists who fulfill specific criteria can enter Prague Castle for free. They are –
1. Kids six years and below
2. Nursery school group and their teacher
4. Differently-abled tourists with a valid disability card
3. EU licensed tour guides with clients holding purchased tickets
What’s inside Prague Castle?
The Prague Castle complex dominates the city’s skyline and offers many attractions and sights within.
1. Prague Castle church
There are two Cathedrals inside Prague Castle – St. Vitus Cathedral and St. George’s Basilica.
These are the oldest of the churches in the Czech Republic.
St. Vitus Cathedral
The St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest and the most important church in Prague.
The Cathedral stands in the centre of the Castle, with its oldest parts dating back to the 14th century.
Tourists who have visited this cathedral have marvelled at the intricate stained glass making up the windows.
St. George’s Basilica
It is the second oldest church in the Castle, founded around 920 by Prince Vratislav I.
The Cathedral features a beautiful and colourful Baroque facade.
The facade dates from the 17th century and is dedicated to Ludmila of Bohemia.
The building is now home to a 19th-century Bohemia Art collection and also serves as a concert hall.
2. Prague Castle Gardens
The castle garden was commissioned by Habsburg Ferdinand I and founded in 1534.
Apart from the rare botanical specimens and exotic plants, the garden also has a few buildings built to entertain the Royals who stayed here.
While in the garden, you can spot the Ball Game Hall, the Royal Summer Palace, etc.
3. Golden Lane
Golden Lane is a street with small, colourful houses.
This street gets its name because it is believed that Goldsmiths (and alchemists) lived on it. Today, these houses are mostly souvenir shops.
Among these houses, one of them is more popular than the rest – House No. 22 – for this is where writer Franz Kafka is known to have stayed.
He lived in House No 22 with his sister Ottla from 1916 to 17.
It is believed Franz Kafka got his inspiration to write his book titled ‘The Castle’ while living in Golden Lane, inside Prague Castle.
4. Rosenberg Palace
The Rosenberg Palace is situated on Jirska Street inside Prague Castle.
This Renaissance Palace was used as a residence for unmarried noblewomen.
The palace is small yet adequately restored and maintained.
5. Change of Guard
Presidential Guards stand at all three entrances of the Prague Castle, and every hour, they change without much of a show.
However, every day at noon, the first courtyard of Prague Castle sees the ceremonial Change of Guard.
If you can arrive at the courtyard by 11.40 am, you can get a vantage position for the best view.
Note: To see the change of guard, you don’t need to buy any tickets.
6. Prague Castle Moat
If you are visiting Prague Castle in the summer months, don’t miss out on the moat.
Once you have seen the manicured gardens, get to the Upper Moat via the entrance to the royal gardens.
If you love walking, this is a great way to enjoy nature.
From Prague Castle’s Upper Moat, you will find trails that will take you to the Lower Moat.
7. Vladislav Hall
Vladislav Hall is one of the most magnificent structures within Prague Castle.
It was built between 1493 and 1502 and today is used for large public gatherings such as coronations, banquets, and other conferences.
The most striking feature of the hall is its ceiling, making it the largest secular vaulted room in Europe.
The Gothic ribbed vaulting of the roof holds the ceiling spanning over fifty feet.
8. Powder Tower
The Powder Tower dates back to the 15th century and served as one of the main entrances to the walled city of Prague.
This Gothic gate originally separated the Old Town from the New Town.
When it was built, it was called the ‘New Tower.’
However, since it was used to store gunpowder, it got the nickname ‘Powder Tower’ with time.
9. The Story of Prague Castle
This fantastic exhibit illustrating the history of Prague Castle is a must-see while visiting the Old Royal Palace.
The exhibit also displays the extensive and vibrant history of Prague and Czech.
Primary displays include the displays and artefacts related to Czech crown jewels and the treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral.
Prague Castle map
Stretching over 750,000 square feet, the Prague Castle is a vast and magnificent structure.
While trying to absorb this true beauty, one can quickly lose track of time and way.
List of Buildings
I – Old Royal Palace
II – The Story of the Prague Castle
III – St. George’s Basilica
IV – The Treasury of St. Vitus Cathedral
V – Golden Lane
VI – The Picture Gallery at Prague Castle
VIII – St. Vitus Cathedral
IX – Rosenberg Palace
X – Great South Tower of the Cathedral
Gardens in Prague Castle
1 – Royal Garden
2 – The South Gardens (closed in 2019)
3 – Stag Moat (closed in 2019)
Carrying a map of the Castle will not only save you from getting lost but will help you find the tourist attractions faster.
Recommendation: Since Prague Castle is enormous, touring it with a local expert makes a lot of sense. Check out this guided tour of the Castle.
Understanding Circuits in Prague Castle
Once you decide to buy Prague Castle tickets, the first question that gets asked is, “Which Prague Castle ticket should one buy?”
Most tourists get confused because there are three types of tickets –
1. Circuit ‘A’ tickets
2. Circuit ‘B’ tickets
3. Circuit ‘C’ tickets
Prague Castle complex is so big that its organizers have taken two steps to make it easy for tourists:
1. They have increased the validity of the tickets for two days. Yes, that’s right. So you can bring the same ticket the next day and explore the Castle for one more day.
2. The organizers have divided the points of interest in the Prague Castle complex into 3 different circuits, making it easier for visitors to decide what they want to see.
Before we come up with our recommendation on which circuit ticket you must buy, let’s first understand what each of these circuits means.
Circuit A of Prague Castle
A Circuit A ticket gives you access to all the historical buildings inside Prague Castle.
The buildings are St. Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, the Exhibition “The Story of Prague Castle”, St. George’s Basilica, Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower, and Rosenberg Palace.
Circuit B of Prague Castle
Circuit B ticket includes entry to St. Vitus Cathedral, The Old Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica, and Golden Lane with Daliborka Tower.
The only building missing in this Circuit is the Rosenberg Palace.
Circuit C of Prague Castle
With a Circuit C ticket in your hand, you can enjoy “The Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral” Exhibition and the Prague Castle Picture Gallery.
Yes, that’s about it.
Which is the better Circuit at Prague Castle?
With three different types of tickets to choose from, it is natural to get confused.
Tourists who have been to Prague Castle say that the Circuit B tickets are the best – they cover the most important historical buildings.
Check out tourists who provide their reasons on TripAdvisor and Ricksteves.com.
Circuit A & Circut C tickets are costlier than Circuit B tickets, which also works in the latter’s favor.
Prague Castle guides
If you are looking for a guide to help you explore Prague Castle better, you have two options.
Human guides
Professional tour guides in the following languages – Czech, English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian – are available.
A standard one-hour tour takes you to the St. Vitus Cathedral and The Old Royal Palace. You can arrange for both a personal or group trip.
If you want the Prague Castle guide in the Czech language, it will cost you 50 CZK/ hour/person.
Foreign language guides charge you double that. Find out More.
Audio Guide
You can also opt for an Audio Guide to explore the Castle.
They cover 95 points of interest within the Prague Castle complex, and this AudioGuide tour lasts 3 hours.
Hiring the Audio Guide for three hours will cost you 350 CZK per device. If you want it for the entire day, you will have to shell out 450 CZK per device.
Photography in Prague Castle
While you can take photographs in Prague Castle, not all areas allow for free photography.
To take photos of the building’s interiors, you need to buy a Photography license.
If you carry a camera and love taking pictures, this is a small and quick investment in creating memories.
If you decide not to buy a Prague Castle photo license, keep an eye out for markings where you can take free photographs and where you can’t.
Sources
# Wikipedia.org
# Hrad.cz
# Britannica.com
# Praguecastletickets.com
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