Holiday shopping hours in Czechia: What's open and closed in 2025?

As Christmas and New Year’s Eve approach, shoppers in Czechia face the usual maze of shortened hours, early closures, and full shutdowns. Major retailers have now released their holiday schedules, and with national rules dictating when large stores must close, knowing who’s open and when may be the most valuable planning tool of the season.

Under the Act on Retail and Wholesale Sales Hours passed in 2016, all stores larger than 200 square meters must close at noon on Dec. 24. These include department and retail stores, as well as outlets within shopping centers. These stores, along with mall food courts, are required to remain closed on Dec. 25 and Dec. 26. 

Pharmacies, gas stations, airport and train-station shops, and stores inside medical facilities are exempt from the law. Small shops under 200 square meters, including smaller convenience stores and neighborhood potraviny, may open at the owner’s discretion. 

While Dec. 31 is not a public holiday, major supermarket chains will shorten their hours. Lidl will close first, shutting all stores at 5 p.m. and reopening on Jan. 2.

Tesco will close at 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, remain closed Jan. 1, and resume normal hours on Jan. 2. Kaufland follows the same schedule. Albert will close most locations at 6 p.m., noting that shops inside malls may shut earlier.

Food delivery services report that they will be operating but will also face limitations. Rohlík says it will shorten the timeframe for placing orders (until 6 p.m.). Globus deliveries through Foodora and Wolt will depend on the number of available couriers. Wolt says it will operate on both Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, although wait times may be longer.

Delivery services like Wolt, meanwhile, are exempt from these restrictions and have confirmed they will function normally; however, they may experience a notable increase in demand.