Europe - Where to change US$ to Polish currency?

Visiting Poland, flying in via FRA. Where is it best to change to Zloty? At the airport in FRA, airport at WAW, Hotel, Bank? Thanks all.

Use a debit card when you get to Poland.

The best way is to use the ATM (plenty of them in Poland) or to change your money in the city in a places called "kantor" - also plenty of them but they have no commision and pretty good rates. If you're going to change money in kantor it's better to choose the ones in the city, better rates than at the airport.

Use a debit card when you get to Poland.

Great suggestion but I don't have a debit card.

The best way is to use the ATM (plenty of them in Poland) or to change your money in the city in a places called "kantor" - also plenty of them but they have no commision and pretty good rates. If you're going to change money in kantor it's better to choose the ones in the city, better rates than at the airport.

Will look for a "kantor" close by the IC Warsaw. Thanks.

I changed a small amount (€50) at the airport when I arrived, just to have pocket money, and then as other have said used a kantor in the city. Do watch the rates -- some were quite a bit worse than the others.

Airports and banks are a no-no. A "kantor" is what you need. Plenty of them downtown.

Airports and banks are a no-no. A "kantor" is what you need. Plenty of them downtown.


Thanks all for your very helpful responses. Last question, does it make any difference if I use US$ or Euros? Any preferred currency in Poland?

Thanks all for your very helpful responses. Last question, does it make any difference if I use US$ or Euros? Any preferred currency in Poland?

No, you can change anything, especially in Warsaw.

Change a little bit at the airport - DO NOT change at the IC - even if its a 'kantor' in the hotel. Change outside of the hotel only.

OK, I think all questions are answered. One last time, million thanks to all^

why use kantor instead of an ATM?

why use kantor instead of an ATM?

The kantor offers better rates, definitely. I get my scholarship money in euros and the bank exchange rates are, while definitely better than at the airport ($1=2.5 zł?!), they are still not as good as the rates offered by the kantory. (And I do avail of bank rates fairly regularly.)

Dworzec Centralny has some good kantory: I exchange my money either there or in the area around Centrum and Świętokrzyska. :)

The kantor offers better rates, definitely. I get my scholarship money in euros and the bank exchange rates are, while definitely better than at the airport ($1=2.5 zł?!), they are still not as good as the rates offered by the kantory. (And I do avail of bank rates fairly regularly.)

Dworzec Centralny has some good kantory: I exchange my money either there or in the area around Centrum and Świętokrzyska. :)

i don't understand. at etrade, the atm fee is rebated, and i pay 1% for currency exchange. do kantors offer below official bank rates?

If etrade gives you some sort of card with free withdrawals and just 1% difference from the mid-rate then go for it.

On a side note, Citibank might be worth a look. Accounts in some or possibly all countries allow you to withdraw from Citibank ATMs around the world without paying a fee, and their currency rates are said to be decent.

Dworzec Centralny has some good kantory: I exchange my money either there or in the area around Centrum and Świętokrzyska. :)

Are any of these close to the IC?

In my experience, the best Kantor is easily found at either Galeria Mokotow or Galeria Arkadia. These are two easy to get to large shopping malls (google map them....). The Kantor chain is called "Apollo", and they are open from when the malls open (0900 or 1000 I think) to 2200 at night.

I usually ask the taxi to stop at Mokotow (pronounced "mo-ko-tov") on the way into town - there's a parking bay for taxis and they are happy to wait for you.

The rates are as good as you will get, and they are trustworthy. If you have to change several thousand, ask for a better rate - you can usually get a spread of only 2 points for Euros (i.e a difference of only 1/2 a percent between the buying and selling rates). No commission, of course.

The clerks may not speak great English, but enough to do the job.

And yes, if you change any money with the Kantors at the airport, you deserve the rate that they give you...

D.

Dworzec Centralny has some good kantory: I exchange my money either there or in the area around Centrum and Świętokrzyska. :)

Are any of these close to the IC?

Dworzec Centralny, better known as Warszawa Centralna, is only two minutes on foot from the IC. The underpasses there have kantors with good rates.

Centrum and Świętokrzyska are on the other side of the Palace of Science and Culture: follow the metro construction and you'll be there in no time. There's a very good kantor along Świętokrzyska which I go to quite often: I'll post the address when I get it.

On airport kantors: if you absolutely MUST exchange at the airport, and it's not late at night or early in the morning, go to the Bank Pekao counter at sector A/B (old Terminal 1, at the check-in hall). There's a kantor right across from it: you'll get my point quite quickly as to where you'd want to exchange money when you compare the rates.

Dworzec Centralny, better known as Warszawa Centralna, is only two minutes on foot from the IC. The underpasses there have kantors with good rates.

Centrum and Świętokrzyska are on the other side of the Palace of Science and Culture: follow the metro construction and you'll be there in no time. There's a very good kantor along Świętokrzyska which I go to quite often: I'll post the address when I get it.

On airport kantors: if you absolutely MUST exchange at the airport, and it's not late at night or early in the morning, go to the Bank Pekao counter at sector A/B (old Terminal 1, at the check-in hall). There's a kantor right across from it: you'll get my point quite quickly as to where you'd want to exchange money when you compare the rates.

In my experience, the best Kantor is easily found at either Galeria Mokotow or Galeria Arkadia. These are two easy to get to large shopping malls (google map them....). The Kantor chain is called "Apollo", and they are open from when the malls open (0900 or 1000 I think) to 2200 at night.

I usually ask the taxi to stop at Mokotow (pronounced "mo-ko-tov") on the way into town - there's a parking bay for taxis and they are happy to wait for you.

The rates are as good as you will get, and they are trustworthy. If you have to change several thousand, ask for a better rate - you can usually get a spread of only 2 points for Euros (i.e a difference of only 1/2 a percent between the buying and selling rates). No commission, of course.

The clerks may not speak great English, but enough to do the job.

And yes, if you change any money with the Kantors at the airport, you deserve the rate that they give you...

D.

OK, I got it, thanks a million to everyone. I am on my way and it's duly noted "No changing money at the airport". Right now staying with the kids in Arizona where it is nearly 100 degress. Looking forward to the trip but not looking forward to 47 degrees weather in Warsaw;)

There's a very good kantor along Świętokrzyska which I go to quite often: I'll post the address when I get it.

Okay, the place is located on Świętokrzyska 18, across from the Hotel Warszawa (which is being renovated). The guy is very friendly. :)

Okay, the place is located on Świętokrzyska 18, across from the Hotel Warszawa (which is being renovated). The guy is very friendly. :)

I just got back from there, was easy to find. The woman in there was friendly but spoke no English. In any case, rate was good, transaction was painless and thanks for the tip^

I just got back from there, was easy to find. The woman in there was friendly but spoke no English. In any case, rate was good, transaction was painless and thanks for the tip^

everbody says "the rate was good" how come no one posts the rate and the charge for the transaction? my etrade rate is bank exchange +1%, with no atm fee. this is not like talking about your income or your sex habits, this is useful informat.

No problem, didn't think anyone was interesting since it obviously fluctuates on a daily basis. I exchanged 50 Euro and the receipt states : Euro 50 , Kurs ( guess means rate of exchange ) 4.17, Wartosc ( means Polish currency ? ) 208.50. There were no other charges, at least not printed on the receipt. And I got 208.50 Polish Zloty.
There you have it.

One point to add to it, today's official rate of exchange is : 1 EUR=4.17806 PLN equals 50.00 EUR=208.899 PLN. That's pretty darn unbelievable, IMHO. I can't remember exchanging at any other country where I got such a good deal. Usually it's way off.

Poland is quite good in that respect, that's true.

The day's official exchange rate is fairly meaningless: what counts is the rate at the point in time when you actually made the transaction - the currency fluctuates during the day, potentially quite a lot.

what does give you an indication is the spread - the difference between buying and selling rates. for changing 50 Euros it doesn't really matter too much where you go. The spread should usually be about 1-2% or so.

D.

One point to add to it, today's official rate of exchange is : 1 EUR=4.17806 PLN equals 50.00 EUR=208.899 PLN. That's pretty darn unbelievable, IMHO. I can't remember exchanging at any other country where I got such a good deal. Usually it's way off.

Poland is quite good in that respect, that's true.

The day's official exchange rate is fairly meaningless: what counts is the rate at the point in time when you actually made the transaction - the currency fluctuates during the day, potentially quite a lot.

what does give you an indication is the spread - the difference between buying and selling rates. for changing 50 Euros it doesn't really matter too much where you go. The spread should usually be about 1-2% or so.

D.


What I was trying to say that the "official" rate of exchange is fairly meaningless when exchanging currency, let's say at an airport. What
my bank gives me ratewise for a wire transfer from lets say Euro to Dollar
is quite different than what I can expect to pay at FRA airport or any U.S.
airport for sure. As is the fact for many other currencies. At WAW airport they wanted much more unfavorable rate than what I paid at the Kantor I got recommended.
Remember, we are talking Tourist exchange rates here, not "real" exchange rates. That's why I was pleasantly surprised.

everbody says "the rate was good" how come no one posts the rate and the charge for the transaction? my etrade rate is bank exchange +1%, with no atm fee. this is not like talking about your income or your sex habits, this is useful informat.

I exchanged at that kantor last Tuesday and I got 4.18 zł per euro.

One point to add to it, today's official rate of exchange is : 1 EUR=4.17806 PLN equals 50.00 EUR=208.899 PLN. That's pretty darn unbelievable, IMHO. I can't remember exchanging at any other country where I got such a good deal. Usually it's way off.

It probably helps that said kantor is a stone's throw away from the Narodowy Bank Polski (National Bank of Poland). :D