Is Prague Card-Friendly or Is It Better to Take Cash with You?

The short answer is: yes. Prague is card friendly, but there are some specifics that we have to talk about. That’s why we wrote this summary to help you get your bearings a little bit quicker.

Prague is very card friendly. You will be able to pay by card, both by using the magnetic strip and via a contactless payment (the same goes with paying with your phone), anywhere from shops, theatres, and bars to restaurants and even some markets.

 

But there are a few places in Prague, especially more alternative spaces, that will still ask you to pay in cash. The general rule of thumb is that the larger or more well-known a bar or shop, the more likely they will accept cards.

Another way that Prague is card-friendly is the ATMs. ATMs in Prague accept debit cards backed by:

They will also offer the best rates for exchanging your currency for Czech currency - Czech crown ( česká koruna - CZK ) as long as ATMs are a part of a bank (standalone ATMs sometimes add extra fees).

 

Unlike many physical exchange shops, which have been known to offer very unfair rates, bank ATMs usually charge minimal exchange fees.

 

 

Always make sure that the rates in exchange booths aren’t too big or too good to be true if you decide to use them.

A well-noted problem has been ATM hacks. This new trend sees some of the keypads of ATMs and some of their card slots replaced with new hardware.

 

If your card does not slide smoothly into the slot or the keypad isn’t as responsive as it should be, cancel your transaction and move to a different ATM. It could be that the machine has been tampered with.

As stated before, cash is still widely used in Prague, so it makes sense to have a few thousand crowns withdrawn.

 

With cash, however, come complications of their own, especially if you are looking  for an apartment for rent in Prague and the landlord is asking you to pay in cash.

 

Firstly, Prague is somewhat notorious for its pickpockets. Ensure that wherever you are in Prague, you always have your valuables close to you – not in back pockets or handbags and backpacks.

 

Crowded cafés and bars, as well as squares and public transport, have all been the hunting grounds of pickpockets, so make sure you can always feel your valuables or that you have them securely stashed away.