28 September, 28 October, 17 November 2026: which shops close

Three Czech public holidays fall this autumn: Czech Statehood Day on Monday 28 September 2026, Independent Czechoslovak State Day on Wednesday 28 October 2026, and Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day and International Students' Day on Tuesday 17 November 2026. Under Act No. 223/2016 Coll., shops with a sales area of more than 200 m² must stay closed all day on 28 September and 28 October 2026. On 17 November 2026 they may open as usual, because that holiday is not on the law's list.

What it means for your trip

• Closed on 28 September and 28 October 2026: supermarkets, hypermarkets, department stores and other large shops.
• Allowed to open: shops with a sales area of up to 200 m², pharmacies, petrol stations, shops in healthcare facilities, and shops at airports, railway stations and bus stations, such as Václav Havel Airport, the main railway station (Praha hlavní nádraží) and Florenc bus station.
• Not covered by the law: restaurants, cafés, museums and sights. They set their own opening hours, so check before you go.
• Plan ahead: do your supermarket shopping the day before.

Later in the season

The same law closes large shops from 12:00 on 24 December 2026, all day on 25 and 26 December 2026 and on 1 January 2027. If you are in Prague over the holidays, we can reserve a restaurant table so that dinner is sorted.