Charles Bridge to Prague Castle: walk or tram

How far is Prague Castle from Charles Bridge?

About a kilometre from the Lesser Town end, or 25 to 30 minutes on foot uphill. Add ten minutes to cross the bridge from the Old Town.

The walk is short but steep in its second half. Mostecká, from the bridge to Malostranské náměstí, is flat. Nerudova climbs steadily, and the final ramp, Ke Hradu, is the steepest bit. Nobody fit will struggle; with small children or a bad knee, take the tram up and walk down.

Our recommendation, and the reason this page exists: walk down, not up. Take tram 22 up to Pražský hrad or Pohořelec, see the castle, then walk down Nerudova or the Old Castle Stairs, and finish on Charles Bridge in the late afternoon light. It is the same route, downhill, with the bridge as the reward at the end.

What is the walking route from Charles Bridge to the castle?

Mostecká, Malostranské náměstí, Nerudova, then the Ke Hradu ramp to Hradčanské náměstí and the castle gate.

1. Through the Lesser Town Bridge Towers. Leave the bridge under the gate between the two towers and walk straight up Mostecká, the old bridge street, lined with Baroque houses.

2. Malostranské náměstí. The square is dominated by the Church of St Nicholas, the green dome you saw from the bridge. Tram 22 stops here, and the New Castle Stairs start a short walk away along Thunovská.

3. Nerudova. Turn up Nerudova, named after the 19th-century writer Jan Neruda, who lived here. This was the last stretch of the coronation route. Look up at the house signs that served as addresses before street numbers: two suns, a golden key, three fiddles, a golden horseshoe. Embassies now fill several of the palaces.

4. Ke Hradu and Hradčanské náměstí. Where Nerudova bends, take the steep ramp to the right. At the top you come out on Hradčanské náměstí with a view back over the city, and the castle's main gate, the Gate of the Giants, in front of you. Expect a random security check at the entrances.

The guards change at the gates every hour from 9:00 to 18:00, at the Gate of the Giants and the Powder Bridge gate, with the big ceremony at noon in the First Courtyard. Watching is free.

How do you take the tram from Charles Bridge to the castle?

Walk to Malostranské náměstí and take tram 22 uphill to Pražský hrad, or on to Pohořelec. Buy a 30-minute ticket first.

Tram 22 is the castle tram. From the bridge, walk up Mostecká to the Malostranské náměstí stop and ride uphill. The castle administration recommends three stops: Královský letohrádek for the Royal Garden (summer only), Pražský hrad for the Second Courtyard, about five minutes on foot after turning left, and Pohořelec, ten minutes downhill to Hradčanské náměstí. From Pohořelec the whole visit is downhill, which is why we like it.

From the Old Town end you can also take a tram to Malostranská and change to the 22, or walk the bridge first, which is the whole point of being here. Paper tickets from machines and the PID Lítačka app tickets are valid on every tram, bus and metro line. Validate a paper ticket when you board.

What does Prague Castle cost, and when is it open?

The grounds are free from 6:00 to 22:00. The Basic Tour of the main buildings costs 450 CZK for adults, valid two days.

You can walk through the courtyards, past St Vitus Cathedral and down to the gardens without a ticket. To go into the buildings you need the Basic Tour ticket: the Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica, St Vitus Cathedral, and Golden Lane with the Daliborka tower. It is valid for two days, and each building can be entered once. Buy it at the information centres in the Second and Third Courtyards, or in advance through Ticketportal.

The buildings open at 9:00 and close at 17:00 from April to October and at 16:00 from November to March. That is why the bridge at sunrise and the castle at 9:00 make the best pair: you beat the crowds at both.

Is a guided castle tour from Charles Bridge worth it?

Yes for the castle, which makes little sense without stories. Check whether entry is included before you compare prices.

Two tours pair the bridge with the castle, and they work differently. The Prague Castle and Castle District tour ($28, 2 hours, 4.6 from 807 reviews on GetYourGuide) meets at Křižovnické náměstí, at the Old Town end of the bridge, and takes the tram up with a tram ticket included. Castle entry is included only if you choose that option. Julia, October 2026: “The tour was great! Ross was fantastic - very informative, very clear and also funny!”

One guest's experience is worth knowing. Gustavo wrote in October 2026 that time ran out before the castle interiors: the guide “simply handed us our admission tickets and left us at the entrance to the Castle”. Treat it as a guided walk up and around the grounds, with the interiors on your own.

The afternoon castle and Charles Bridge walking tour by Explore Prague ($50 on Viator, 3 to 3.5 hours, 4.8 from 2,441 reviews) starts on Old Town Square and includes castle entry: St Vitus, the Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane. It ends on Charles Bridge. Laura R, October 2026: “Lots of walking and stairs for those that need to know. Very educational history about Prague.”

Old Town Square, Prague Castle with entry included, then down through the Lesser Town to finish on Charles Bridge.

★ 4.8 · 3 to 3.5 hours · from $50

Check dates → Tour details

How do you plan a morning from the bridge to the castle?

Sunrise on the bridge, breakfast in the Lesser Town, the castle buildings at 9:00, and the walk down after lunch.

This plan beats the crowds at both ends, because the bridge fills from about 10:00 and the castle queues build through the morning. In winter shift it later: sunrise is near 8:00, and the castle buildings close at 16:00.

Prefer wheels? The e-trike tour of the castle viewpoints leaves from Maltese Square in the Lesser Town and covers the viewpoints and the bridge in one to two hours, without the climb. It is rated 4.9 from 335 reviews. For the half-price first hour at the bridge towers, see the tower tickets guide.

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