ATM Card
 

I am leaving for Italy (first time in Europe) on Sept 25. I called my bank and they stated that the ATM card does work in Europe. What I need to know, what should my back up plan be should I have trouble with the ATM card (such as it not working or some other problem). I will be bringing 100 euros with me so I have local cash when I get there in case I need it.

I would double check with your bank and find out why your card won't work in Europe.

If it turns out they they have a computer block that prevents the card from working , you need to make other plans.

I would ask the bank for a solution...other than changing banks.

I'll post a copy of a message posted last summer aftr I returned from Italy. While my experiences may not be 100% representative, don't believe the people here who say that ATM usage is problem free in Italy.
****************************************Date: 06/16/2002, 09:37 am
Message: Just returned from two weeks in Italy. I took with me 400EURO TC's (left over from convent deposit needs) and 500 Euro currency purchase prior to trip from Thomas Cook and my VISA debit card along with a couple of misc. credit cards. Arrived on a Sunday and did not try to use the Debit card. However on Monday I tried to make a withdrawal and was refused, the Bancomat telling me that my card was "not authorized for international use." Prior to my trip I had spoken to the bankcard department at my bank, checking out the issues discussed on this forum about loss of a card and unatuhorized use, etc. I told them that I would be travelling in Italy, and even went so far as to have them send me a new card, since the mag stripe on mine was getting a little worn. And yes I have a 4 digit PIN. I talked to them at least 8 times over various issues relating to the use of the debit card in Italy. I called my bank (7 hour time difference) and as it turns out (3 phone calls and most of a 20 EURO phone card) there is a significant problem with the integration of the Cirrus/Star/VISA network in Europe and many (no exact number) of bank networks in the USA, and they knew before I left that there was a strong probability that my card wouldn't work in Italy. In the end my debit card never worked (many apologizes from VISA), and I was stuck with having to get cash advances from Thomas Cook and American Express. This was somewhat inconvenient because there isn't a Thomas Cook or AMEX on every street corner, and you are limited to 230 EURO per day cash advance. I guess the reason for my post is that I see many pepole here tell other posters that there is no need to take cash or travellers checks with them, and I am here to say that I am glad that I had a source of money to fall back on during those first couple of days in Rome. BTW, the lines at FCO ATM machines were huge!! As many as 50 peolpe waiting at several we walked by.

Hi jm,

In addition to taking some TC's as a cash cache, I opened up an account with another bank and got another ATM card.

For a backup plan I suggest you take *two* ATM cards (in case one is "eaten" or the magnetic strip goes bad) and some cash in US dollars. If your peace of mind requires it, take some travelers checks for emergencies. For a complete and helpful article on money matters, visit this page on the Europe Through the Back Door Web site: www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/moneytip.htm.

We had always relied on TC's but decided to give the ATM card a try on our trip last year. We had no trouble at all in London, Germany, Austria or Switzerland. Everything went fine. Our card is from the Chase Bank and uses the Pulse system. As long as we found the right ATM machine, it worked OK.

Having two ATM cards from different accounts is great if one card doesn't work for some reason. But it doesn't help if there is no ATM available.

This is a little confusing to me (espec first response) because the OP never said the bank said the card wouldn't work -- the bank said it WOULD work.

Oh, well, there are the usual backup plans -- bring extra cash or TCs or you can get cash with a credit card. Those should be enough choices just in case.

I had an ATM card that never would work in Austria, either, and I got that same message. I have heard, but don't know tyhe truth, that sometimes ATM cards may not work when debit cards will (mine was an ATM card). It all depends on your bank and their network ties, perhaps. Or maybe something' funny in Austria.

I think a better idea would be to make sure you had two cards that were on very different networks, perhaps, although I think most US banks have cards that are supposed to be on CIRRUS and PLUS. There are some country-specific bank issues I don't understand, as just this summer, my ATM card would never work in Banque de Paris ATMS in Paris but worked easily in Credit Lyonnais or BNP.

>Having two ATM cards from different accounts is great if one card doesn't work for some reason. But it doesn't help if there is no ATM available.<

That's why I bring some TC's, Rufus. In case I can't cash the TC's I bring some Euros (I insist that it needs the s) the first day.

Thanks everyone, big help. By the way, I just discovered this site the other day and I'm addicted.

Hi, ira--I was just reinforcing the have a backup source part. I did actually read what you wrote; as I always do as it's usually good stuff.

There was a really helpful thread here a while back that listed the banks in Europe that coordinated with different banks in the US.
In Italy last year, Florence and Sorrento mostly, my ATM only worked at the Deutch Bank and my local bank is B of A, and the thread listed them as coordinating.
If I can find it I will top it.

for what it's worth, it seems that some of the big banks in the US are the worst for overseas access (from discussion with friends and threads here). BofA seems particularly bad. On the other hand, I've never had problems with my local credit union ATM card around the world. It has worked in at least half of the ATMs in each country I have visited (know which network your card is on).

If I wanted to carry backup cash, I'd carry dollars; if you don't need it, you don't get skinned on two exchanges (probably lose 10%). There will be plenty of places to exchange money. My backup plan is credit cards, if I really need it, I can get a cash advance from one.

My model for avoiding problems: 1 - my ATM card is atm only (no visa debit option). 2 - my checking account is the first account on the card (european atms sometimes don't offer the option to select which account to withdraw from). 3 - I have 4 digit PIN (not sure if this is still an issue, but it was in the past). 4 - I know my PIN by numbers, not letters (euro atms may not have letters on the keypads). 5 - I use an ATM in the arrival airport (helps figure out which local banks are on my network, and to verify that it is working while I am still someplace with lots of tourist services).