Trap #1: Exchange offices in Prague (and how they get you)

This is one of the most common mistakes people make in Prague.

You arrive.
You have euros.
You need Czech crowns.

So you walk into the first exchange office you see near Old Town Square.

Seems reasonable.

It’s not.

The trick (it’s not what you think)

They don’t “scam” you in an obvious way.

No one runs away with your money.

They just give you a terrible rate.

You’ll see signs like:

• “0% commission”
• “Best rate”

Looks safe.

But the real game is here:
👉 the rate itself is where they take the money

How bad can it get?

I’ve seen people lose:

• 20%
• sometimes even more

In about 2 minutes.

And the worst part?

They walk out thinking everything is fine.

This is one of the most common traps we explain on our tours.

The guy outside

If someone is standing outside the exchange office:

• smiling
• waving you in
• maybe speaking your language

That’s not hospitality.

That’s step one.

What I tell people on my tours

Before you hand over any money, ask one simple question:

👉 “How much will I get?”

Not the rate.
The actual final amount. If they hesitate, change the number, or suddenly become less friendly — leave.

Places that are actually fine

If you really need cash, these are solid options in the center:

• Exchange.cz (Kaprova, Old Town / Josefov)
  → very close to the Astronomical Clock, consistently fair
• Alfa Prague (Náměstí Republiky, near Palladium)
  → good rates, especially for EUR/USD
• Nekázanka Exchange (New Town, near Příkopy)
  → one of the better ones locals actually use
• Exchange (Na Můstku, bottom of Wenceslas Square)
  → small, but reliable

These places don’t try to be clever.

Which is exactly what you want.

We show people exactly where to go — and where not to.

One useful thing most people don’t know

If you realize right after the exchange that the deal was bad:

👉 you have up to 3 hours to cancel it (by law, up to ~1000 EUR)

Most tourists don’t know this.

The exchange offices do.

Simple rule

If it’s:

• right in the middle of Old Town
• looks too easy
• or someone is inviting you in

Take a breath and walk 5 minutes further.

Prices change fast in Prague once you leave the main square.Final thought

Prague isn’t dangerous.

But it is very efficient at separating visitors from their money — if they’re in a hurry.

If something feels slightly off, it usually is.If you’d rather skip the guesswork and just get Prague explained properly:

→ See tours