How long does a bank transfer take?

We often ask how long it takes for a transfer to go through when we forget to make a payment. If we have standing orders set up, we don’t need to worry. We set up a standing order so that the payment is credited to the other party’s account with sufficient advance notice. This is a significant advantage in today’s world of technology. However, with payments we make once a year (such as home insurance), we may simply forget.

Fortunately, in today’s fast-paced world, transferring money takes less and less time and almost everyone knows how to send money to an account. Furthermore, we don’t need to carry cash. We therefore make payments with money we have never seen. Let’s look at how long it takes to transfer money within one bank, between different banks, and what instant and express payments involve.

How long does it take to transfer money within the same bank?

Transferring money within the same bank is the fastest. It takes seconds, or minutes for the slower banks. The reason is that the transfer does not have to go through the interbank system CERTIS, which connects all banks. One bank processes the payment order and transfers money from one account to another, which is also managed by them. Money transfers within the same bank also take place on weekends and public holidays (with a few exceptions).

How long does it take to transfer money in one bank? We will show this in the following table.

Complications can arise in the event of a failure of the bank’s electronic system. However, banks will warn us about this in advance, and it will not last longer than 24 hours.

Transfer to another bank

This depends on the specific banks. Sometimes the order will go through in a few hours, other times it may take up to three days. Generally, banks should transfer money within 24 hours. However, this is not a rule. The transaction can be affected by, for example, the time we submit the order. Some banks send money immediately when we submit the order before noon. Some do so before 8am. Some do not offer this option at all. Other factors that affect the transfer are also important.

• Which bank should we send the money from – all domestic banks must send money by the next working day from the order date. So, if we place a payment on Monday, the bank will send the money by Tuesday at the latest.
• Which bank we send the money to – Czech National Bank (ČNB), which manages the CERTIS interbank system, urges banks to credit money to the recipient’s account immediately after processing. However, the truth is that some banks take their time.
• Processing Time – every payment is processed by the CERTIS system, which can handle up to 1.5 million transactions per hour. The entire process is fully automated and runs on working days from midnight to 4:00 pm. This means that orders placed at any bank after 4:00 pm will not reach the account before midnight. The Czech National Bank (ČNB) charges a fee for each transaction and adds a surcharge to banks for payments received before the end of the accounting day.
• Day of payment – the system only operates on working days. It is switched off at weekends and on public holidays, so no transactions take place.

Immediate payments

The instant payment system has two levels. The basic level is the ability for a bank to only receive instant payments, while the next level allows them to send them too. If the sender’s bank can both receive and send instant payments, and our bank can at least receive them, we will receive the money instantly.

Transactions take place continuously, including weekends and public holidays, and at any time of day or night. The transfer of money is very fast. The money appears in our account almost immediately, within seconds. The entire process is free. However, it is limited to a maximum amount of 400,000 CZK (about 18,000 USD).

Which banks have already launched instant payments?

• Air Bank
• Creditas
• ČSOB
• Equa bank
• Fio banka
• Komerční banka
• Moneta
• Raiffeisenbank
• mBank
• Oberbank
• PPF banka
• Česká spořitelna

Non-bank companies and instant payments

Some non-bank companies have opened accounts with the banks that support instant payments. This allows them to provide clients with a loan immediately after signing the contract. They therefore have a clear advantage over companies that do not offer instant payments. Clients can take longer to consider the loan and do not have to act impulsively so that the money arrives. They will have it available immediately. These non-bank companies include Provident, Zonky, Home Credit, Zaplo, Kamali, and others.

Express transfer

If we have forgotten an important payment and our bank does not support instant payments, there is the option of an express transfer. However, this is a non-standard service. It may be subject to a fee of around 100 crowns. How long does it take to transfer money via an express payment? The money will definitely be in the client’s account the same day. However, with some banks, we must submit the payment by midday.

Some banks charge a fee for express payments based on the hour the order is placed. The fee may be around 10 crowns in the morning, but after midday (especially if it is approaching 4 pm), the amount can rise to 200 CZK (about 9.2 USD).

How long does it take to transfer money from abroad?

The number of days varies depending on the fee and type of payment. A standard bank transfer takes 3 working days. An urgent foreign payment incurs an additional charge and takes 1 working day. A SEPA payment (covering the EU and associated states) takes 2 working days.

Transferring money abroad

The speed of transferring money abroad is mainly affected by the target currency. Above all, by whether the money arrives in the other account in crowns, dollars, pounds or any other currency. Euros are transferred the fastest. Pounds, as they have a secured exemption, arrive within four working days. For non-European currencies, we are talking about 5 to 10 days. Transfers abroad are usually subject to high fees, and we must also reckon with exchange rate differences.

Read also the article on what is financial literacy.

USD amounts are approximate, converted at the Czech National Bank rate of 21.80 CZK (about 1 USD) per USD on 2 October 2026.