Find your own way to enjoy the 60th anniversary of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. We’ve put together an overview of all the options for purchasing tickets and festival passes. Choose the one that suits you best: from the classic Festival Pass to the digital Festival Pass+ and this year’s new addition, Festival Pass+ Smart.
Choosing the right option depends on how many films you plan to see. You can either buy individual tickets for specific films or purchase a Festival Pass, which works like a "subscription" – it entitles you to three tickets per day and gives you access to the rest of the festival program.
Single admission ticket: 140 CZK
Discounted ticket: 120 CZK*
* All discounts are available only upon presentation of valid identification. The discount applies to students (student ID, original proof of enrollment, ISIC card, etc.), seniors (age 65 and older), and ZTP cardholders.
| Prices for 2026 | Festival Pass / Discounted FP * | Festival Pass+ / Discounted FP+ * | Festival Pass+ Smart / Discounted FP+ Smart * |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | 480 CZK / 420 CZK * | – | – |
| 3 days | 1,080 CZK / 900 CZK * | – | – |
| 5 days | 1,600 CZK / 1,350 CZK * | – | – |
| 6 days | – | – | 1,990 CZK / 1,790 CZK * |
| Entire festival ** | 2,190 CZK / 1,970 CZK * | 2,990 CZK /2,790 CZK * | – |
* All discounts are available only upon presentation of valid proof of eligibility. The discount applies to students (student ID, original proof of enrollment, ISIC card, etc.), seniors (age 65 and older) and ZTP cardholders.
** Free festival brochure – available at the Vodafone Box Office.
The “today and tomorrow” rule. To give newly arrived visitors a fair chance too, the system only allows tickets to be reserved or purchased for the current day and the following day.
💡 Practical example: Want to go to the cinema on Monday, July 6? The earliest you can reserve your ticket is on Sunday, July 5 at 7:00 a.m. in the app, or you can get it at the box office from 8:00 a.m.
The one-exception rule (start of advance sales). Thursday, July 2, 2026 is the only day when a different system applies. At exactly 9:00 a.m., reservations and sales open for the first two festival days at once (Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4). Tickets are available both at the box offices and in the mobile app.
The digital advantage rule (Festival Pass+ and Festival Pass+ Smart). If you have a digital festival pass, you will receive it on your phone before the festival begins. This means you can start making online reservations from home, even before you physically arrive in Karlovy Vary.
The 60-minute rule (pick-up deadline) The app is a great helper, but your electronic reservation must still be exchanged in person at the box office for a paper ticket no later than 60 minutes before the film begins. The system is strict – 59 minutes before the screening, the reservation automatically expires and the ticket goes back on sale.
🎯 Our tip for apparently sold-out screenings: The ticket allocation for the mobile app and for the box offices is divided into two separate quotas. So if you cannot reserve a ticket online because the app quota has been exhausted, do not give up and ask for tickets in person at a festival box office. There is a good chance some tickets may still be waiting for you there.
A total of 25 box offices are available to festival visitors. 18 of them are located inside Hotel Thermal, including the Vodafone box office. Three additional box offices are located outside Hotel Thermal, including the Last Minute box office and the Festival Pass+ box office. Two box offices are located at the Grandhotel Pupp and another two in the festival campsite.
| Box Office | July 2, 2026 | July 3 – 10, 2026 | July 11, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Main Box Offices Hotel Thermal |
9:00 AM – 10:00 PM | 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM | 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
|
Outdoor Box Offices outside Hotel Thermal |
8:00 AM – 10:00 PM | ||
|
Last Minute Box Office outside Hotel Thermal |
8:00 AM – 12:00 AM | 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM | |
|
F-Bar Box Offices Hotel Thermal |
9:00 AM – 10:00 PM | 8:00 AM – 12:00 AM | 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
|
PUPP Box Offices Grandhotel Pupp |
8:00 AM – 10:00 PM | ||
|
Vodafone Box Office Hotel Thermal |
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | |
| Festival Campsite Box Offices | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
A maximum of 10 festival passes per person can be purchased at a single counter. The same limit applies to ticket selection – no more than 10 festival passes can be processed within one transaction. If a visitor does not have a valid festival pass, they can obtain up to 4 individual tickets per person.
With any type of pass (Festival Pass, Pass+ or Pass+ Smart), you have two options:
The “Today and Tomorrow” rule To give newly arrived visitors a fair chance too, the system only allows tickets to be arranged for the current day and the following day.
💡 Practical example: Want to go to the cinema on Monday, 6 July? The earliest you can reserve your ticket is on Sunday, 5 July at 7:00 a.m. in the app, or you can get it at the box office from 8:00 a.m.
Advance sales start on Thursday, 2 July 2026, which is the only day when the rules work differently. At exactly 9:00 a.m., reservations and sales open for the first two festival days at once (Friday, 3 July and Saturday, 4 July).
Try the box office – and the same applies the other way around. Ticket capacity is deliberately split into two separate parts: one for the online app and one for the physical box offices.
Yes. The ushers will only let you into the screening room with a paper ticket in hand. This rule applies to everyone without exception, including holders of digital passes (Pass+ and Pass+ Smart).
Unfortunately, your ticket expires 60 minutes before the film starts and the seat is automatically returned to the system. Does that mean you have definitely missed the film? Not necessarily. If you have any type of festival pass, try your luck directly in front of the screening room (please note that this option is available only to pass holders, not to those interested in individual tickets). With any version (Festival Pass, Pass+ or Pass+ Smart), simply join the queue in front of the cinema. Exactly 5 minutes before the screening starts, the ushers will offer any remaining free seats to those waiting. Please keep in mind, however, that these seats are not guaranteed and your position in the queue is what matters – in short, first come, first seated.
With any festival pass, you can try the standby queue. Exactly 5 minutes before the screening starts, the ushers will fill any unoccupied seats in the auditorium with people from the queue. Seats are not guaranteed, however, and your position in the queue is what matters. (Please note that this option is available only to pass holders, not to those interested in individual tickets.)
Of course. You can buy individual tickets without any problem directly at any festival box office.
You can buy the classic Festival Pass only after arriving in Karlovy Vary, at the box offices. You can apply for the digital versions (Festival Pass+ and Festival Pass+ Smart) online before the festival starts.
What they have in common: The most important thing – with all types of passes, you are entitled to up to 3 cinema tickets per day. Reservation conditions and ticket capacities are exactly the same for everyone. They also allow you to try the standby queue and ride festival buses for free. With digital passes, you will also unlock interesting discounts from festival partners.
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