Cash in Krakow
Mar 14th, 2008, 06:59 AM
#3
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The US dollar and other foreign currency is welcome in Krakow. Local merchants will exchange at a higher rate (you will get less zlotych) than the ATM machine. Check the door postings for accepted credit cards. If in doubt inquire.
Mar 25th, 2008, 08:32 PM
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"The US dollar and other foreign currency is welcome in Krakow. Local merchants will exchange at a higher rate" - NOT true ... even in Krakow ... and if there is someone that would even consider such payment they would see you as a huge sucker but most would think of you as possible scammer. Exchange your currency in Kantor's or bank for local zloty or use ATMs to get local cash (ATMs have at min. English menues) ... cheaper more basic maybe cash only places ...
Mar 25th, 2008, 10:45 PM
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More and more throughout the new European members of the eu (the former Soviet satelite states such as Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary) many merchants take duro and I've seen, for example, many places in Hungary list their prices both in forint and euro...I bought a nice tee shirt in Hungary a couple of years ago, and the price was listed in both forint and euro...the euro prices was €8 and all I had at the time was a €10 bank note..I expected the usual getting change in local currency and was most pleasantly surprised when I was given a €2 coin for my change! The same thing holds true in Krakow..many (not all) merchants and restaurants list prices in both zloty and euro, don't give a particularly bad rate for euro, and will give you change in euro...but I can't say it's a lead pipe certainty for all merchants and restaurants..but don't count on being able to use American currency and if they take it, you'll get slammed big time on the exchange rate.
Mar 25th, 2008, 11:06 PM
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maybe i ate in different places but i don't remember seeing prices quoted in euro in krakow. perhaps the hotel restaurants and major restaurants catering to travellers do. I also do not remember much of anything quoted in euro - all zloty...even tour shops. the only thing quoted in euro was an upgrade at our hotel. the room was originally priced in zloty but the upgrade was quoted in euro. i'm not implying that nobody accepts euros...just saying that i don't think it's as common as it is in some non-euro eu countries.
my opinion is that you cannot get away without acquiring zloty (unless you stay for a very short amount of time) and once you take the step to get local cash, you might as well use it for everything. i prefer to use cash for smaller things in order to minimise opportunities for cc fraud.
my opinion is that you cannot get away without acquiring zloty (unless you stay for a very short amount of time) and once you take the step to get local cash, you might as well use it for everything. i prefer to use cash for smaller things in order to minimise opportunities for cc fraud.
Mar 26th, 2008, 01:42 AM
#8
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Please, All major currencies can be used to pay bills and make purchases in many businesses. Yes, the exchange rate will not be favorable but it will be reasonable. I know one bartender that will take any major currency offered. He is also a buyer of currencies from travellers heading home. Kraków is a major world city. Yes, dealing in złoty is preferred. Kantor (literally a counting-house) is a legal money changer. They post buy and sell rates and deal in many currencies. We had troble finding one in Kraków that could give us Slovak Crowns. Why? Locals had bought them up and were using them to buy liqour across the border.
Mar 27th, 2008, 08:51 AM
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Very true that much is quoted in euro in Poland - so visually looks less ... but your bill will be zloty... Most of better Hotels will have prices just in Euro ... but again check you bill when you get it to see it is all in zloty ...
As for bartenders taking all currencies
sure it's like getting a large tip esspecially after few Do you self a favor and exchange to local currency or use cards where accepted ...
As for bartenders taking all currencies
sure it's like getting a large tip esspecially after few Do you self a favor and exchange to local currency or use cards where accepted ...
Jun 27th, 2008, 10:49 AM
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Our experience (we spent in hotel, a few souvenier shops, some local restaurants as well as the tourist spots on the main square, street vendors, self service laundry--an odd assortment) was prices in zloty only, not Euros. Limited acceptance of credit cards--just the larger and more tourist spots. Plenty of cash machines to withdraw zloty.
Main problem we encountered in Krakow is that everyone wanted coins or very small bills. We would get 50 and 100 PLN bills from cash machine, walk into the neighboring restaurant and order 20PLN worth of food, then be asked, "nothing smaller? than the 50" or similar in Polish. I walked into a bank and the two tellers conferred before agreeing to give me 2 50s for my 100, but nothing smaller. When I asked at the hotel desk for smaller, the clerk looked in her own wallet to try to help.
Main problem we encountered in Krakow is that everyone wanted coins or very small bills. We would get 50 and 100 PLN bills from cash machine, walk into the neighboring restaurant and order 20PLN worth of food, then be asked, "nothing smaller? than the 50" or similar in Polish. I walked into a bank and the two tellers conferred before agreeing to give me 2 50s for my 100, but nothing smaller. When I asked at the hotel desk for smaller, the clerk looked in her own wallet to try to help.
