cash or card in Krakow

[polishhendo]

I'm visiting Krakow next month and not sure what's the best form to take money in. Before now I've only visited countries that use euro/dollars (so carried cash and retained leftover spending money) and I've also only travelled with family or a few friends.

However, there are 20 of us going as part of a hen do, so I'm expecting to be buying drinks in sizeable rounds.

My question for the experienced travellers is do I just bring cash, or do I use my credit card? I've heard people using monza cards but I have no experience with them so would appreciate any advice/guidance, so I avoid unnecessary charges etc.

Thanks!

I visited last October and paid card everywhere(including small private run car parks). They even have the option to pay in gbp. Can't help at all with regards to monzo, sorry.

Did you pay by credit card or just debit card? Also were there a lot of transactional charges incurred using card?

if you get a chase card, it pegs to the exchange rate at the time of transaction, and no charges. So you can see on the app straightaway how much it charged in sterling. You need to set up and account with them but it's good.

Card is everywhere. I used revolut so no charges of any kind.

If you have the right card there won't be transaction charges.

But always pay in local currency otherwise the exchange rate will almost certainly be poor.

Card

Definitely pay in local currency.

Monzo is good, my husband has one, it's just like a bank account except with no fees for foreign transactions, there are other card options that will do the same thing. If you use your normal bank card issued by one of the main British banks, I'm thinking Barclays/Halifax, they will charge you a foreign currency transaction fee every time you use it outside of the UK. Also when you pay whilst in Krakow it usually gives you 2 options, choose pay in zloty, it will cost you more if you chose the pay in GBP option. This approach works just as well in the euro zone, a lot people don't really bother taking out cash any more.

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Cards are fine but check the fees, the link here lists the best offers. When I went to Poland I took cash, exchanged at M&S - as Poland is cheaper than I expected, I had to change some background on return... 😂

A fee free debit card means you can also take out cash at an ATM in Poland ( there will be fees and interest on a credit card). I have a Chase account now and have used that abroad no problem, it's great

My debit card was brilliant in Poland but it doesn't have any fees. I paid in local currency (this is usually the cheaper option but you do need to check the specific fees for your card - my friend's card was cheaper to pay in GBP for certain amounts because of the fee structure for her card).