Exchanging pounds to złoty in Kraków: where to change GBP, which notes are accepted and what to check
Bringing sterling to Kraków? How to read the GBP rate, why to wait until you arrive, what to do with old paper notes and where to exchange near the Main Square.
In short: Poland’s currency is the złoty (PLN), and you will need it for anything you pay for in cash. If you are bringing sterling, exchange it in Kraków rather than at home or at the airport. Look at the buy rate next to GBP, compare it with the mid-market rate on your phone, and ask how many złoty you will receive before you hand over your notes. Exchange Kantor Black Sheep at Floriańska 37 buys and sells pounds with 0% commission.
Kraków is one of the most popular city breaks from the UK, and pounds are one of the three currencies we exchange every day, alongside euros and US dollars. This guide collects the questions British visitors ask most often at the counter.
Cash or card: how much sterling to bring
You can pay by card or phone almost everywhere in Kraków: restaurants, shops, ticket machines, taxis and most museums. For those payments the only rule is to choose PLN when the terminal asks which currency to charge. The reason is explained in our guide to paying in PLN and dynamic currency conversion.
Cash is still useful for market stalls, some craft sellers, tips, public toilets and the occasional bar with a “cash only” sign. Many visitors bring a modest amount of sterling in notes, exchange part of it on the first day and keep the rest as a reserve. That avoids both ATM fees and a wallet full of złoty on the flight home.
Why it pays to wait until you are in Kraków
Exchange offices earn their money on the gap between the rate at which they buy a currency and the rate at which they sell it. That gap, the spread, is narrow for currencies an office trades all day and wide for currencies it rarely sees.
In the UK the złoty is a minor currency, so the spread at a high-street bureau or an airport desk tends to be wide. In Kraków it is the other way round: pounds arrive every day, offices compete for them, and you can compare several boards within a few minutes’ walk. Airports are the exception in both countries. They rarely compete on the rate, so if you need złoty for the first hour, the airport train ticket can be bought by card.
How to read the GBP rate
Every board shows two numbers next to the pound.
- Buy (kupno, “we buy”): the office buys pounds from you. This is your rate when you arrive with sterling.
- Sell (sprzedaż, “we sell”): the office sells pounds to you. This applies when you want sterling back.
The buy rate is always the lower one. An example with made-up numbers: if the board shows GBP 5.19 / 5.28, then for £200 you receive 200 × 5.19 = 1,038 złoty. The difference between the two numbers, here 0.09 PLN, is the spread, and it tells you more about an office than any slogan in the window. Our current rates are always on the home page, and the full explanation is in the guide to buy and sell rates.
A one-minute check that works anywhere:
- Search “GBP PLN” on your phone to see the mid-market rate.
- A fair buy rate is a little below that number. A few groszy below is good. Tens of groszy below means keep walking.
- Ask: “I have £200. How many złoty will I get?” Hand over your notes only after you hear the answer.
Which pound notes can be exchanged
Not every pound note can be exchanged abroad, so it is worth checking your wallet before you travel. The quick test: look for the words “Bank of England” at the top of the note.
These are the pound notes we exchange: Bank of England polymer notes, with either the King or the late Queen.
- Current Bank of England polymer notes (£5, £10, £20, £50), with either King Charles III or Queen Elizabeth II, are the standard and are accepted without questions.
- Old paper Bank of England notes are no longer legal tender. The paper £20 and £50 were withdrawn at the end of September 2022. Many exchange offices refuse them. We buy withdrawn notes after you contact us first, at a rate agreed individually. Details are in our guide to damaged and withdrawn banknotes.
- Scottish and Northern Irish notes are issued by commercial banks, not by the Bank of England, and are not traded internationally. We do not exchange them, and neither do most offices outside the UK. If that is what your cash machine gave you, swap the notes for Bank of England ones at a bank in the UK before you fly. The same applies to notes from Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar.
- Coins are generally not exchanged abroad. Bring notes.
- Torn, taped or written-on notes can be a problem at any office. If a note is damaged, contact us first.
Where to exchange pounds near the Main Square
Our office is at Floriańska 37, on the pedestrian street that runs from the Main Square to St. Florian’s Gate. From St. Mary’s Basilica it is under two minutes on foot. Look for the black board with the black sheep and the buy and sell rates for EUR, USD and GBP.
We are open Monday to Friday 09:30–20:30 and Saturday 10:00–20:30, and closed on Sunday. Step-by-step directions are in the guide on how to find the exchange office near the Main Square, and evening and weekend details are in the guide to exchanging money late and on Saturday.
At the counter the exchange takes a minute or two. You say how many pounds you want to exchange, hear the amount in złoty, and receive a receipt with your cash. For everyday amounts no document is needed; ID is required by law only from the equivalent of 15,000 euros.
Larger amounts
If you are exchanging a larger sum, for example for a deposit, a purchase or a long stay, ask about the wholesale rate. Our indicative wholesale rates are shown on the home page for amounts of about 1,000 euros in value, and they are narrowest on weekdays between 9:00 and 17:00, when the Polish currency market is open. Confirm and reserve the rate by phone or WhatsApp at +48 889 505 057 before you come.
Changing złoty back to pounds
Leftover złoty can be changed back before you leave. This time the sell rate applies, the higher of the two numbers. Because you pay the spread once in each direction, the cheapest approach is not to exchange more than you expect to spend. Small leftovers are often better spent on the last coffee or kept for the next trip, since coins cannot be exchanged.
Three things to avoid
- Airport desks, in the UK and in Poland, for anything more than pocket money.
- ATMs that offer to charge your card in pounds. Decline the conversion and take the cash in PLN.
- A window with one attractive number. If only one rate is displayed, or the board shows other currencies next to a £ symbol, ask for the amount in złoty first. More examples are in our guide on avoiding exchange scams in Kraków.
Summary
- Bring Bank of England polymer notes, not coins. We do not exchange Scottish or Northern Irish notes, so swap them in the UK before you travel.
- Exchange in Kraków, not at home or at the airport.
- Your rate is the buy rate, the lower number next to GBP.
- Ask for the amount in złoty before handing over your notes.
- Floriańska 37, 0% commission, both rates displayed, open until 20:30 Monday to Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I exchange pounds for złoty in Kraków?
At an exchange office (kantor) in the city. Exchange Kantor Black Sheep at Floriańska 37, under two minutes from the Main Square, buys and sells British pounds with 0% commission and shows both rates on its board and website.
Is it better to exchange pounds in the UK or in Poland?
For cash it is usually better to wait until you are in Poland. The złoty is a minor currency in the UK, so the gap between buy and sell rates there tends to be wide. In a Polish city centre you can compare several boards in a few minutes.
Which rate applies when I have pounds and want złoty?
The buy rate. Rates are quoted from the exchange office's point of view, so the office buys your pounds. It is the lower of the two numbers shown next to GBP.
Can I exchange old paper £20 or £50 notes in Kraków?
Paper Bank of England notes are no longer legal tender and many offices refuse them. Exchange Kantor Black Sheep buys withdrawn and damaged banknotes after you contact the office first, at a rate agreed individually.
Do you accept Scottish or Northern Irish banknotes?
No. We exchange Bank of England notes only. Notes issued by Scottish and Northern Irish banks are not exchanged internationally, so swap them for Bank of England notes at a bank in the UK before you travel.
Can I pay in pounds in Kraków?
No. Poland's currency is the złoty (PLN). A few tourist businesses may accept foreign cash at their own rate, but you should expect to pay in złoty or by card.
Written from the counter of a currency exchange office at Floriańska 37 in Kraków. General information, not financial advice. Rates in examples are illustrative; current rates are on our home page.