Cash in Prague: ATMs, exchange and the scams to avoid
Photos: Diliff (CC BY-SA 3.0), ThecentreCZ (Public domain), National Bank of Republic of Belarus (Public domain)
The short answer
Pay by card almost everywhere. For cash, avoid Euronet ATMs: use an ATM inside a bank and press “without conversion”. Never change money on the street.
Avoid Euronet ATMs
The blue-and-yellow machines all over the tourist centre.
They're private machines, not banks, and the worst way to get cash in Prague. They push you to pay in your own currency at their own bad rate, and often add a fee on top. Walk past them and use an ATM inside a bank branch.
Already standing at one and really need cash? Then at least press “without conversion”:
Street money changers: the Belarusian ruble trick
Someone near an exchange office or on Wenceslas Square offers a better rate than the counter. You get a quick bundle of notes that look right at a glance. They're old Belarusian rubles, replaced in 2016 and worth nothing today. By the time you look, the changer has gone. Locals call these street changers ruličkáři.
Know your notes
The six Czech banknotes, with today's value in euros. Coins come in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 CZK.
100 KčCharles IV · ≈ €4
200 KčJohn Amos Comenius · ≈ €8
500 KčBožena Němcová · ≈ €21- 1,000 KčFrantišek Palacký · ≈ €41
2,000 KčEma Destinnová · ≈ €82
5,000 KčTomáš G. Masaryk · ≈ €206
Banknote images: Wikimedia Commons, public domain. Shown marked “specimen”.
Exchange offices
Fine, if you ask one question before handing anything over: “How many crowns will I get for €100?” Today the fair answer is about 2,430 CZK. Anything well below that, walk on. Ignore “0% commission” signs: the rate is where they take it.
Questions people ask
Can I pay in euros in Prague?
Some tourist places accept euros, but at their own poor rate. Pay in CZK, by card or cash.
