ATM fees in Italy
 

What is the standard fee charged by a bank in Italy for withdrawing money using a debit card at at ATM? I have a Visa check card and the U.S. bank does not charge on their end but they could not tell me the fees of the Italian banks.

The ATMs charge no fee. If there is a charge for use of the ATM, it would be your bank that would impose it. I just returned from Italy last week and used ATMs several times.

No fees charged by European ATM's. ((b))

No fees from the European bank for using an ATM. There may be fees if you use an independent 'money machine' like you'd find in a shop, etc. (same as home).

I hope someone is knocking on wood . . .

Brian, What do you mean? That there will be fees charged by Italian banks?

Brian is either trying to be funny or doesn't know what he's talking about, I can't decide which.

NO BANK IN ITALY WILL CHARGE ANYTHING FOR AN ATM WITHDRAWAL WITH A CARD FROM A US BANK. Period. End of story.

The expression "knock on wood" goes along with the superstition that good luck will end if you talk about it. If you knock on wood its supposed to keep your good luck intact (no ATM fees in Italy) I have no idea where the expression originated and I use it all the time.

There are no fees because it is illegal according to EU regulations. So no fees, nowhere.

I am going to Italy with two ATM cards next month.

My primary bank will charge me $1.50 per transaction no conversion fee.

The other bank charges $1.50 plus a 3% conversion fee.

Guess which card I plan on using?

I understand the folksy expression, I just don't know what it has to do with the fact that Italian banks do NOT charge a fee for ATM useage.

Yes, I know the expression too, and assumed it was being used here to say "don't hold your breath" or "with LUCK you won't be charged fees". I don't understand what knocking on wood would have to do with weather or not Italian banks charge fees for ATM withdrawals.

The one thing you do need to be aware of is that if you were to use your Visa check card for a cash advance instead of a withdrawal from your checking/savings account, then there would be fees and interest. We ran into 2 commercial cash machines in Italy that appeared to have the setup for cash advances. Needless to say, I was very careful to be sure that I was doing an ATM withdrawal.

I meant it exactly how kemarshall64 put it: I hope our good fortune doesn't change.

Laws can be changed, and at some point I would think all the European banks will lobby together to get that law changed. Why, after all, should they be forced to provide a free service to non-customers?

The answer stands - ATM's at banks in Italy CURRENTLY do not impose a charge to use their machines.

Brian, I don't know why this is, or if it will change in the future, or what's it to you anyway, but that isn't the question asked here.

Suze, take a deep breath and calm down. I never contradicted what you said. And you don't control what is posted here.

I understand what you're saying Brian, but here in Europe the tide has turned away from banks being able to charge as they like - it's now a European directive, to protect the customer, and no amount of lobbying is likely to overturn that decision. In fact, in the UK, the banks are increasingly falling over themselves to be more of a 'customer champion' in the face of competition from new finance players, so certainly wouldn't want to attract any bad publicity.

Gotta love Europe, inconceivable isn't it that a country would actually require a corporate institution to do something for the good of the people? :)

Brian, I am perfectly calm and no one except Fodor's controls what is posted here.

That said, IMO it is most helpful to post current information, rather than confuse the issue with a vague reference implying that it could change at any moment, when there are no facts to support that view.

The expression "knock on wood" comes from "touch wood" - meaning the Cross - to bring good luck, no harm to come!

Interesting, thanks Sandy!

I have never been charged a fee by any bank in Europe for using an ATM. Up till now, my bank has never done so, either. But beginning this very month, my bank will assess a 1% "foreign transaction fee" on all purchases and ATM withdrawals.

Another ATM question. I read somewhere that your PIN for an ATM in Italy cannot start with a zero ("0"). Is that true?

As far as the zero: Ours starts with a zero and we had no problem in Rome, Siena or Venice.

Brian, I'm knocking on wood with you. I'm glad they don't charge fees now, pray they never do and hope that this little piece of civilization someday infects the U.S. banking system.

I have been told that you must have Cirrus displayed on the back of your bank card for it to work in Italy. Is this true. PLUS apparently works in England will PLUS work in Italy as well as CIRRUS.

grinnell, we heard the same thing before our trip in April and also had some people saything they never had a problem with a pin starting with zero.

Ours did start with zero and we decided to change. Better to be safe that sorry. I know all the people who have never had problems will come out of the woodwork now (not to bring wood into this again) but AGAIN I say, better to be safe than sorry. You may or may not have a problem but if your pin doesn't start with zero that is one less problem you will have to worry about.

sealion, I don't want to make promises to you, but my ATM card is PLUS and it worked fine on 2 different trips to Venice.