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Using credit cards or ATM's in Prague

RS advises not to let your credit card out of sight at restaurants in particular. Do most restaurants in Prague have cashiers for paying the check or is it better to pay in cash? If so, what do people recommend to minimize fees -- ATM's, travelers checks, taking Koruna's from the US, ...?

Posted by
8 posts

I used ATM to get latest exchange rate. I didn't use a credit card, but a debit/credit card for all cash I needed. Make sure you let your bank know ahead of time that you will be in Prague. Some banks will freeze your card until you resolve it with them over phone. Especially if they have the country in question noted as a hotspot for fraud. But yeah I got the best rate withdrawing to czech crowns via atm. Didn't use my cards really, but had them for emergencies.

Don't change money at hotels or bars you'll be sorry.

Posted by
658 posts

Use the ATMs inside the bank or make a counter transaction with your debit card. Some restaurants in Prague will request you accompany the waiter/waitress as they process your card in a restaurant, most don't. So the answer is to pay in cash. Make one ATM withdrawal a day and ensure you have enough cash to cover 24 hours. There are a lot of honest people in Prague, but sadly there are also plenty of the other sort and it's getting worse.

Posted by
25 posts

I agree with Steve and JB. Many places would not take credit cards, so we were forced to save the 3% fee our VISA card now charges on every foreign transaction. We used the ATM everywhere.

Posted by
12040 posts

But Prague is still relatively cheap, so paying by cash is not unreasonable. In many of the restaurants in Europe (even the East), waitresses and waiters will swipe your card with a portable reader. Your card need never leave your sight.