Licensed guides in Prague: how to check a guide and what to expect

Whether you are bringing business partners, a delegation or your family to Prague, a good guide turns a walk through the city into an experience your guests will remember for a long time. A guide without experience, or even without a licence, can spoil the whole day. In this article we explain what Czech law has required since 2021, how to recognise a qualified guide and what to expect from a private tour.

What the law says

Since 2021, only holders of the Czech National Guide Card (Český národní průkaz průvodce) may guide for pay in the Czech Republic. The card is issued by the Ministry of Regional Development, and guides must wear it visibly while guiding. The rules are set out in Act No. 159/1999 Coll., on certain conditions of business and on the performance of certain activities in the field of tourism.

Tourist guiding as such is a free trade (volná živnost), which can be registered without a professional qualification. The card, however, is compulsory for everyone who guides for pay, whether they are self-employed or work for a tour operator or a travel agency. Guides from other EU and EEA member states and from Switzerland may guide in the Czech Republic temporarily if they notify the ministry in advance.

The two degrees of the card

• First degree requires no professional qualification. The guide needs a trade licence or a contract with the company they work for.
• Second degree is issued only to guides with a recognised professional qualification, such as the Prague guide exam or relevant education in tourism or history.

For international guests, business partners and official visits, it is worth asking which degree of card the guide holds and what kind of groups they work with.

The Prague guide exam

Prague City Tourism, the City of Prague's tourism organisation, runs the course and exam for the professional qualification Tour Guide in Prague (Průvodce/průvodkyně Prahou, code 65-028-N) in the National Register of Qualifications (Národní soustava kvalifikací). The exam tests detailed knowledge of the city's history, art, architecture and present-day life. A guide who has passed it meets the qualification requirement for the second-degree card.

How to recognise a qualified guide

• The card is on display. A qualified guide wears it without being asked and is happy to show it to you.
• Name and contact details in advance. For a private tour, you should know your guide's name before the tour starts.
• Experience with similar guests. A programme for a ministry delegation looks different from a walk with a family or with technical specialists. Ask about specific experience.
• Native or near-native language skills. For important guests, a short call with the guide beforehand is a good idea.
• Written confirmation. The meeting time and place, the length of the tour and what is included.

If someone approaches you in the street offering a tour, ask to see their card first.

What a private tour includes

A private tour is only for you and your group. We adapt the route, the pace and the length to your guests: usually two to four hours on foot, and longer with a car. The guide can pick your guests up at their hotel or at the meeting venue.

• Entrance tickets for Prague Castle, the Jewish Museum and other sites are paid separately. It is worth booking them in advance.
• Group size. For a walking tour we recommend no more than 20 to 25 people per guide. We split larger groups between several guides and arrange radio headsets if needed.
• A car with a driver suits seniors, VIP guests and busy schedules, because it shortens the transfers between the sights.

Tips for hosts and organisers

• Tell the guide who is coming. Country, industry, age, interests, any mobility limitations and dietary requirements. The more the guide knows, the better they can prepare the tour.
• Allow buffer time. Between meetings, the tour and dinner, plan time for getting around and for rest.
• Prague Castle on a Sunday morning. On Sundays, St Vitus Cathedral opens to visitors only at 12:00 because of church services.
• Coaches cannot stop at the sights. Coaches carrying groups may not enter the historic centre and stop only at designated coach stops, so allow for a short walk.

How much a private guide costs

The price depends on the length of the tour, the size of the group, the language, the season and whether a car with a driver is included. We do not publish fixed prices, because every programme is different. Instead, we send you a written, itemised quote that lists the guide, the tickets and the transport separately. For typical market ranges, see our article on how much a private guide in Prague costs.

How we do it

We work only with guides who hold the Czech National Guide Card. We choose the guide to suit your guests, you know their name in advance and we fine-tune the route with you. We also arrange tickets, a car with a driver or lunch.

Take a look at our licensed guides and at our private tours of Prague Castle and the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter. Preparing a visit by an official delegation? Our programme for delegations will help. Just send us a no-obligation request.