Entry requirements, vaccines & more...
Prague is an easy city to visit, with one weak spot: money. Rip-off exchange offices and cash machines that overcharge are the most common scam in town. Here are the basics, and how to pay without losing out.
🛂 Entry requirements
- From the EU: the Czech Republic is in the Schengen Area. A valid national ID card or passport is all you need.
- From outside the EU: citizens of the UK, the US, Canada and most of Latin America don't need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days in the Schengen Area. Check the rules for your country before you travel.
- Biometric registration (EES): if you're not an EU citizen, your fingerprints and photo are taken at the border on your first entry into Schengen. Allow a little extra time at the airport.
- Insurance: EU citizens can use their European Health Insurance Card. Everyone else should travel with travel insurance.
💱 The currency: koruna, not euros
The Czech Republic is in the EU but doesn't use the euro. Everything is priced in Czech koruna (CZK), also called crowns. Some places in the centre accept euros, but at a poor rate and with change given in koruna.
💳 Ways to pay, from best to worst
1. Card or phone · the best option
Card and contactless phone payments are accepted almost everywhere: restaurants, shops, museums, public transport and even many beer halls and market stalls.
- ✅ Your bank's exchange rate, with no cash to carry
- ✅ Works for public transport through the official app
- ❌ Some banks charge foreign transaction fees: use a fee-free card (Wise, Revolut, N26 or similar)
2. Bank cash machines · if you need cash
Withdraw money from Czech bank machines, ideally inside a branch or on its front wall: Česká spořitelna, ČSOB, Komerční banka or Raiffeisenbank.
- When the machine offers a "guaranteed" rate or conversion into your currency, decline it and choose to be charged in koruna.
- Take out medium-sized amounts in one go to keep your bank's fixed fees down.
3. Exchange offices · handle with care
If you've brought euros in cash, you can exchange them, but many exchange offices in the centre make their living by misleading tourists.
- "0% commission" means nothing: the profit is hidden in the rate.
- The big rate on the board may apply only to huge amounts, or may be the rate at which they buy, not the one you get. Always ask: "Exactly how many koruna will I get for 100 euros?", and ask to see it in writing before you hand over your money.
- Compare: a fair rate is very close to the official one (around CZK 24 to the euro). If you're offered 18 or 19, walk away.
- Avoid the exchange offices on Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Karlova Street and at the airport.
4. Changing money on the street · never
If someone approaches you offering "a better rate than the office", it's a guaranteed scam: you'll be handed old notes that are no longer valid, or another country's currency, such as Hungarian forints or Bulgarian leva.
🧾 Taxes and charges
🏨 Tourist tax
Accommodation in Prague charges CZK 50 (≈ €2) per person per night. Sometimes it's included in the price; sometimes it's collected on arrival.
🛍️ Tax-free shopping
If you live outside the EU, you can reclaim part of the VAT on purchases over CZK 2,001 (≈ €82) made in the same shop on the same day. Ask for a tax-free form when you pay, and get the goods stamped at airport customs before you check in.
💡 Everyday tips
- Tipping: in restaurants it's usual to round up or leave around 10%. Tell the server the total when you pay ("make it 500") rather than leaving it on the table. If service is already on the bill, there's no need to add more.
- Check the bill: in tourist areas, things you didn't order sometimes appear, such as bread, a "cover charge" or snacks placed on the table without asking.
- Notes: they come in CZK 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000. Ask for small notes: small places don't like breaking 2,000s and 5,000s.
- Public toilets: many cost CZK 10–20, so keep a few coins handy.
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