ATMs in Kraków and the DCC trap
Withdrawing from an ATM is usually the cheapest way to get złoty — on one condition: you must explicitly refuse 'dynamic currency conversion'. If you accept, the machine will charge you 5-12% on top, just for showing your balance in euro. Here is the 90-second guide.
Updated: 2026-04-14
DCC — what it is
Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) is an option that an ATM (or a restaurant card terminal) offers you when it detects your card is issued in a currency other than złoty. It asks: 'do you want us to convert this to your home currency at our rate?'. Sounds helpful — it's a trap.
The DCC rate is always worse than the Visa/Mastercard rate your own bank will use if you let the transaction settle in złoty. The gap is usually 5-12%. On a 500 zł withdrawal that's 25-60 zł handed to the ATM operator for nothing.
How to refuse
After entering your PIN and amount, the ATM will show a screen with two options:
- 'With conversion' / 'I accept the rate of X EUR' — click NO. This is DCC.
- 'Without conversion' / 'Continue in PLN' — click YES. This is what you want.
Good and bad ATMs
Safe (low fees, fair DCC): PKO BP, Pekao, Santander, mBank, ING, Millennium. These are real Polish bank ATMs. Choosing 'continue in PLN' works.
Avoid: Euronet (yellow-blue), Cashzone, ATM 24 and any standalone machine on a sidewalk without a bank lobby. They default to DCC and often have screens designed to make refusing it confusing.
Your own bank's fees
Regardless of which ATM, your home bank may charge its own foreign withdrawal fee. Typically 1-3% or a flat 3-5 EUR. Check this before you leave. Fintech cards (Revolut, Wise, N26) usually allow the first 200-400 EUR per month with no fee — for a Kraków trip that is often enough.