BillT

Can one visit the St. Vitus Cathedral free (no ticket required)? What about the other buildings?

Also- for restaurants in Prague is service included on the tab? What is the percentage of tax added to the tab as well?

Thanks

BigRuss

http://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle/.../tickets.shtml

Taxes are usually part of the food prices. If there is a service charge, it should be listed separately. You realize you don't tip like you're at an American restaurant, right?

adrienne

The church is free but there are long lines to get in. Go first thing in the morning to avoid the lines. I was there when they first opened and within the hour the lines were very long.

Pepper_von_snoot

Just remember to ask for Pancaky!!!! when you visit a restaurant in Prague.

Thin, author of >The Pancaky Papers: Thingorjus Sleeps in Praha.<

greg

Study the type of circuits you plan to take. You will be stumped if go there without having decided which circuit to take. The ticket office is not on the path if you take a bee line to the cathedral. Study where the ticket offices are located, the "i" symbol in http://www.hrad.cz/file/cs/prazsky-h...plan-hradu.pdf. Also decide beforehand if you would rent the audioguide. It is not necessarily cheap, and here again you have choices on how long you rent. The east end of the castle complex is located below the west end where you rent the audio guide. From the Golden Lane side of the complex, it is not necessarily a quick trek back to the audio guide return.

The Cathedral has unannounced opening times for visits. Note the opening time relevant for the day of the visit when you buy your circuit tickets. You usually enter the cathedral from the left side door. You see the crowd control handrails where people line up if the cathedral is closed but would reopen soon. When this line is long, visitors with audio guides are supposed to be allowed to skip the line and enter from the exit door on the right by showing the audioguide. I have not had to do this.

fourfortravel

As of 1 April there are new ticket options for the castle complex, including a visit to St. Vitus Cathedtral. The free tour barely allows a visitor into the cathedral; the ticketed tour allows one to walk around inside.

http://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle/.../tickets.shtml

Sassafrass

BillT, glad you asked about the cathedral and thanks Greg and FFT for the links. We are planning to go this summer too.

unclegus

St Vitus is not free, you can get into the main area for free but only the first 20 yards or so after that you must have a ticket,there are various tickets available and they are NOT available online.
https://www.hrad.cz/en/prague-castle.../tickets.shtml
go early part from a sunday ( services on then),by 11.00am the place will be mobbed.

Pepper_von_snoot

If you ate going to Prague, don't skip the Loreto convent.

Try to visit Terezin if you can.

Thin

Christina

AS I recall, service was not usually included in the restaurant bills for most places I went, but occasionally it was and it says whether it is included or not. I think the bill itemizes tax, but I don't remember, why do you care?

I think some real touristy places, like on the main square, tend to include an automatic service charge, which is itemized. As long as you know if it is included or not, you should be fine. I do tip like at an American restaurant, actually, if the service isn't included. I'm not a big overtipper in the US, though, but I tip around 15 pct in restaurants, on average, and I do there, also. I tip less for taxis or something. I do consider a service charge equivalent to what we call the tip in the US, for the most part, and that is usually 15 pct in many Europe countries, as far as I can remember (the service charge).

unclegus

service charges or tipping is not a big think in the Czech republic,10% is appreciated but not expected but many of the tourist places seem to automatically expect this but if the service is not good don't give it.some places have been known to write at the bottom of billd that Service is not included ,this is illegal and any place that does it should not receive anything.That has only happened to me once in an Ex-pats bar,they got bugger-all of a tip.
it is quite normal to round things up.so if I bought a couple of beers for 78Kc I would not expect change from 80kc and normally the server would not even offer this but I would expect change from 100kc.
no one is going to chase you down the street if you have not tipped them but in some of the more touristy place they might be a bit annoyed but don't worry about it.
A few years ago I was at a beer festival in Prague where everything was paid for by tokens,there was a group of about 8 of us and the same young lady had been serving us all night,at the end of the evening we gave her 200kc as a tip and the delight on her face was something to behold,i don't think anyone had tipped her that day.

kappa1

> .. some places have been known to write at the bottom of billd that Service is not included ,this is illegal ..

At most (if not all) restaurants I have been to in Prague, the bills said "TIPS" are NOT included. They don't say " serrvices .. ". I suppose saying "Tips are NOT included" is not illegal.

> .. at the end of the evening we gave her 200kc as a tip and the delight on her face ..

bdj

Can anyone clarify if a ticket to St. Vitus Cathedral proper will also gain admittance to the Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral?

The link provided gives the appearance of a distinction between the two in their Circuit ticket packages.

fourfortravel

bdj, a separate ticket is required to see the Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral, either as part of the "Circuit C" ticket or as an add-on to "Circuit A' or "Circuit B."

unclegus

I did it as part of the Circuit C ticket last week,I will check the ticket when I am home and let you know what it cover but it certainly included St Vitus = the Tower,treasures of Prague catle,Golden Lane and several other places

Rhea58

I was there 2 wks ago om the aft. and there were no lines for
St. Vitus Cathedral (no charge visit).
There is also a museum there at the end of the complex.

bdj

Much obliged for the informative replies.

Unclegus, I look forward to your post as the website merely states The Treasure of St. Vitus Cathedral and the Prague Castle Picture Gallery for the Circuit C ticket. No reference the chapel proper nor the Golden Lane.

unclegus

just checked my ticket.it was the A group I got and cost 350Kc.
It covered Golden lane and st Vitus but did not include the \treasury,i was getting that confused with something else.looks like you have to pay a separate charge for the treasury.worth having a chat with folk in the information place in the castle and theycan best advise,but get there early before the bus tours all get there.