Currency in other countries

Personally I use my bank card as much as possible. Of course one without fees such as Revolut.

Hi ​@Ovidiu 

I was recently in Prague and I used only my credit/debit cards. But you have a lot of ATM and exchange offices if you need cash unexpectedly.

However I noticed that most transactions were automatically converted in CHF (my cards are issued in Switzerland). Usually you can choose if you want a conversion or pay in local currency.

Most of those exchange offices and ATMs in tourist heavy places such as Prague are rip-offs, do not use them.

If given the option, always pay on card in the local currency, allowing the terminal or ATM to charge your home currency gives them the opportunity to give you a very bad conversion and take a cut of your money.

If you are not given the option to pay in local currency then 100% they are ripping you off.

If you are not given the option to pay in local currency then 100% they are ripping you off.

It may be my card that allows this automatic conversion by default, it has also been done by serious merchants, such as ČD dining cars…

Or it's an old habit of communist countries that only accepted currencies from western countries if you were a tourist.

I've also seen this in Switzerland and the UK… not sure if it's the card, the payment provider or the shop.

When I was in Prague, and also in Switzerland, I always got the choice between paying in local currency or in SEK.