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Prague currency guide
The Czech Republic uses the koruna and is not switching to the euro. Here is how to pay for things without handing 15 per cent to a middleman.
The currency is the Czech koruna (CZK, written Kč and often called the crown). Notes run from 100 to 2 000 Kč. A useful rough conversion: 25 Kč is about one euro, and 29 Kč is about one pound. For mental arithmetic, divide koruna prices by 25 and you will not be far off.
The euro question, settled
You will read that the Czech Republic is ‘about to’ adopt the euro. It is not. The government ended the annual euro-readiness review in May 2026, closing a process that had run for more than two decades. There is no target date and the matter is treated as politically closed, with the central bank keeping independent monetary policy.
What that means practically: the koruna is what you will be paying in for the foreseeable future, and anywhere quoting prices in euros is doing so as a convenience priced in their favour.
Dynamic currency conversion: the trap in the card machine
This is the most common way visitors lose money in Prague, and it happens in ordinary shops and restaurants rather than anywhere dubious.
When you tap or insert your card, the terminal may ask whether you want to be charged in koruna or in your home currency. Being charged in pounds or euros feels safer — you can see exactly what it costs. That is the point. Choosing your home currency hands the exchange rate to the payment terminal’s provider, and their rate is worse than your own bank’s, typically by several per cent.
Whatever the screen says — ‘pay in GBP’, ‘with conversion’, ‘guaranteed rate’ — choose koruna. Your bank then does the conversion at a rate close to the interbank one. This applies to card machines, ATMs and online.
Cash machines
Use ATMs attached to actual Czech banks — Česká spořitelna, ČSOB and Komerční banka are the big three. The standalone yellow and blue machines in the tourist streets are not banks; they charge high fees and push dynamic currency conversion hard, with a screen designed so that the worse option is the easier button to press.
Decline the machine’s conversion offer, decline its ‘preferred rate’, and withdraw a sensible amount in one go rather than making several small withdrawals.
Illustrative rather than exact — rates move. The pattern is what matters: the same 5 000 koruna can cost you noticeably different amounts depending on one button press.
How much cash do you actually need?
Less than you think. Cards work on public transport, in supermarkets, in almost all restaurants and in most pubs. Carry 1 000–2 000 Kč for the exceptions: Christmas market stalls, the odd traditional pub, tips, and public toilets, which are usually 10–20 Kč and cash-only.
| Situation | Card? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and cafes | Yes | Tipping is easier in cash |
| Public transport tickets | Yes | The PID Litacka app is the cheapest way |
| Christmas markets | Sometimes | Bring cash; queues move faster |
| Traditional pubs | Usually | A few older places are still cash-only |
| Public toilets | No | 10–20 CZK in coins |
| Taxis | Yes | Book through Bolt or Liftago and pay in the app |
One advantage of booking online before you fly: your card is charged at your bank’s rate, with no terminal in the middle offering to ‘help’.
Frequently asked questions
What currency is used in Prague?
The Czech koruna (CZK). Roughly 25 koruna to the euro and 29 to the pound. The country has no plans to adopt the euro — the government closed the readiness review in May 2026.
Can I use euros in Prague?
Some tourist-facing businesses accept them, at an exchange rate set to their advantage. Treat euro acceptance as a warning sign about the venue’s pricing rather than a convenience.
Should I get koruna before I travel?
A small amount is fine for peace of mind, but home-country exchange rates for koruna are usually poor. Withdrawing from a Czech bank ATM on arrival, charged in koruna, is normally better.
What is dynamic currency conversion?
When a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency instead of the local one. It lets the terminal’s provider set the exchange rate, which is always worse than your bank’s. Always choose to be charged in koruna.
Is Prague a cashless city?
Close to it. You can get through a weekend on cards alone, but a small amount of cash makes markets, tips and toilets easier.