d_claude_bear

I mistakenly posted this without selecting Paris as a topic. I hope it will reach the right audience now:

I have looked through the various threads related to Paris ATMs but did not find the info I need. So here's a question.

My US Credit Union ATM card (4-digit password) has VISA on the front and Cirrus, Co-op, and Star logos on the back. I know that Co-op is a US network of free ATMs and is not relevant to Paris.

But. . . are there Cirrus or Star network ATMs in Paris? And will my ATM card allow withdrawals from my credit union account at Paris ATMs showing the VISA logo even if my card doesn't have a PLUS logo on it; I know the ATM machine doesn't "look at" the card, but I'm not sure my credit union is really in the PLUS network. (PLUS is apparently the worldwide VISA network)?

I have also sent an e-mail to my credit union asking about this, but I would like to hear from travelers who have had actual experience using credit union ATM cards in Paris.

Thanks.

Padraig

There's no Paris board. You have managed to post again on the Europe board with a search tag added; that's all.

Travelnut

If it's a VISA-branded debit card, you can use it in the ATMs.

Also, CIRRUS is the Mastercard network - if your card has that logo, it will again work in the ATMs. You should have no problem using ATMs affiliated at the banks.

I've never even checked the ATM for the network logos before using it, as long as it is at a bank. Never had a problem.

Be sure your money is in a checking account, not a savings account (if you have both). Take a backup card of some kind (even if credit card) just in case something goes wrong.

Travelnut

p.s. forgot to mention, you can locate the addresses for CIRRUS atms in Paris:

http://www.mastercard.com/us/persona...ons/index.html

Travelnut

On Google, if you're staying on rue Buffon, there is a Credit Lyonnais bank by the Censier Daubenton metro.

d_claude_bear

Pardaig: Yes, I noticed that I ". . . have managed to post again on the Europe board with a search tag added; that's all." When I posted the initial message in this thread, I put "Paris" into the box in the upper left part of the page. How do I get a new message posted to the Europe-Paris set of messages? I think I did what the FAQ said to do, but it didn't go where I wanted it to go.

mkdiebold

Besure too, to notify your bank of the dates you will be in Paris. You also should ask them what fees will be charged to your account for using the card there. Sometimes it's a per transaction fee...you might want to withdraw the maximum amount each time, avoiding many separate transaction fees.

Travelnut

There is no "Paris" board or even a "France" board. You are posting on the Europe board. You can assign a 'filter' by clicking on one of the keys under "Pick a Topic" at the point where you are typing out your message. The choices there are country names. But all messages go to the Europe board. People can later try to find certain posts or only those about 'Paris' by:
- using the 'France' filter
- typing Paris into the 'search this forum' box (not the full-site search on the top left).

You can find your own posts by clicking on your name.

d_claude_bear

Thanks to all who have replied.

My wife and I have used ATM cards in Paris before, but our current credit union's ATM card doesn't include the "STAR" logo, so I thought it might not be connected to a network that worked in Paris.

The idea that messages get "indexed" puzzles me--does "Paris" need to be in the title? or where? I realize my original message has been listed for,only a short while, but I wonder how long it takes before the "indexer" places it where I wanted it to be.

Padraig

It's a good idea to mention your destination in the header of your post. That way, it catches the attention of people who know that place.

Posts don't disappear. The fist page shows the 50 most recently active discussions; the rest are on subsequent pages which you can access by clicking the link at the bottom of the page. Those who are used to the forum usually read through more than one page when they visit.

You'll soon get the hang of things.

Travelnut

I don't know how long the 'indexing' takes to work. but I filtered on "France" and both of your ATM posts are on the first 50.

surfmom

heads up... our bank does not allow foreign withdrawals. At all. It has all the appropriate labels on the back - I couldn't figure out why every trip and every ATM it didn't work... I called and they told me it won't work for non-US locations.

good opportunity for me to go open a new account with fee-free ATM withdrawals - even if non-US. I put the amount that I expected to spend in cash (+ extra for emergency) in it. Thus, my exposure was also limited to the total amount of cash in this account. Not linked to my checking or savings in which I pay bills, deposit paychecks, transfer money to my brokerage account, etc.

so it might be worth the hassle factor of a call or visit to the local CU.

apersuader65

For more information, try: http://tinyurl.com/2rfhqw

Barb_in_Ga

You need to check with your credit union, to confirm the networks available to you.

I do not like using a debit card on my credit union account and normally use an ATM card only, but when I travel, I can only get cash by using the Visa logo card, which I have used successfully in several countries. The good news is my credit union doesn't pass on the 1% conversion fee, and no per use fee. My back-up account is Bank of America which has ridiculous charges, so I try not to use it.

Barb