Czech Currency Guide: Koruna, Cards, and How to Avoid Exchange Rip-Offs

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Czech Currency Koruna Guide — photo by Roman Wimmers — Featured photo by Roman Wimmers on Unsplash

Czech Republic uses the koruna (CZK / Kč), not the euro. As of 2026, roughly 24 CZK to 1 EUR, 28 CZK to 1 GBP, 22 CZK to 1 USD. This is the practical guide to money in Prague: how to exchange, avoid rip-off exchange offices, which cards work, and how to tip.

Quick answer

Currency: Czech koruna (CZK, Kč). Banknotes: 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 Kč. Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Kč.
Best exchange: Withdraw at a bank ATM (ČSOB, Komerční, Raiffeisen). Skip street exchange offices except Exchange Praha (Kaprova 14) or Uno Change — the two reliable ones.
Card usage: Almost universal in Prague. Some small pubs and market stalls are cash-only.
Best travel cards: Revolut, Wise, Chase Sapphire — no FX fees.
Never accept Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) at terminals or ATMs. Always pay in CZK.

How much cash to carry

Prague is a card-friendly city, but keep 1,000-2,000 CZK in cash for:

Small pubs (many still cash-only for beer).
Tips (traditional to tip in cash even when paying the bill by card).
Christmas market stalls (mostly cash).
Farmers markets (Náplavka Saturday market).
Public transport machines (accept cash and card, but cash is faster).
Emergencies (card networks occasionally go down).

Where to exchange money — the rip-off warning

Prague has infamous tourist-trap exchange offices, mostly in the Old Town, that display fake “no commission” signs and offer terrible rates (~30% below real market).

Reliable exchange offices:

Exchange Praha — Kaprova 14 (Old Town, near Charles Bridge). Rate is close to bank interbank rate; no hidden commission.
Uno Change — several locations including Wenceslas Square. Similar to Exchange Praha.
Reliable bank ATMs — ČSOB, Komerční, Raiffeisen. Withdraw in CZK, always decline DCC.

Avoid:

Chequepoint, Ria, Interchange — often 15-30% below market rate.
Any exchange office with a big “0% commission” sign — the “commission” is baked into the bad rate.
Airport exchange offices (except for a small emergency amount).
Hotel front desk exchange (poor rate).
Euronet ATMs (blue/yellow, everywhere in tourist areas) — often 10-15% worse rate than bank ATMs.

Cards — what works

Visa, Mastercard, American Express are all widely accepted. Discover and JCB are hit-or-miss.

Best cards for travel:

Revolut — free EUR/CZK conversion at interbank rate, in-app spending controls.
Wise (formerly TransferWise) — similar to Revolut, physical debit card ~£7 to order.
Chase Sapphire Preferred (US) — no foreign transaction fees.
Capital One Venture (US) — same.
Any credit card without FX fees works.

Dynamic Currency Conversion — always decline

When you pay by card at a terminal, some Czech terminals will ask if you want to pay in your home currency instead of CZK. This is DCC and the rate offered is always worse than your bank’s rate (often 5-8% worse).

Always pay in CZK. Not USD, not EUR, not GBP. If the terminal defaults to your home currency, cancel and re-tap while explicitly choosing CZK.

Tipping in CZK

See our tipping guide for the full breakdown. Summary:

Restaurants: 10% (round up if paying cash).
Taxis: round up.
Hotels: 50 CZK for a porter.

Fake notes and coins

Counterfeit 200 and 500 Kč notes exist but are uncommon. Look for the watermark (Comenius or Palacký) and the security thread. Any exchange office of a reputable bank will give real notes; street-changer scams (very rare in 2026) can involve fake notes.

Getting rid of leftover koruna

The koruna is not accepted at most airport exchanges outside of Central Europe. Options:

Spend it at the airport (Duty-Free accepts CZK).
Exchange at Prague Airport (poor rate but functional).
Save for a return trip.
Convert via Revolut/Wise before you leave.

Currency history — a bit of trivia

The Czech koruna was introduced in 1993 after the peaceful split of Czechoslovakia. Before that (1919-1993), Czechoslovakia used the Czechoslovak koruna. Before that (1892-1918), Austro-Hungarian krone. The word “koruna” means “crown” — a currency name shared with Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland.

Gear for handling money on the trip

Zero Grid RFID travel wallet — organizes CZK notes, cards, and passport. RFID blocking protects contactless cards from skimming.
Eagle Creek silk money belt — for the emergency stash of larger CZK notes and passport backup.
Pocketalk S translator — for negotiating exchange rates or explaining “koruny prosím, ne dolary” (koruna please, not dollars) at DCC prompts.

FAQ

Do they use Euros in Prague?

No — the local currency is Czech koruna. Some tourist-focused restaurants accept euros at a poor exchange rate; use koruna.

When will Czech Republic join the Euro?

No firm date. Czechia is required by EU treaty to eventually adopt the euro, but there is no political consensus or fixed deadline. Not expected before 2030.