Upon arrival in the Czech Republic, it is best to leave your current home bank account open. It is recommended to bring a credit card in case of emergency, and to use a debit card to access your home account from abroad. It is important to inform your home bank of your travel plans before departure, so that you can find out what your weekly withdrawal limit is and if any charges apply. Bank charges usually apply for foreign withdrawals, and the amount depends on individual banks and their terms. There are many large banks with 24 hour ATM machines throughout the city.

It is easy to open a Czech bank account. This can be done with just a passport. There is usually no minimum balance that must be kept in an account and monthly fees amount to around 4 US dollars. The major banks in the Czech Republic are HVB, KB, Citibank, Raiffeisen and GE Money Bank. Once you open an account the bank will give you a debit card. You are then free to deposit and withdraw money from your Czech account. You may also transfer money from your US account to your Czech account, or vice versa.

By opening an online account with your home bank, you can view your accounts and activity as often as you like to monitor your spending. Many banks offer free online services.