Cash or card in Prague — what do locals actually use?

Prague runs comfortably on card, and locals use contactless payment for almost everything — groceries, restaurants, metro top-ups at staffed windows, bars. Visa and Mastercard are accepted essentially everywhere in the city center and in most neighborhood shops outside it. That said, carry a small amount of Czech koruna in cash: some market stalls, a handful of old-school pubs in Žižkov or Vinohrady, and the occasional taxi driver still prefer it. The single biggest trap for visitors is dynamic currency conversion — when a terminal asks whether you want to pay in koruna or your home currency, always choose koruna, or you'll pay a punishing exchange rate set by the merchant. Avoid airport and Old Town square exchange booths entirely; if you need cash, withdraw from a Raiffeisen or Česká spořitelna ATM and decline their offered conversion. Budget roughly 500-1,000 CZK in your pocket and you'll cover the few cash-only situations without carrying unnecessary currency.

Trip Friend knows Prague cold.

Plan a real trip there, and Trip Friend can answer every follow-up — with your dates, your style, and your places baked into the conversation.

• Where do locals actually go for aperitivo in Prague?
• Where do locals drink coffee in Prague?
• What does a local breakfast look like in Prague?
• Where is the street food in Prague actually good?
• Where can I eat after midnight in Prague?
• How do I get from the airport to the city in Prague?