Beware of non-bank ATMs. The fees are sometimes quite high (I’ve seen as much as 3%). If your bank doesn’t charge for using ATMs not their own (as most credit unions do) and use a local, large bank ATM, you can get as good as 1% over the spot exchange rate–that’s comparable to the rate you get with most credit cards.
If possible, add a short-term international plan to your phone. We’ve used the one AT&T offers. It’s unreasonably expensive ($60 for 1GB of data, unlimited texting, and $0.35/min calling), but our credit card issuer sends fraud alert texts before they block a card, giving us the opportunity to explicitly authorize the charge. Other carriers have much better deals for international travel, but AT&T is what we have. It’s also nice to have the cellular data for looking up directions, booking tickets, etc.
Well, of course a Canadian bank would assume that was a hotbed of fraud.
I’ve used my cards to get cash in local currency at ATMs with no problem in Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and even Papua New Guinea.
As stated before, cash at ATM, tell you card issuers before hand, and use a card for everything. Preferably one that doesn’t charge for foreign purchases(shakes a fist at Wells Fargo). Costco’s visa doesn’t.
Definitely. And check with your bank how their “withdrawal fees” work: some banks charge a flat fee per withdrawal so it makes more sense to withdraw large amounts a few times.
Also, in both countries legit businesses will take Visa and Mastercard for pretty much anything. Just don’t try to use checks, Discover, Amex or Diner’s Club. The last two exist but are relatively infrequent, many places won’t take them or will need to look up the procedure.
I always go to our local bank and get about $100 in the foreign currency, just to have when we arrive. Never know when you might need a bit of cash (e.g. Power is out at your destination so ATMs don’t work.). Needed that cash once when flying into Toronto in time for the blackout of 2003.
One thing to consider when withdrawing at an ATM. European ATMs give out much larger bills than this American is used to. Last October I withdrew 100 euros from an ATM in the Munich airport. It came as one 100-euro note. It turned out that withdrawing 90 euros was a much better idea.
That varies widely, mainly with which entity owns the ATM. I’ve only gotten bills that large once, from a French “not a bank” ATM. Many ATMs let you select the specific bills, so long as they’ve got multiple kinds available.
I agree with the first two points (but do yourself a favor and be sure the ATM you use is owned by a bank, hopefully a large bank based in that particular country, like Deutsche Bank when you are in Berlin or Rabobank when in Rotterdam for example, as this will typically get you the best exchange rate) but after getting your maximum available limit of cash (to cut down on multiple transaction fees) put your cards away and use said cash for absolutely everything possible, right up until it is time to get more Euros out of another ATM a few days later.
You will be a long way from home, every time you pull out a card is one more chance to have something go wrong, (misplace it, have it damaged, get hacked or overcharged, etc.) so use them only when absolutely needed to get more cash.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a non-bank ATM in Spain. For France, Credit Lyonnaise is pretty much everywhere and has never given me trouble with any of my cards; other banks are grouchier.
I’ve been meaning to respond to this, but have been without a proper keyboard over Easter. The whole post only makes sense if you’re going to Germany. And not because of the risk of being cheated, but because the Germans are averse to paying with credit/debit cards. They really, really don’t want a [del]paper[/del] digital trail of their purchases. So, at least in major cities and shopping areas, there will literally be an ATM (Geldautomat) on every street corner.
In the rest of the EU, not so much. ATMs are going to that tech heaven where pagers and fax machines reside. Visa/MC is accepted everywhere. The other day I made a purchase worth $0.50. In some countries (like my own) we’re doing away with cash and many stores/restaurants simply won’t accept it.
Gone are the days when you left your card to a waiter and they took it behind a counter. Now they all have portable machines, so you see exactly what they do. As for having it hacked, well, the last I heard about that (some five+ years ago) they installed the readers on ATMs. Misplacing or damaging the card can happen at home. Get a backup card.
And if you can get one with a chip, you’re going to be more secure and better off.
