Are there Canadian Banks in Europe?
 

So heres another dumb ? but are there any Canucks out there in Fodorland who could tell me if there is a bank to use the interact more than another. My own bank TDCT said to use the machines called PLUS. but there are not that many. I thot I could transfer cash to another bank before we go.

Not quite sure where you mean by "Europe" (it is a big place). Unless you are serioulsy the beaten track you will find that most "holes in the wall" will work with your TD card.

ATMS taking Plus are ubiquitous! At least my Plus card has worked nearly always.

I have never specifically looked (sure a Canadian would take note more), but I've never seen one. I have seen some European countries banks in other Eur. countries (Italian banks in France). As others aid, your bank has misinformed you regarding the PLUS network, which is international and belongs to VISA, not some Canadian bank.

If my memory serves me...know I have seen a couple in London (I believe it was Scotia and Royal), they were at Trafalgar Square. Otherwise, you can use Canadian debit cards fairly widely in Europe.

Are you perhaps speaking about no fee transactions at ATMs ?

Scotia Bank is affiliated with BNP Parabis ( France) ,Barclays (UK), and Deutsche (Germany and other). Other than those I guess you'd have to pay whatever fee your Canadian bank charges for out of network transactions at a Plus ATM..which are all over the place.

I have a TDCT ATM card. At every European ATM I have tried, it has cost $3 CAD to use it. Just don't use a non-bank ATM, because those add an extra charge.

I wouldn't use the TDCT as a debit card in Europe. It has a set fee per transaction, plus gives a worse exchange rate than you can get from an ATM withdrawal (2.5% vs. 1%). At least that's what I understand the last time I researched it, if it hasn't changed.

First of all, forget Interac. Interac is a domestic Canadian network that allows any Canadian debit and credit card to work in the ATMs of all Canadian banks and at all point of sale locations in Canada. It doesn't exist outside Canada and nobody will know what the term means.

PLUS is the international network interconnecting banks that are VISA credit card issuers. CIRRUS is the network for Master Card banks. So, if you wanted to be sure that you could use any bank machine in Europe, you could open an account at BMO or National Bank. But it is not necessary; as others have said above, PLUS ATMs are everywhere, and most ATMs are both PLUS and CIRRUs compatible.

And I should have added, there are no Canadian banks in Europe offering retail banking services.

Ok..understood..I can use my banking card anywhere but best not to use it as a debit card because of the charges but use it to withdraw larger sums, preferably at a banking institution.

If you are really concerned go to the largest Canadian bank (it may be the largest business vs personal bank) and ask them who their european partners are. Any ATM card from that bank should work in their partner's networks.

But to tell you the truth - my card (Citibank) worked everywhere - even if it didn;t have one of the card's symbols on it.