Czech Republic
Cards, ATMs and cash in Czech Republic: what to expect
Cards are widely accepted in Czech Republic: pay by card in Prague hotels, supermarkets, most restaurants and transport apps. Carry CZK 500–1,000 in cash for small towns, markets, toilets and tips. Use bank ATMs (Česká spořitelna, Komerční banka, ČSOB, Moneta, Fio) and always decline the ATM's own conversion; choose to be charged in CZK.
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GuideCzech Republic
Key facts
- Currency
- Czech koruna (CZK); euro is not the local currency
- Card acceptance
- High in Prague, Brno and chain businesses; lower in village pubs, markets and small guesthouses
- Cash to carrycheck
- CZK 500–1,000 for a day outside big cities
- ATM to use
- Bank-owned machines: Česká spořitelna, Komerční banka, ČSOB, Moneta, Fio
- ATM to avoid
- Euronet and other standalone machines with high fees and poor rates
- If asked CZK or your currency
- Choose CZK; the machine's own conversion adds a markup
- Contactlesscheck
- Standard on cards and phones; used for Prague public transport where readers exist
- Tipping
- Round up in pubs; about 10% in restaurants, said to the server when paying
Details
Czech Republic uses the koruna (CZK), not the euro, even though many neighbours do. That single fact drives most money decisions here: you need some cash, and you should never let a machine or a shop convert your purchase into dollars or euros for you.
In Prague, Brno, Olomouc and other cities, card payment is normal. Hotels, supermarkets, chain cafés, pharmacies, train and bus tickets bought in apps, and most mid-range and upmarket restaurants take Visa and Mastercard, usually contactless. You can run a whole city trip on a card and a phone.
The gaps appear outside the tourist core: village pubs, farmers' markets, small guesthouses, some taxis, castle kiosks and public toilets. Those places may be cash-only, or may take a card only above a minimum amount. Keep a few hundred koruna on you so a good lunch or a rural bus does not turn into a hunt for a machine.
ATMs are everywhere in cities and at petrol stations. The reliable ones belong to banks: Česká spořitelna, Komerční banka, ČSOB, Moneta and Fio. Standalone machines, most visibly Euronet, are legal and work, but their own fees and exchange rates are worse. If a machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and take CZK.
Card security is ordinary European practice: chip and PIN, contactless under a limit, and sometimes a signature for larger amounts. Tell your bank you are travelling if it is prone to blocking foreign use. Keep a second card separate from the first, and photograph the back of your cards so you can cancel them quickly.
Summary table
| Situation | Card? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Prague hotel, supermarket, chain café | Yes | Tap or insert; no cash needed |
| Mid-range restaurant in a city | Usually | Ask first in small places; tip in cash if you can |
| Village pub or market stall | Often no | Carry CZK 500–1,000 |
| Public toilet, castle kiosk | Rarely | Coins and small notes |
| Taxi | Varies | Use Bolt or Uber for a fixed fare and card payment |
| ATM withdrawal | — | Bank ATM, charge in CZK, decline conversion |
| Card terminal asks CZK or USD/EUR | — | Choose CZK |
Acceptance is broad in cities and thinner in the countryside; treat cash as a backup, not the default.
Tips
Withdraw larger amounts less often. A single CZK 2,000–3,000 withdrawal usually costs less in fixed fees than three small ones, and you are less likely to leave the machine with a pocket of coins.
Use the ATM inside a bank branch during opening hours when you can. If a machine swallows your card, staff can help; on the street, nobody can.
Check the screen before confirming: some machines add their own fee on top of your bank's. If the fee looks high, cancel and walk to the next bank.
Keep small notes and coins for toilets (CZK 10–20), tips and market stalls. A CZK 2,000 note is awkward for a CZK 40 coffee.
Pay in CZK everywhere the choice appears: card terminals, ATMs and online bookings. Your bank's rate is almost always better than the merchant's.
For day-to-day spending, see the currency and exchange page and the money and tipping page before you travel, and check whether your bank charges a foreign transaction fee.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Are credit cards widely accepted in Czech Republic?
Yes in cities and chain businesses: hotels, supermarkets, most restaurants and transport apps take Visa and Mastercard, usually contactless. Acceptance drops in villages, small pubs and markets, so carry CZK 500–1,000 as backup.
Which ATMs have the lowest fees in Czech Republic?
Bank-owned machines: Česká spořitelna, Komerční banka, ČSOB, Moneta and Fio. Avoid standalone machines such as Euronet, which typically add their own fee and a worse exchange rate. Always decline the machine's currency conversion.
Should I pay in local currency or my own?
Always choose Czech koruna (CZK). If a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in dollars, euros or pounds, that conversion carries a markup. Let your own bank do the conversion instead.
Do I need cash in Prague?
Not for most of a city trip: cards cover hotels, food, transport and tickets. Keep some koruna for toilets, tips, markets and small shops, and more if you plan to visit villages or rural areas.
Can I use euros in Czech Republic?
Some tourist businesses in Prague may quote or accept euros, but the rate is usually poor and the koruna is the legal currency. Pay in CZK and keep euros for neighbouring countries.
Deep dive
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