<p>You can even check the ATM locator for Cirrus ahead of time: [MasterCard</a> Global ATM Locator| MasterCard®](<a href=“Mastercard - A Global Technology Company in The Payments Industry”>Mastercard - A Global Technology Company in The Payments Industry) Probably not necessary for Europe, but very useful in Japan where there aren’t nearly as many ATM machines and they are often in odd places like the basements of department stores.</p>
<p>Bear in mind “Europe” is NOT a single country and what works in one country may not be ok in another.</p>
<p>If it helps, the common debit cards in the UK and visa and maestro and these seem to work all over Europe (or at least mine has worked in a dozen other countries including Russia and Bulgaria). Some banks chanrge for withdrawal and some don’t, so check if your bank has any special arrangements before you leave, You could save a small fortune in withdrawal fees.</p>
<p>Travellers cheques usually need to be cashed at a bank in the country you are travelling to, and in some cases this must be in a major city. In western Europe this won’t be a big deal (other than the time you will have to stand waiting in the bank) but in the east or in rurual places it can be difficult to find somewhere that changes them and is actually open.</p>
<p>Mom60
If you cannot get around the minor ATM rule at your bank, try a VisaBuxx card. I am not sure they work in ATMs, but I do believe you can add $$ remotely.</p>
<p>I doubt it is worth the hassle at this point to try to get her an ATM/debit card. She is just 13 and this trip is a rarity. She is not planning on doing any other travel that is not with us in the near future.
Her trip is a gift from an Aunt. My D only needs money for gelato and candy and maybe a little shopping. (I am hoping she doesn’t spend much)
I am thinking the best option is to write my sister a check and have her dispense cash to my D from her debit card. Another option is some travelers cheques since their hotel in one of the cities is across the street from the AM/express office.</p>
<p>I used my local bank’s debit Mastercard at ATMs in central Europe this summer. I just told my bank that I was going to Europe so that they wouldn’t freeze my account.</p>
<p>Strangely enough, “ATM” in Magyar is “ATM.” Or maybe Budapest just has English bank signs… I dunno.</p>
<p>No problems whatsoever using debit (ATM) cards in Europe. Each machine may have its own currency limit - some you can withdraw up to 600 euros and some may be less. You may also be limited by your local issuing bank. For instance, your local bank may allow a $1,000 per 24-hour withdrawal limit; double check with your bank. Also, call your ATM and credit card issuers and let them know you are traveling to Europe. Be aware, too, that your local bank may be doing maintenance while you are trying to withdraw money and cannot access more than a certain amount. When we landed in Dublin in the wee hours of the morning, all I could withdraw was 100 euros from the airport ATM. I ended up calling my bank and their computers were down for maintenance and would only allow up to $200 maximum withdrawal per customer until they solved their problem. The situation was resolved within 2 hours. We had enough to pay for the cab ride to the hotel.</p>
<p>It is always a good idea to call your card provider before travelling to let them know where you are going and when. Otherwise, they may think your card is being fradulently used. Particularly if you did not purchase the airline tickets.
Like the above, never had a problem using debit or credit cards in Europe.</p>
<p>Just a thought…if your D is traveling with her Aunt, she might be better served by giving $$$ to the Aunt to dispense to your D. Pickpockets, and just being a young teen can be ripe for loosing the card. Some machines have been modified so that they can trap the card number/code, and then off the thieves go shopping with your money. Your Aunt will be savvy to this, but your D may not…you can also send $$ by way of American Express offices…as well as get a small amount of foreign currency through your bank before she leaves…</p>
<p>I vote for depositing $$ with aunt’s account, and letting her dole it out via ATM. ATM accounts have a daily $$ limit, set by the card holder, and the whole weekend counts as one day, so be careful about getting stuck without access to $$. You could preorder some Euro’s from your bank, but for a smaller amount, the fee would be more than you might want to pay.</p>
<p>Hm…when DS was in London, there was one ATM that didn’t charge a fee for B of A ATM card holders. That’s what he used.</p>
<p>Let auntie know:
1st, european ATM’s often shut down for no reason, so always have a little extra for the next day just in case.
2nd, Definitely let the bank know you will be making purchases in Europe or the red flags go up immediately!
3rd, yes there are pick pockets, so carry cash close to the body, they are really good!</p>
<p>We used ATMs in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and the Slovak Republic with no problems. In Prague there was even a Citibank.</p>
<p>For Bank of America Customers…
You will not be charged ATM fees ($5) if you use the following banks:
- BNP Paribas in France
- Deutsche Bank in Germany
- Barclays in the United Kingdom</p>
<p>(I’m currently studying abroad in the United Kingdom, and Barclays has been a lifesaver. No 3% International Transaction fees deducted, either.)</p>
<p>My card was cloned (copied off an ATM skimmer) at a Barclays cash machine; someone had made a copy and withdrew 200 pounds ($400) from my bank account. I check online banking daily, so I reported it, and had the claim resolved within a month. When it came to my replacement card, however, Bank of America informed me that it might take upto a month to send the card to my UK address; I decided to have it sent to my home address, where it would be then sent via Air Mail (Express Mail, in my case) to my UK address. I received it about four days after it was sent. (Just FYI for folks who have kids studying abroad in major European cities…)</p>
<p>You go to the ATM, take out cash, and pay some exorbitant fee.</p>
<p>Other than that, go to the nearest bank before you leave for Europe and get some exchanged.</p>
<p>Most European banks do not charge a fee but your local bank may. My local bank never used to until recently - 2%. In my case, I still find it more cost effective to use ATM for cash in Europe.</p>
<p>As a pre-caution, my H or S usually “block” me when I withdraw cash from an ATM, and they face the other direction. Also, I keep all our cash and cards in a silk money belt (I have the Rick Steves’ one; I bought mine from Amazon a few years ago). Just be careful when you withdraw from an ATM. I was followed soon after I made a withdrawal around 8 a.m. Sunday in Amsterdam, one of the safer cities. I ended up going to a nearby cafe where 2 policemen were having their morning coffee. Just be alert and be aware of your surroundings.</p>
<p>mom60- I also suggest going with the Aunt for cash safe-keeping, unless you can find a very cheap alternative. I looked into a debit card last year for my 15 year old when she was at a summer program, and I struck out at every bank I tried including Bank of America. I don’t remember the details there, but I wanted a card in her name and was willing to cosign but wasn’t able to get success anywhere. This summer my 13 yo is going to England for 3 weeks on a Girl Scout trip, one week of which is homestay, and we want her to have access to cash. I haven’t pursued it yet, but TD Banknorth claims they will give her a card with a cosigner. They have a “student checking” account which is for college kids but the person on the phone said we were eligible and it has no fees. If this doesn’t work out, we’ll probably do the Visa Buxx even though there are significant fees.</p>
<p>
If you go to the nearest bank and get some exchanged you will get the tourist rate which is generally a much worse rate. Generally about 10% worse. If you go to the ATM you pay a fee (not exorbitant in my experience) but get the bank rate which is a better rate. Plus you are not carrying tons of cash on you which is a good thing.</p>
<p>For instance current bank rate for $ to UK £ is £1 = $1.98</p>
<p>current tourist rate for purchasing £s is £1= $2.13 </p>
<p>so if you want £100 from the bank here it will cost you $213.</p>
<p>So if you use ATM in London today and withdraw £100 it will cost $198 plus a fee (I am charged 2.5%) which will increase it to $203. Even if the ATM you use and the home bank charge a fee it is unlikely to add another $10. I have certainly never paid anything like $10 in ATM fees - maybe $1-$2 at most).</p>
<p>Oh, if you’re going to France, then don’t carry 500 euro notes. It might be tempting because it’s smaller, but my friend says nobody takes them except for banks and banks in France are open like, 4 days a week for like 6 hours a day.</p>
<p>You can order American Express traveler’s checques from your local bank or at an American Express office, and then cash them in at the local AMEX office in the specific country. You can also order some euros from the bank when you’re placing the order for the AMEX traveler’s cheques.</p>
<p>I also remembered ATMs in Europe often don’t have letters printed on the buttons like they do in the US. So if you remember your PIN using a word, learn the number (otherwise you will be crouched over the ATM using your phone keypad trying to work it out).</p>