I have two weeks before I leave for Prague and I have a question about obtaining Czech currency. I went to American Express today and I asked how much it would cost to get Czech currency. They said there would be a $5 charge per transaction and the rate would be 20.68 CZK per dollar. But when I did additional research, I learned that the going rate as of 3/2/05 was 22.48 CZK per dollar, or about an 8% difference. I then called Wells Fargo and they charge $6.50 per transaction and 19.51 CZK per dollar, or a 13% difference! QUESTION: To get Czech money, is it better to go over to Prague and use an ATM or just pay the fees in the US to have money when I land in Prague? Also, I know what my bank will charge for using an ATM over in Europe. But how much do banks over in Europe charge for travelers to use their ATMs?

Wait until you get to Prague. ATMs are readily available there. We arrived by train and found an ATM within 30 seconds at the station. I assume you'll have no problem at the airport. As far as I know we've never paid a charge for using an ATM at a bank in Europe.

This one is easy. The banks in Europe charge NOTHING for using their ATM's. The only cost you will have is what your bank charges per withdrawal. And I can assure you that the exchange rate will be far better than what you'll pay getting it in advance (as you seem to already have found out). There are plenty of ATMs in Prague. Wait till you get there!

I had a real snafu when I arrived at the Holosevice Station only to find the ATM machine was not working and the money exchange window was closed after 5PM. I ended up exchanging at 4 Krone to the dollar (just enough money to get to the hotel).

Why would you need Koruna beforehand? You can exchange money at the airport. Even if an ATM machine is not working, you can go to any cambio on the street. Do you people really travel? Sheesh. When I was in Praha in July, the rate of exchange was 25K=1US dollar.

Do you have a credit card? It is so much easier to charge everything you can, only using cash for things like the Metro, snacks, taxi, tips.

If you are coming in to Prague by train, you can always exchange money at the train station of the country you are coming from. I have travelled all over Europe by train.

Stop worrying about the small stuff.

I agree with above -- even if the ATM is down or out of money or something at the airport, there are many exchange booths right at the Prague airport and they will give you a better rate than what you are being quoted in the US. So, don't worry unless you arrive in the middle of the night or something. There is something between using an ATM and buying koruna in the US--use USD in cash or TCs. Prague actually has a very competititve money exchange business with good rates.

I always carry a small amount of currency of the country that I am going to with me to get me through the first day required pocket money or part of it. I'd rather pay the small price for that one time exchange rate than worry about figuring out where to get money when I first get to that country. And there are always unexpected situations since after all it is a different country. I bought Koruna from Wells Fargo and when in Czech Republic either used ATM or changed money. If I was travelling there today, I would have used ATM all the time.

I agree with using the ATMs in Prague and if you happen to arrive and the ATM isn't working use an exchange booth to exchange the SMALLEST amount of money possible in order to get yourself to an ATM that is working. And beware of Prague cabs..they can be rip-offs..otherwise the city is wonderful.

Then there's the one about the Czechoslovakian who escaped the Gestapo by sneaking across Germany into France.

He found his way to a safe house and asked if the underground would help him.

&quot;Sorry, can't help you&quot; said the <i>maquisard</i> contact, pointing to a sign: <b>No Czechs cached</b>.

A word of warning on Czech ATMs. Take your money quckly or the machine may take it back. That's what happened to me at atm in lobby of CNB Bank at Namesti Republiky. The bank people couldn't help me because the atm wasn't theirs. May have been an isolated instance, as I never had any other atm problems in Prague.