Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Money
The Czech crown (
Koruna česká
, or Kč) is divided into 100 hellers or
haléřů
.
Bank notes come in denominations of 100Kč, 200Kč, 500Kč, 1000Kč, 2000Kč
and 5000Kč; coins are of 1Kč, 2Kč, 5Kč, 10Kč, 20Kč and 50Kč. Hellers do not
circulate, but prices are sometimes denominated in fractions of crowns. In
these instances, the total will be rounded to the nearest whole crown.
Keep small change handy for use at public toilets and tram-ticket machines,
and try to keep some small-denomination notes for shops, cafes and bars -
getting change for the 2000Kč notes that ATMs often spit out can be a prob-
lem.
ATMs
You'll find ATMs all around Prague and in the central areas of towns and cities
around the country. There are ATMs in the concourse of Prague's main train
station as well as at both arrivals terminals at Prague Airport. Most ATMs ac-
cept any valid credit or debit card, provided you have a four-digit PIN code.
Black Market
Changing money on the black market is illegal and dangerous. Rates are no
better than at the banks or ATMs and the chance of getting ripped off is infin-
itely greater. Firmly decline any offers you may hear to 'change money?'. If
you are foolish enough to change money on the street, make sure you receive
valid Czech notes in exchange. The black market is flooded with outdated
Polish zlotys and other worthless bills.
Changing Money
The main banks - including Komerční banka, Česká spořitelna and UniCredit
Bank - are the best places to exchange cash. They normally charge around a
2% commission with a 50Kč minimum (but always check, as commissions
vary). They will also provide a cash advance on Visa or MasterCard without
commission.
The easiest and cheapest way to carry money is in the form of a credit or
debit card from your bank, which you can use to withdraw cash either from an
ATM or over the counter in a bank. Using an ATM will result in your home
