Cross-border shopping? Czech crown hits three-year high against Polish zloty

Czechia’s currency is trading at its strongest levels against the Polish zloty in three years, improving purchasing power for Czech shoppers and travelers heading north.

The koruna strengthened to CZK 5.53 per zloty Friday, according to CitFin analyst Miroslav Novák. By approximately 10 a.m. Tuesday, the rate stood at CZK 5.56. In March last year, one zloty cost more than six korunas.

“Czech tourists traveling around Poland can afford to treat themselves a little more,” Investika analyst Vít Hradil told ČTK.

The stronger currency could particularly encourage cross-border purchases of furniture, building materials and other higher-value goods. Hradil said it should also help reduce the cost of Polish imports sold in Czech shops.

Raiffeisenbank analyst Tereza Krček calculated that the exchange-rate improvement represents savings of approximately CZK 35 on spending previously equivalent to CZK 1,000 at the start of this year. Compared with 2024, the saving could reach CZK 75.

Those gains reflect currency movements; actual savings also depend on Polish prices and the exchange rate offered by a bank or exchange service.

Poland’s central bank completed its interest-rate cutting cycle in March, leaving its benchmark rate at 3.75 percent, according to Purple Trading analyst Petr Lajsek.

That removed the zloty’s previous interest-rate advantage over the koruna, he said. With markets not expecting major changes in Polish monetary policy, Lajsek sees room for further Czech currency gains, although that remains a forecast.

Readers can follow the PLN/CZK exchange rate here.