Every route to Prague Castle has its own charm.

Here we'll show you every way to reach Prague Castle, on foot or by public transport, along with the local routes Lucie and I always recommend.

Since we're pretty certain that there isn't a single tourist arriving in Prague who wouldn't want to visit Prague Castle and Saint Vitus Cathedral (which sits inside the complex), we feel it's fair to give you a clear rundown of all the ways you can reach it. Since the castle complex is pretty huge and there are technically three main entry points, choosing the one that makes the most sense can be confusing, especially if you're visiting Prague for the first time.

Because we live in Prague, we visit Prague Castle quite often, simply because it's one of our favorite places in the whole city. What we love most about getting to the city's dominant landmark is that we actually have more than one favorite way to reach it, depending on our mood, the weather, or how much time we have. Sometimes we take Metro Line A, sometimes tram 22, but whenever we can, we just walk, because getting to any of the entrances is incredibly scenic. So here we'll walk you through all the ways to get there, so you can decide which option works best for you. And now we can finally get to the point.

We usually enter Prague Castle from Hradčanské Square.

Our Favorite Ways to Get to Prague Castle

First, there is no right or wrong way to get to Prague Castle, because getting there has to make sense within your day plan. If you're planning to see Charles Bridge and explore Lesser Town before the castle, it doesn't make much sense to finish there and then take a tram to Pohořelec. Similarly, if you're staying in Dejvice, there's really no need to take the metro to Malostranská. In both cases, it simply makes sense to use the entrance closest to where you already are.

These days, the famous Giants' Gate is used as an exit for visitors.

The Prague Castle complex can be entered through three main official entrances, which are the ones most visitors use. We'll also share tips on a couple of more seasonal entrances that tend to be far less crowded. It's completely up to you which one you choose, but as I mentioned a moment ago, in most situations it makes sense to keep things simple. And here's why. We go to Prague Castle a lot, and even though we usually enter from Hradčanské náměstí, it's not a strict rule. What we almost always do, though, is leave the complex through a different exit than the one we came in. And we really recommend you do the same.

So, the main entrance to Prague Castle from Hradčanské Square is actually tucked just to the left of the Giants' Gate.

On a typical visit, we start at Charles Bridge, climb up to Prague Castle via either Nerudova or Thunovská, and then enter from Hradčanské náměstí. But once we're done, we almost never retrace our steps and instead head out another way. If we're in the mood for more walking, we continue to either Petřín Hill or Letná Park. Both parks are beautiful, great for a stroll, and offer amazing views of the city. If we just want to go home afterward, we usually walk down the Old Castle Stairs to Malostranská and take the tram back (there's also a metro station).

As we've already hinted, the most common ways to reach Prague Castle are by tram 22, metro line A, or simply walking. In most cases, at least 5 to 10 minutes of walking is unavoidable anyway, since only the Pražský hrad tram stop is basically right next to an entrance.

Take a Tram to Pražský Hrad

The easiest way to get to Prague Castle is to take tram number 22, which brings you to Hradčany, specifically the Pražský hrad stop. Since this neighborhood sits on top of the hill, just like the castle itself, it means you don't have to walk uphill, and you also get to enjoy one of the most scenic tram routes in Prague, at least if you're taking the tram bound for Bílá Hora.

Pražský hrad is the closest tram stop to the castle complex, basically right next to the entrance.

Once you get off at Pražský hrad, simply cross the street and follow U Prašného mostu Street all the way to the northern entrance. To reach the Second Courtyard, it's a 250‑meter walk on basically flat terrain, so this option is by far the easiest and works well for visitors who aren't in the mood for long walks or have limited mobility.

The walk from the tram to the northern entrance is just a matter of a few minutes.

I have to say that while this option is really popular among tourists, both Lucie and I find it a bit too easy and honestly the least fun, though we have to admit that the first view of Prague Castle from the Powder Bridge is pretty spectacular.

Like I said, the view of Prague Castle from Powder Bridge is really stunning.

Safety tip: Tram number 22 is one of the main routes running through the city center, and chances are high you'll be staying near one of its stops. Even though Prague is a very safe city, keep an eye on your valuables on this tram, because pickpockets know tourists use this line a lot. But back to the topic.

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Get Off the Tram at Pohořelec

Since we're usually departing from the city center, whenever we take tram 22 to Prague Castle, we tend to stay on it a bit longer and get off at the Pohořelec stop instead of Pražský hrad. The reason is simple: we just like the walk from here more, because there's a lot to see along the way. At about 750 meters, it's a slightly longer walk, but since it's mostly downhill, it's still very easy. If you're on the tram bound for Nádraží Hostivař, Pohořelec comes before Pražský hrad, so keep that in mind.

From Pohořelec, it's an easy, mostly downhill, 10‑minute walk to Prague Castle.

Once you get off the tram, it's a very straightforward walk toward Prague Castle via Loretánská Street. It's a pleasant route, lined with old houses and picturesque arcades, and without stopping, you'll reach the castle entrance in under 10 minutes. But along the way, you can also see Černín Palace, a large baroque building that houses the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Loreta, a pilgrimage site with a famous chime in its clock tower.

Loretánská Street, the one that takes you to Hradčanské Square, is actually really charming.

So chances are you'll spend more time here. And before you even reach the entrance, you'll probably want to explore Hradčanské Square as well, since it's lined with several notable historical buildings. But as locals, we can tell you that the most direct route from Pohořelec to Prague Castle isn't actually the one we take.

Hradčanské Square is worth exploring on its own.

Whenever we're here, we never skip the chance to walk through the Strahov Monastery. It means walking a bit back to its main gate (GPS coordinates: 50.08661, 14.38755), but it's absolutely worth it. The monastery, with its Baroque church, stunning library, hotel (actually quite a nice one), and a pub serving beer from its own microbrewery, is an attraction on its own, so make sure to explore it if you have the time. Once you exit the monastery, you'll find an incredible viewpoint of Lesser Town and Prague Castle, which is another reason we love this route so much.

This is the main gate and the entrance to Strahov Monastery.

From there, we walk to Úvoz and either head slightly back uphill to Loretánské Square to see Černín Palace and Loreta, or continue straight. After exploring the square, we follow Loretánská Street, which leads directly to Prague Castle. A slightly more fun way to get from Úvoz to Loretánská Street is through a super‑narrow staircase street (GPS coordinates: 50.08807, 14.39304).

Walk to the Prague Castle from Petřín

When spring brings all the greenery back into the city, we always visit Petřín Hill, because this huge park is just gorgeous during that time. And from there, it's only a short walk to Prague Castle. Over the years, this has become one of the little traditions that we try to keep (unless we're somewhere abroad or on a long‑term trip). And if you come to Prague around this time too, we can only recommend getting to the castle this way.

We simply love the walk from Petřín to Prague Castle, especially in spring.

If you're hooked, the first thing you need to do is get to Újezd. For those staying in Lesser Town, which has some really nice hotels like Old Armory or Mandarin Oriental, it's only a short walk. Since we live much farther away, we usually just take a tram to Újezd, and of course, one of the lines that serves this stop is number 22.

From Újezd, we usually walk to the top of Petřín Hill because we find it more rewarding. We love the views along the way, and we never say no to a bit of exercise. Some sections are steeper, but getting to the top isn't as difficult as some people claim. With that said, as a tourist, you'll probably be tempted to take the Petřín funicular instead, and we can't blame you, because it's a very popular attraction.

Taking the funicular up to Petřín Hill is definitely the easier option.

Once you reach the top, we recommend exploring the park before heading to Prague Castle. There's the Memorial to the Victims of Communism (the statues are right next to the tram stop), the Hunger Wall (built during the reign of Charles IV), a Mirror Maze (we'd skip that one), Petřín Tower (a Czech version of the Eiffel Tower with great views), and lots of walking paths.

Petřín Tower is an interesting stop before you head over to Prague Castle.

When you're done, you can continue toward Prague Castle. When facing the Petřín Tower entrance, turn left and follow the unpaved path that leads to Strahovské nádvoří Street. At this point, you should already see the red signs pointing to Prague Castle (Pražský hrad), which is helpful if you're unsure about the direction.

Before you reach Pohořelec, you'll have the chance to explore the lovely Strahov Monastery, which we already talked about earlier. Once you're here, you know the way: continue to Loretánské Square and then along Loretánská Street until you arrive at Hradčanské Square. Sometimes we follow the path with the Stations of the Cross instead, because it leads to Raoul Wallenberg Promenade, which has incredible views of Prague and, of course, the castle.

From Strahov Monastery, it's less than a 10‑minute walk to Prague Castle.

If you're walking from Újezd all the way to Prague Castle via Petřín Hill like we like to do, the whole walk is just under three kilometers. If you make things easier for yourself and take the funicular, it's about 1.5 kilometers. And by the way, if you're standing by Petřín Tower and set your navigation to Prague Castle, it will probably try to take you through Valašská Street (you'll end up in Nerudova Street). While that route is shorter and quite okay, we still recommend the one we described, because it's much more scenic.

Head Up to Prague Castle Using the Old Castle Stairs

Walking up the Old Castle Stairs is another great way to reach Prague Castle, especially since the entry point is only about 150 meters from Malostranská, which is served by both the tram (yes, it's also line 22) and the Metro A Line (Green). We use the Old Castle Stairs mostly when we want to leave the complex, since we can hop on the tram and go home, but going the other way works great too.

From Malostranská, it's roughly a 10–15 minute uphill walk to Prague Castle.

The 250‑meter uphill walk from the beginning of the stairs to Na Opyši, where the entrance to Prague Castle is through the Black Tower and a stunning viewpoint, isn't very difficult, but it does include steps, so it's not ideal for families with strollers or wheelchair users. It's possible to bypass the steps by taking Na Opyši Street instead. That route is slightly longer, it's cobblestone, has some traffic, and obviously isn't as scenic as walking the Old Castle Stairs, but at least you can still reach the Black Tower from Malostranská.

The eastern entrance to Prague Castle is through the Gate of the Black Tower.

Once you get off the tram at Malostranská, follow Klárov Street north as it turns into Pod Bruskou Street. After a very short walk, just past the small Holubička Park, there's a fairly inconspicuous alley that leads to the start of the Old Castle Stairs. The turnoff is impossible to miss, because there are always tourists heading in both directions to the Prague Castle. At the foot of the stairs are a couple of walk‑up windows selling overpriced food like trdelník and spiral potatoes, and we recommend avoiding these tourist traps.

The Old Castle Stairs are beautiful after dark and usually much less crowded.

Once you start making your way up, you might, besides the constant flow of tourists, encounter a few buskers who add some atmosphere to the area. Overall, the stairs aren't very wide and often get crowded, especially in summer. You might catch a glimpse of views over the wall, but it's worth waiting until you reach the castle entrance, because the views from there are significantly better.

The view of Lesser Town right before you walk through the Black Tower Gate is amazing.

Once you pass through the Black Tower, you can start exploring the complex by visiting the Golden Lane (where you can buy tickets if you haven't done so online) or the Rosenberg or Lobkowicz Palaces.

Walk the Royal Route to Prague Castle

Easily the most beautiful way to get to Prague Castle is by walking the Royal Route via Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Malostranské náměstí, and Nerudova Street. You can join this route at any point, but we really like doing the whole thing whenever we can, which means starting at Powder Gate, where it actually begins. Walking the full 2.5‑kilometer ceremonial path that Czech rulers followed before their coronation is not only fitting but also the most scenic way to reach Prague Castle.

The Royal Route that leads up to Prague Castle begins at the Powder Gate.

Since this walk is gorgeous and takes you across Charles Bridge, it's also the most popular option, so we recommend going early in the morning before other tourists fill the streets. Prague is very touristy these days, and you can't expect to have the famous spots to yourself, but getting up early definitely helps. The whole complex opens at 6 AM, while museums, exhibitions, Golden Lane, and St. Vitus Cathedral open at 9 AM.

Walking the Royal Route is a fitting way to make your way up to Prague Castle.

Along the way, you can take your time exploring Prague's Old Town (don't miss the Jewish Quarter or the Astronomical Clock), enjoy a slow walk across Charles Bridge, and then climb to Prague Castle at your own pace. All these places are must‑sees, so expect this to take a while, especially the Old Town, which also includes the Jewish Quarter and tons of other interesting sights.

If we're not in the mood to walk the whole stretch from Peace Square, which is easy to reach by tram or the Metro B Line (Yellow), we start at the eastern side of Charles Bridge. When we don't feel like navigating the historic center, we simply take the tram or Metro B Line (Green) to Staroměstská, which is about 300 meters north of the bridge. This is the best compromise, since you still get to walk across Charles Bridge without spending too much time in the Old Town (which honestly deserves a full day).

Staroměstská has both a tram stop and a metro station, so it's a great place to start if you're heading toward the castle.

From Staroměstská, we usually avoid the first part of Křižovnická, since it's not very scenic, and instead take a super short detour to Alšovo nábřeží, which has amazing views of Prague Castle and the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel. Since this is the first moment you can see it, from here on, you know exactly where you're heading. We then take Platnéřská back to Křižovnická and continue to Křižovnické Square, the entry point to Charles Bridge. It's impossible to miss because of the crowds and the stunning Gothic Old Town Bridge Tower.

From Křižovnické Square, head through the Old Town Bridge Tower onto Charles Bridge.

No matter how many times we've been there, walking across the Charles Bridge is an amazing experience. It is one of the top attractions not only in Prague but in Europe, so enjoy the views of the Vltava River, Prague Castle rising in the background, the Baroque statues of saints and patrons, and the stone bridge itself. Once you reach the end and pass through the Lesser Town Bridge Tower, continue straight along Mostecká, and in about 200 meters, you'll reach Malostranské Square.

Malostranské Square is dominated by the stunning St. Nicholas Church.

Before continuing, you can step inside St. Nicholas Church, a beautiful Baroque church with impressive frescoes. Malostranské Square can also be reached by tram 22 (or bus), the same one we've mentioned several times already. From Malostranské náměstí, continue to Nerudova Street and start walking uphill until you reach Ke Hradu Street.

The walk through Nerudova Street is entirely uphill.

Here you'll make a big U‑turn, and in a minute or two you'll appear on Hradčanské Square right in front of the castle. Sometimes, instead of taking Nerudova, we turn onto Zámecká Street and then left onto Thunovská Street, a charming street with the New Castle Stairs (Nové Zámecké schody). It doesn't matter which route you choose, because both streets meet at the same spot on Hradčanské Square, right in front of the castle.

The New Castle Stairs are, just like the old ones, way less crowded at night,.

Taking a Guided Tour to Prague Castle

I know I said earlier that the easiest way to reach Prague Castle is by taking the tram to Pražský hrad, but this option still requires a bit of planning on your side, figuring out which entrance to use or learning how public transport works in the capital, since you'll still be on your own. There is obviously an even easier option, and that's simply taking a guided tour. Many of these tours start in the historic center, and since chances are you'll already be staying there, the only thing you need to do is walk to the meeting point. In the case of this Prague Castle tour, for example, that's Křižovnické Square.

If you take a tour, you can leave the part about how you reach Prague Castle to your guide.

Of course, there are tons of other tours. Some start at Old Town Square, like this one, and if you don't want to join a group, you can choose a private tour, which often lets you pick where you want to be picked up. If you're a fan of hop‑on hop‑off tours, the drop‑off point is on Mariánské hradby Street, right by the Pražský hrad tram stop. We prefer exploring Prague Castle on our own, since we're locals who have been there countless times, but for first‑timers, taking a tour can be a great idea.

Walking to the Prague Castle through the Royal Garden from Letná

If we don't feel like dealing with crowds, we like to enter the Prague Castle complex through one of its seasonal entrances. I should clarify that these entry points lead into the castle gardens, but to reach the courtyards (to see the cathedral, museums, Old Royal Palace, and so on), you will still eventually need to use the official entrance by the Powder Bridge.

This gate from the Royal Garden leads straight out onto Powder Bridge.

The same applies to the entrances to the Royal Garden and the Stag Moat, which I'll talk about right after this one. The other downside is the seasonal opening times and the fact that they're closed in winter (or in poor weather in the case of the Stag Moat).

So, from April to October, the walk to Prague Castle from Letná Park is another one of our favorites. Once at Letná Park, easily reached by tram at either Čechův most or Korunovační, or simply by walking from the Old Town across Čechův most, we head toward its western end by Villa Kramář (the official residence of the Prime Minister).

The footbridge from Letná to Chotkovy sady connects the park with the Royal Garden area.

Here, we cross Chotkova Street using a pedestrian footbridge that brings us into Chotek Gardens. From there, it's only a short walk to the Royal Garden, which has an entrance by Queen Anne's Summer Palace in the northeast part of the Prague Castle complex.

The gate to the Royal Garden isn't open all year.

Using the Secret Entrances of Stag Moat

The other seasonal entrances to the Prague Castle complex are through either the western or eastern gates of the Stag Moat, which is a natural ravine below the castle that was once used as a game preserve. These are entry points that very few tourists (and not even many locals) know about, but there's a reason for that. They have seasonal opening times, but most importantly, they're simply not as scenic as the rest.

The western gate to the Stag Moat is right next to the big sign.

The western gate is on Brusnice Street (GPS coordinates: 50.09100, 14.39293), while the eastern one is on Chotkova Street (GPS coordinates: 50.09274, 14.40822). Brusnice has a tram stop on line 22, located between Pražský hrad and Pohořelec. And Chotkova is just a short walk from Malostranská, which you can reach by several tram lines (including tram 22, of course) or by the Metro A Line (Green).

I have to say that these entry points do have a bit of an adventurous feel and work well if you want to get off the beaten path, but at the same time, I admit that we rarely use them ourselves. And if we were first‑timers, we'd probably skip them, since they're simply not as scenic as the others. Sure, you won't meet crowds here, but in this case, I don't think the trade‑off is worth it.

Travel Resources

Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.

Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.

Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.

We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.

Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.

Get Around: Buses and trains are an affordable way to get around the Czech Republic. Regiojet offers clean and modern buses and trains with all the amenities.

Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.

Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.

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