# Day trip to Karlštejn from Prague: Charles IV's castle and the Amerika quarries

Forty minutes by commuter train, the walk up to Charles IV's castle, the guided tour, a forest route to the flooded quarries and game dishes by the castle.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/czechia/karlstejn/itineraries/charles-iv-castle-and-amerika · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 08:30 · Salida: 45 min by train (commuter train towards Beroun from the main station or Smíchov · check the line's roadworks closures)
- 09:15 · On foot up through Karlštejn village to the first gate (cross the Berounka and climb the pedestrian street)
  - 5 min on foot
- 10:00 · Charles IV's imperial residence, the basic tour of Karlštejn Castle (ticket with a time slot on the website · ask for the Spanish audio guide)
  - 45 min on foot
- 11:15 · Trail to the flooded quarries of Malá and Velká Amerika (yellow waymark from the Seven Brothers oak · Velká Amerika, half an hour more)
  - 45 min on foot
- 14:00 · Restaurace Pod Dračí skálou (game and draught Pilsner · closed on Monday · bring cash) · Restaurace Pod Dračí skálou, €€
  - 10 min on foot
- 15:30 · Karlštejn Nativity Scene Museum, with a moving royal crib (weekends from September to November and in December)
- 16:30 · Vuelta: 1 h by train (20 minutes' walk to the station and 40 by train · in Prague by about 17:30)

Karlštejn is the shortest day trip from Prague: 40 minutes by commuter train and a walk up through a car-free village to the castle where Charles IV kept the crown jewels. This plan adds the guided tour, a forest route to the flooded Amerika quarries and a game lunch by the castle, and gets you back to Prague in mid-afternoon.

## The day, hour by hour

8:30 · Train from Prague. Commuter train towards Beroun from the main station or from Smíchov; they leave every half hour and take about 40 minutes. The line has roadworks with occasional closures: check the timetable for the day.

9:15 · Walk up through the village. You cross the Berounka and climb the main street, pedestrianised, between shops and terraces. About 20 minutes.

10:00 · Basic castle tour. Charles IV's imperial residence, 55 minutes with a guide. Buy the time slot on the website and ask for the Spanish audio guide.

11:15 · Amerika quarries. Before the first gate, go down to the path, leave the village and climb through the forest to the Seven Brothers oak; the yellow waymark takes you to Malá Amerika in about 40 minutes and to Velká Amerika half an hour later. Come back the same way.

14:00 · Lunch at Pod Dračí skálou. Game, draught Pilsner and a fireplace, five minutes from the castle. Open Tuesday to Sunday; bring cash.

15:30 · Nativity Museum. On autumn weekends and in December, the moving real nativity scene, on the square.

16:30 · Return. You walk down to the station in 20 minutes and are in Prague around 17:30.

## With children or in winter

With small children, skip Velká Amerika and stay at Malá Amerika, or swap the route for a long walk through the village. In winter, the castle opens fewer days and the route is muddy or icy: leave Amerika for another trip and make lunch longer.

## Cómo llegar

### Car-free
Commuter train from Praha hlavní nádraží or Smíchov, about 40 minutes, and 20 minutes on foot.

### By car
About 40 km along the D5 (exit 10, Loděnice) or beside the river via Řevnice. Park in the central car park and walk up.

## Consejos

### Buy the castle time slot
The groups fill up in summer and at weekends.

### Forest footwear
The Amerika route has roots and mud.

### Bring crowns
Pod Dračí skálou prefers cash.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Prague to Karlštejn?
About 40 minutes by commuter train and 20 on foot to the castle.

### How much does the day cost?
The castle, 300 CZK; the train is cheap and lunch is around 350–500 CZK.

### Can you go with children?
Yes: the basic tour lasts 55 minutes and children pay 90 CZK.

### What if it is a Monday?
Pod Dračí skálou and the Grill Restaurant Mlýn close on Mondays, and from November to March the castle does not open that day either: better to go Tuesday to Sunday.