Money on Tour

Euro Banknotes

A question I am always asked is, “How much extra money should I bring?”  I always answer that it is according to how much money you plan to spend.

You will need money for lunch each day (breakfasts and dinners are included), beverages at mealtimes, snacks, and souvenirs, in addition to public transportation and entrance fees for any activities during your free time. Most tour companies recommend budgeting approximately $50 per day.  If you spend less, great!

You will also need to bring tour director and bus driver tip money separately.  We recommend $6 per day for the tour director (that’s 9 days x $6=$54) and $3 per day for the bus driver (9 days x $3=$27) and $1-$2 for any local guides.  Our itinerary shows 4 city guided tours.  I would recommend using small denomination local currency to tip a local guide and each person will do that individually as you wish. I will collect the tour director and bus driver tips toward the end of the tour and present to them at one of our last meals.  It is not necessary to tip at provided meals on our tour, as that is included in the package.  But if you were to enjoy a sit-down meal at any other time, tipping is a good idea.  Also be aware that some restrooms may have attendants and a tip is expected, so carrying coins is a good idea.

I also recommend having some of the local currency in hand when we arrive at our first country destination, which would be Berlin, Germany.  We are lucky that Germany is using the euro.  You may have some that you have left over from previous trips, or several friends may want to go together and exchange for some euros before we leave to save money on the transaction fees.  Check with you bank.

I wish I could say that using money on this trip will be a breeze…but I can’t.  That’s because all four countries use a different currency.  Just think of it as another unique experience. As I said previously, Germany does use the euro, as does Slovakia, the country we drive through on Day 8—which means don’t get rid of all your euros when we leave Germany, because you will need lunch, and perhaps a souvenir or snack that day.

The currency used in the Czech Republic is the Czech crown (koruna) abbreviated as Kč or CZK.  Although the Czech Republic is part of the European Union, the euro is not widely accepted there.  If some stores or restaurants do accept euros, they probably will not do so with a very good exchange rate.  1 CZK is approximately 4 EUR/6USD.  The currency is divided into coins and banknotes.

Poland uses the złoty, pronounced zwo-teh, which is divided into 100 grosze, pronounced grosh-eh, also found in coins and banknotes.  1 zloty is approximately .32 cents in US dollars.  Poland, too, is a member of the European Union, but still does not use the euro with no near date in sight when it will start.

The official currency used in Hungary is the forint (Ft or HUF).  1 USD is approximately 226 HUF, and 1 EUR is about 296 HUF and is available in coins and banknotes.  Although part of the European Union, Hungary also does not use the euro.

If you happen to be able to use the euro to make a purchase in any of these three countries, you would probably get change back in the country’s own currency and usually at a very high exchange rate.  So you would be wiser to use the currency of the country.

The above currency values are a general estimate as values fluctuate.  To see the most current values, go to XE Currency Converter or to Oanda Currency Converter.

ATMs

It is not necessary to convert all your cash to all the difference currencies before you leave the U.S.  ATM machines are readily accessible in all countries.  Your best bet would be to pull out as much as you need in that country at one time, rather than multiple draws of small amounts as there is a fee for each withdrawal.  It is also advisable to take care withdrawing cash from ATM machines to obstruct the view of your fingers dialing your PIN to protect from any thefts.  You also might want to double check and make sure your ATM card works before leaving on the tour, and make sure you have sufficient funds in your checking account before you leave.

CREDIT CARDS

Many businesses readily accept credit cards, with MasterCard and Visa preferred over American Express.  There may be overseas transaction fees that you may want to ask about before you travel.  And be sure to notify your credit card company of the countries and dates you will be traveling so they will know to expect these transactions.  A good credit card company will cut off a credit card line of credit if not notified prior to using it in a foreign country.

CASH

If you bring US dollars to exchange for foreign currency, then you must locate a bank or exchange kiosk--likewise when we leave a country and need to exchange one foreign currency for another.  But we need not worry about where to do so as the tour director will be aware of the need and will advise us as to the best place to do so.

Travelers checks are not recommended as it is difficult to find a place to cash them, and most businesses will not accept them.