River cruises in winter

Do Prague river cruises run in winter?

Yes. Prague Boats and Prague Venice sail every day all year, and the Jazz Boat keeps its live concerts going. The one big operator that stops is the Prague Steamboat Company, whose 2026 season ended on 1 November.

The steamboat company's own notice points winter visitors to Prague Boats, which sails all year from Čech Bridge on Dvořákovo nábřeží. Its one-hour cruise, its two-hour grand cruise and the Devil's Channel cruise run every day. The lunch cruise, the dinner cruise and the Crystal Dinner on a glass boat carry on too.

The steamboats come back in the 2027 season. The company says it will publish the sailing dates and open online sales during February 2027.

Which Prague cruise boats are heated in winter?

Prague Boats says its boats are heated year-round and warm inside "whether you cruise in January or November". Prague Venice closes the windows in winter and heats its boats.

Prague Boats sails glass boats (Grand Bohemia, Bohemia Rhapsody, Agnes de Bohemia) with sliding glass roofs, and electric catamarans with a glazed main deck. The main deck is the heated part. The open upper deck, on boats that have one, is not, so dress for the weather if you step out for photos.

On the one-hour jazz-style cruise each booking gets a table on the indoor lower deck or the outdoor upper deck. In winter, the indoor deck is the warm one. The music on that cruise is recorded, not a band.

For a dinner in the warm, the glass boat dinner cruise and the dinner cruise with live music each run 3 hours, with a buffet and live background music.

Does the Jazz Boat sail in winter?

Yes, all winter, from Terminal 18 on Dvořákovo nábřeží. December has the most sailings; in January and early February the programme lists 6:30 p.m. concerts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only.

From 8 January to 7 February the boat sails three evenings a week, at 6:30 p.m., an hour earlier than usual. The programme lists acoustic live jazz for those dates and nothing from Monday to Thursday. From 12 February the 7:30 p.m. concert is back every evening, with an extra 4:30 p.m. sailing on Saturday 13 February.

The format does not change with the season: a live band, three sets, 2 hours 30 minutes, dinner optional and drinks paid on board. The December dates, including Christmas and New Year's Eve, are in our Christmas post.

A live jazz trio on the Vltava in the dead of winter, with a table by the window and dinner if you want it.

★ 4.7 · 2 hours 30 minutes · from $46

Explore the Jazz Boat → Tour details

Does Prague Venice sail in winter?

Yes. Prague Venice sails all year, every 15 minutes. From October to April the boats run between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and the last one leaves at 5 p.m.

In its Czech FAQ, Prague Venice explains the winter set-up: the windows that stay open in summer are closed and the boats are heated. It also cuts the number on board to 30 passengers in winter, and serves mulled wine. The canal cruise on GetYourGuide lists mulled wine among the free drinks in winter, with gingerbread and a Charles Bridge Museum ticket.

The 45-minute trip passes under Charles Bridge into the Čertovka, the channel along Kampa. You board at one of the company's wharfs: the biggest is under the last arch of the Judith Bridge, entered from Křižovnické náměstí. In winter the last boat is at 5 p.m., so this is an afternoon trip. Our Prague Venice guide has the route.

What is the best time of day for a winter cruise in Prague?

Between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Prague Boats says the landmarks are fully lit from 5:30 p.m. in winter and calls the cruises around that hour the most beautiful.

Winter has one real advantage over summer: it gets dark early. In July you wait until after 9 p.m. for the lights. In January the Jazz Boat's 6:30 p.m. sailing leaves when the Castle and Charles Bridge are already lit.

Daylight trips are worth doing too. Prague Venice runs until 5 p.m., the glass boat lunch cruise gives you the river in full light, and the Prague Boats Advent cruise sails between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on December weekends. For the classic evening view in under an hour, the 50-minute evening cruise is the short option; its listing warns that departures between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. are in high demand.

What should you wear on a Prague river cruise in winter?

Normal winter clothes. There is no dress code on the Jazz Boat, and Prague Boats says smart casual or evening wear suits its dinner cruises but nothing is strictly formal. Plan for the cold on the walk to the pier and on any open deck.

Inside, the boats are warm. The cold comes on the quay while you wait to board and on the open deck if you go out for photos. Wear layers you can take off at the table, and keep a hat and gloves in your coat pocket.

• Shoes with grip. Embankment steps and gangways can be wet or icy.
• A small bag. The Prague Boats listings on GetYourGuide do not allow luggage or large bags.
• A warm layer for the deck. The upper decks are not heated.
• Arrive early, not too early. Boarding starts about 15 minutes before; there is little point waiting longer in the cold.

For a full list, see what to wear on a Prague boat cruise.

Frequently asked questions