The Mini-Guide To Krakow Currency

Which Currency Will I Need When Visiting Kraków?

The currency used in Kraków and all over Poland is the Polish Złoty, represented by the code PLN or symbol zł. “Złoty” can be translated to “golden” in English and is pronounced more like “zwoty” due to the Polish letter “ł” being pronounced like the English “w”. One Złoty can be broken down into one-hundred grosze (gr).

Top Tips & Must Know Info:

Kraków is incredibly good value as a holiday destination. That said foreign currency can be a little confusing and as local guides we’ve heard from a lot of tourists who’ve been ripped off by awful conversion rates or excess fees. To help you dodge the banana skins and make everything simple, we’ve put together an awesome little mini-guide to everything you need to know.

How Strong Is The Zloty? 

As a rough rule of thumb £1 is worth around 5zł but the rate can obviously vary. We’ve embedded a live currency widget below to give you a more accurate picture of Krakow currency.

For an idea of spending power, a pint of beer averages around 10zł with a range between 5zł and 15zł depending on the establishment. You can find a more in-depth summary of Krakow prices here.

The short answer is rarely and it’s best not to. A few bars and tourist companies in Kraków and Warsaw will accept Euros but most of the time you won’t be able to pay with Euros in Poland. The few companies that do accept Euro probably won’t be able to give a very competitive rate, so it’s better to simply pay in Złoty. It’s the same for other currencies like GBP or USD. 

Contactless card payments are accepted in the vast majority of shops, bars and restaurants in Kraków and it’s far easier than messing around with unfamiliar notes and coins.

That said you’ll still want to have some cash. It’s handy when paying in groups for meals or for activities. Some bars in the Jewish district will be cash only and you’ll definitely want cash if visiting the local food or souvenir markets. If planning on using public transport it’s also a good idea to have some coins on you. 

Currency Exchanges In Kraków: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

A cash exchange in Krakow is often known as “Kantor”. Be aware, there are some excellent currency exchanges and some awful ones. Check the daily exchange rate online and look for something close to that. Be wary of any place that has a big difference between the price they buy and the price they sell at. 

The best currency exchanges are on Sławkowska street which is next to Krakow’s main square and in Galeria Krakowska which is the huge shopping center attached to the central train and bus stations. Sławkowska has a number of kantors which means you can quickly shop around for the best rate on the day. These guys also speak good English, so it’s easy to exchange for Krakow currency at either. 

Late night currency exchanges usually give terrible rates and are best avoided, in an emergency this one is the best of a bad bunch: https://kantor24.krakow.pl/ 

Avoid using exchanges: 

Using ATM’s (Cash Machines)

ATM’s are an easy way to take cash out and they’re super easy to find in Krakow. You do just need to be aware of a couple of things. There are bank ATM’s and there are Euronet ATM’s. Euronets can really rip you off by tricking you into taking out too much cash and choosing a terrible guaranteed rate. The video below explains it nicely:

So when it comes to using ATM’s they are a great option for getting cash but:

Using Bank Cards in Kraków

When paying by card, always choose to pay in the local currency rather than accepting a guaranteed conversion rate. It’s very rare that your own bank will give you a worse rate than the guaranteed rate. It might be worth checking what your bank charges for using cards overseas.

Safety-wise paying by card seems very safe. The only notorious card scams we’re aware of involve certain Gentlemen’s clubs, which obviously isn’t something of concern for most tourists. Anyone organising a stag-do though should seriously look that one up. 

If you’ve not got one already, Revolut travel cards are simply awesome.  This is what we use when travelling abroad and they make everything so much easier.

Using Cash in Kraków: Polish Notes and Coins

Polish złoty notes are relatively logical whereas the coins, especially smaller coins, can be incredibly frustrating. A single grosz for example is only worth something like £0.002.

The quirk of this is that shops find it hard to keep stocked with coins so you get a war between shopkeepers desperately trying to keep hold of change and shoppers not wanting to spend ages digging through wallets looking for coins.

Be amusingly warned. Trying to pay for a packet of gum with a 200zł note at a till run by a little old Polish grandma is like challenging an ‘in-his-prime’ Mike Tyson for his belt. A painful experience that probably won’t result in you walking away with what you wanted.

Worried You’ve Been Overcharged? Get a Receipt

It’s the law in Poland that you must be offered a receipt when purchasing something. If you’re concerned about being overcharged and didn’t get a receipt you absolutely can demand one.  

That’s A Lot of Info… What Would Us Locals Do?

If I were travelling to Kraków from another country, I would use a travel card (e.g Revolut) to pay for pretty much everything. My normal bank card I’d leave in the hotel or apartment so long as they seemed secure. That way I could never lose all of my cards at once and be left without a card while abroad. In addition, Krakow currency is a bit tricky especially with conversions, so travel cards take that kind of hassle away entirely. Also, before leaving for the holiday I’d make sure that I have data available in Poland to access mobile banking.

I’d also either bring a little bit of my own currency and exchange it in one of the Sławkowska street currency exchanges or take out cash from a non-Euronet ATM. Also, if you intend on using the local trams or buses I’d break a note early in order to have some coins.

If I had booked any pay-on-arrival activities, especially for a big group, I would check early on with the company whether cash was required. If it was I’d either exchange the required amount before coming or bring cash in my own currency and exchange it on Sławkowska.

Thanks For Reading! 

If we missed anything or you have a question feel free to get in touch with us. If this was helpful feel free to check out our other content like The Best 5 Star Hotels in Krakow or Where To Stay in Krakow