Travel guide
Prague in Winter: Weather by Month, Christmas Markets and How to Stay Connected
Noa Regev11 min read
Prague is cold in winter: in December the average temperature ranges from -1.1°C to 3.4°C, and in January from -2.4°C to 2.6°C, according to World Meteorological Organization data. November is milder, with an average daytime high of 7.2°C, and in February the days warm up slightly. This guide covers what you need to know before a trip to Prague between November and February: the weather each month, what to wear, when the Christmas markets are open, the Jewish Quarter and the castle, how to get from the airport to the city, what's changed at Europe's border control and how much data you need.
The weather data comes from the World Weather Information Service of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), based on the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute and 1981–2010 averages at the Prague-Ruzyně station. Opening hours and prices come from each place's official website. This guide is published by SimSIM, a data eSIM provider, and the data prices at the end come from its catalog for Czechia. All sources were checked on 4 November 2026.
Key takeaways
- The weather: in December, January and February, the average night-time low is below zero. January is the coldest month, averaging -2.4°C to 2.6°C.
- Christmas markets: the markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are open from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027, so they cover the Hanukkah break too.
- The Jewish Quarter: the Jewish Museum is open every day except Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Until 31 December 2026, it's open 09:00–16:30.
- From the airport to the city: trolleybus 59 reaches Nádraží Veleslavín metro station in about 15 minutes. A 90-minute ticket costs 46 CZK in the app and 50 CZK on paper, and you buy it before you board.
- Emergencies: 112 is the single emergency number in every EU country, including Czechia. Calling it is free.
- Data: SimSIM for Czechia: 3GB for 30 days costs ₪11.9. An eSIM is almost always the better choice, except in two cases: you need regular calls, outgoing and incoming, on your Israeli number, or your phone doesn't support eSIM.
Prague weather in winter, month by month
According to the WMO, these are the averages for Prague's winter months. Precipitation includes rain and snow, and "precipitation days" are days with at least 1 mm:
Month | Average low (°C) | Average high (°C) | Monthly precipitation | Precipitation days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
November | 2.1 | 7.2 | 28.3 mm | 7.1 |
December | -1.1 | 3.4 | 25.3 mm | 5.9 |
January | -2.4 | 2.6 | 20.4 mm | 5.7 |
February | -1.8 | 4.4 | 18.7 mm | 5.3 |
What that means in practice:
- November: the wettest month in the table, with 28.3 mm and an average of 7 precipitation days. Days average 7.2°C and nights 2.1°C.
- December: even during the day, the average doesn't go above 3.4°C. This is the month of the Hanukkah break (Hanukkah 2026 begins on the evening of 4 December 2026) and of the Christmas markets.
- January: the coldest month. The average night-time low is 2.4°C below zero, and days don't go above 2.6°C.
- February: still cold at night, but days warm up to an average of 4.4°C, and it's the driest month in the table.
The days are short, and they keep getting shorter until the shortest day of the year, around 21 December. If you're planning a walking tour on Charles Bridge or photos from the castle, do them in the morning and around midday.
The averages describe decades, not what your week will be like. A few days before your flight, check the current forecast on the same site, which gets it from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute.
What to wear in Prague in winter
With temperatures hovering around zero, layers work better than one heavy coat. Prague is a walking city, with climbs up to the castle and cobblestone streets. Between a cold street and a heated church, museum or café, you're constantly taking layers off and putting them back on.
- A warm, waterproof coat, because November averages 7 precipitation days a month.
- A thermal layer underneath, for evenings at the markets, where you spend a lot of time standing outside.
- Closed shoes with good soles, for walking on wet or icy cobblestones in the Old Town and Malá Strana.
- A hat, a scarf and touchscreen-friendly gloves, so you don't have to take them off every time you check a map.
Christmas markets: 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027
According to Prague City Tourism, the city's official tourism website, the Christmas market on Old Town Square (Staroměstské náměstí) is open from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. The market has a lit Christmas tree and a daily cultural program with music.
The market on Wenceslas Square (Václavské náměstí) is open on the same dates, every day 10:00–22:00, according to the market's page on the same website. The two squares are a short walk apart, so you can see both in the same evening.
These dates cover the whole Hanukkah break and the end of December. If you arrive in January, you'll catch the markets only until 6 January 2027. If you arrive in late January or February, they'll already be gone.
The Jewish Quarter: the museum is closed on Saturdays
The Jewish Museum in Prague is open every day except Saturdays and Jewish holidays. According to the official website, from 18 October 2026 to 31 December 2026 the opening hours are 09:00–16:30. The Old-New Synagogue, run by the Jewish Community of Prague, is open 09:00–17:00 in the same period, and only until 14:00 on 24 December 2026. The website notes that the synagogue usually closes an hour before Shabbat begins.
The combined ticket, according to the museum's ticket page: the Prague Jewish Town ticket costs 600 CZK for adults and 400 CZK for students under 26. Children under 6 get in free. The ticket includes the Old Jewish Cemetery, the Old-New Synagogue and the Spanish, Maisel and Pinkas synagogues.
As of 4 November 2026, the website didn't yet list the opening hours for January and February 2027. If you're arriving from 1 January 2027, check the hours on the same page before your visit.
Prague Castle in winter hours
According to the official Prague Castle website, the winter season runs from 1 November to 31 March. The castle grounds are open 06:00–22:00, and the historic buildings, such as the Old Royal Palace, St George's Basilica and Golden Lane, are open 09:00–16:00.
Because the buildings close at 16:00, plan the castle for the morning. If you arrive in the afternoon, you can still walk around the grounds and see the city from above, even after dark.
From the airport to the city: trolleybus 59 and the metro
According to Prague Airport, the fastest way to the city center by public transport is trolleybus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín metro station, a ride of about 15 minutes, and from there metro line A. Another option is bus 100 to Zličín, about 18 minutes, and from there metro line B. At night, night lines 907 and 910 run.
- Where to board: the stops are opposite the arrivals halls. Flights from outside the Schengen area, like flights from Israel, arrive at Terminal 1.
- Buy your ticket before you board. According to the airport's website, you can buy it at the ticket machines in the arrivals hall and at the stops themselves. Most machines accept contactless card payment. You can also buy it in the PID Lítačka app.
- The price, according to PID, Prague's integrated transport authority: a 90-minute ticket costs 46 CZK in the app and 50 CZK on paper, and it covers the whole trip, including the change to the metro. A 24-hour ticket costs 140 CZK in the app and 150 CZK on paper, and a 72-hour ticket costs 340 or 350 CZK.
The 24-hour and 72-hour tickets are valid on trams, the metro, buses and the Petřín funicular, but not on the Airport Express (AE) line. If you want to buy a ticket in the app at the airport stop, you need data from the moment you get off the plane. That's a good reason to install the eSIM at home (when to activate your eSIM: before you fly or after you land).
At the border: the EES and your passport stamp
Czechia is one of the countries that use the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES). The system electronically records every entry and exit of non-EU citizens coming for a short stay, including visa-exempt travelers. It is gradually replacing the passport stamp. According to the official website, it uses fingerprints and a facial image. A "short stay" is up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted together across all the countries that use the system. If you enter on a passport from an EU country, you aren't registered in the system.
ETIAS isn't required yet. According to the official ETIAS website, the EU will announce the start date a few months in advance. As of 4 November 2026, you don't need an ETIAS authorization to fly to Prague.
Emergencies: 112
According to the European Commission, 112 is the single emergency number in every EU country, including Czechia. Calling it is free. Save it in your phone before you fly.
An important point if you use an eSIM for data: a data-only eSIM doesn't support regular calls. A call to a hotel or restaurant on a Czech number goes out on your Israeli line, at your carrier's roaming rate. So keep your Israeli line active for calls. You'll find how to set that up in our guide to data-only eSIMs and your Israeli number. For many of these calls you can use WhatsApp, which works over data.
Your phone in the cold: the battery drains faster
According to Apple, the iPhone is designed to work in ambient temperatures of 0 to 35°C. At lower temperatures, the battery can drain faster, and the device can shut down until it warms up. In December, January and February, the average night-time low in Prague is below zero, so this applies to every evening at the markets.
On a day of walking around the city, your phone works hard: maps, the transport app, photos on Charles Bridge and WhatsApp. Keep it in an inside pocket, close to your body, and bring a power bank. You'll find more ways to save, both battery and data, in our guide to saving data abroad.
How much data you need for a trip to Prague
Most of your usage in the city is maps, WhatsApp, the transport app and photos. If your hotel has Wi-Fi, it saves you the heavy evening use, like uploading videos or streaming.
SimSIM prices for Czechia, from the catalog on 4 November 2026:
Plan | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
1GB | 7 days | ₪7.9 |
2GB | 15 days | ₪7.9 |
3GB | 30 days | ₪11.9 |
5GB | 30 days | ₪15.9 |
10GB | 30 days | ₪28.9 |
20GB | 30 days | ₪55.9 |
How to choose:
- A long weekend: 2GB for 15 days. It costs ₪7.9, the same price as 1GB, with double the data and a longer validity.
- A week in the city: 3GB at ₪11.9, or 5GB at ₪15.9 if you upload lots of photos. The difference between them is ₪4.
- No hotel Wi-Fi, or lots of video: 10GB.
If your data runs out mid-trip, it simply stops, with no automatic charge. Add a plan to the same eSIM in the app. A top-up adds data and extends the validity by the period of the plan you bought, with no need to install a new eSIM (how to top up mid-trip). You can't top up an eSIM that has already expired.
According to the catalog, SimSIM's eSIM for Czechia connects to the O2 and Vodafone networks, on 5G. If you're combining Prague with Vienna, Budapest or Berlin, you can consider one regional plan instead of a plan for each country, and check on the plan page that every country on your route is included (regional eSIM for Europe).
eSIM or your carrier's abroad package: almost always the eSIM
For Prague, a SimSIM eSIM is almost always the better choice. For a week in the city, 3GB for 30 days at ₪11.9 is enough for maps, WhatsApp and the transport app. The full comparison, with the Israeli carriers' prices, is in SimSIM vs. Israeli carrier roaming.
There are two situations where your carrier's abroad package is the better choice:
- You need regular calls, outgoing and incoming, on your Israeli number. SimSIM's eSIM is data-only, with no phone number and no SMS. WhatsApp calls work over data (does WhatsApp work abroad with an eSIM?).
- Your phone doesn't support eSIM, or it's locked to a carrier.
If neither applies to you, the eSIM is cheaper. And if you want to stay reachable on your Israeli number without a package, you can keep your Israeli line active for calls and SMS and turn off data roaming on it. That way, all your data goes through the eSIM. Calls on the Israeli line are charged at your carrier's roaming rate (how to avoid roaming charges from your Israeli carrier).
The installation itself takes a few minutes. There are written guides for iPhone and Android, a step-by-step video and an AI chat for questions. The Czechia plans are on the Czechia eSIM page.
Frequently asked questions
What's the weather like in Prague in December?
According to the World Meteorological Organization, the average temperature in Prague in December ranges from -1.1°C to 3.4°C, with about 6 days of rain or snow a month. The averages are based on 1981–2010, so check a current forecast before you fly.
What is the coldest month in Prague?
January. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the average January temperature in Prague ranges from 2.4°C below zero to 2.6°C.
When are the Prague Christmas markets open in 2026?
According to Prague's official tourism website, the markets on Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square are open from 28 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. The Wenceslas Square market is open every day 10:00–22:00.
Is the Jewish Museum in Prague open on Saturdays?
No. The Jewish Museum in Prague and the Old-New Synagogue, which are included in the combined ticket, are closed on Saturdays. The museum is open every day except Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Until 31 December 2026, the opening hours are 09:00–16:30, and an adult combined ticket costs 600 CZK.
How do I get from Prague airport to the city center?
Take trolleybus 59 to Nádraží Veleslavín, about 15 minutes, and from there metro line A. A 90-minute ticket costs 46 CZK in the PID Lítačka app or 50 CZK on paper, and you buy it before you board.
Do I need ETIAS to fly to Prague?
As of 4 November 2026, no. ETIAS isn't running yet, and the EU will announce the start date a few months in advance. At the border itself, the EES is in operation, recording fingerprints and a facial image.
How much does data cost in Czechia with an eSIM?
With SimSIM, according to the catalog on 4 November 2026: 2GB for 15 days at ₪7.9, 3GB for 30 days at ₪11.9, and 5GB for 30 days at ₪15.9. Prices change, so check before you buy.
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