Just landed - wondering what gives the better rate in Slovakia: ATM withdrawal or airport exchange counter?
In Slovakia, ATMs almost always give a better rate than the airport exchange counters. Bratislava Airport kiosks often advertise “0% commission,” but the rate they use is poor. ATMs from Slovenská Sporiteľňa, Tatra Banka, or VÚB Bank track closer to the market euro rate. If you’re budgeting €60-80 daily for meals, trams, and attractions like Bratislava Castle or a Danube boat tour, using ATMs stretches your money much further. Keep the airport desk only for a token €10-20 to cover transport, then switch to city ATMs for the best deal.
I arrived with only USD and changed some at the airport - regretted it right away. I got around 0.88 instead of 0.93, which added up. Used my Mastercard later at a Tatra banka ATM and chose to decline the conversion - much better result. If you’ve got a good travel card, definitely stick to ATMs at actual banks. Only use the airport for emergency small exchanges like bus fare or snacks.
I tested both during my trip. At Bratislava Airport, the exchange booth had a noticeable markup - around 6% over the interbank rate. The ATM (OTP Bank) gave me the option to “Decline Conversion,” and when I compared the rate to XE, it was only off by about 1%. I always recommend using ATMs from Slovenská sporiteľňa, VÚB, or Tatra banka instead of changing cash at the airport. Just be sure to avoid any machine pushing Dynamic Currency Conversion.
When I arrived, I exchanged €50 at the airport just to cover a cab and snacks. The rate wasn’t great - very tourist-oriented pricing. Once in the city, I withdrew cash from a VÚB ATM using my Wise card and declined conversion - the rate was much closer to mid-market and had no hidden fees. I’d suggest only using the airport exchange counter for small amounts and relying on bank ATMs for the rest.
I landed in Bratislava in May and made the mistake of exchanging €100 at the airport counter - lost around €7 just on the rate and commission. Later used a Slovenská sporiteľňa ATM in the city, declined conversion, and got a much better deal. If your card has low or no foreign fees, ATM withdrawals from bank branches beat airport counters hands down. Just avoid the Euronet ones - high fees and shady rates.