ATM's in Paris - Checking or Savings?
 

Are the ATM's in France the same as here in the U.S. in that I can access both my checking and savings accounts to withdraw funds? You may breath now.

Robert: <BR>Whew!!!! <BR>I found that most ATMs in Europe do not let you access your savings account. Move your money to your checking account before you leave the US. Have a great trip!

checking, I never saw that I was offered a choice in France or in Italy

Never saw the savings account offered; it always draws from the checking account.

true

I put my trip funds in my checking account because, like the others, I have never seen the option to withdraw from a savings account. <BR> <BR>I also carry a second credit card of a different issue, just in case the main one does not get the job done for some reason. (Had that happen in a little restaurant just off Boulevard Montparnasse this past September.) <BR> <BR>Also, I suggest that you consider taking a check card (debit card) for use in ATM machines. Mine has my picture on it, so if "lost", I hope it would prevent misuse. <BR>Why do I make the above statement? <BR>One year in a little Swiss village, my Visa emblazoned check card worked whereas my normal ATM card did not. The normal ATM worked with no problem in Luzern at a major bank.

My accounts are with Citibank - and I have been able to access both my savings and checking, even transfer funds from one account to another while in Paris and Barcelona - all without a service fee because I bank with Citibank. I'm sure other USA banks who have branches abroad would offer the same services. Also, while at the Citibank ATMs' in Paris and Barcelona, when I made a withdraw it would tell me the withdraw in dollars and tthen the appropriate conversion. One of my first nights in Barcelona I used a non-Citibank ATM and had a difficult time withdrawing any money yet my friend who also has a Citbank account could make withdrawls from non-Citibank ATMs with no problem - go figure. Make sure you only have a 4 digit pin - most European ATMs only work with 4 digit pins.

Same in Germany as others stated in previous messages, no choice, checking only.

Keep good records of all transactions in case you do not receive a record of the withdrawal from the ATM.

HiRobert: More of the same advice.Just returned from Europe where I used a debit card with Visa Logo in Germany, Austria and Czech Republic. No problem. Make sure you have a 4 didgit PIN and IF you don't get a receipt, be sure to record amount,time, place, name and any other pertinent information. As mentioned also carry at least one other card from other source as backup....Paul J

Speaking about PIN numbers: <BR> The French ATM's do NOT have letters and numbers - only numbers!!! If you have a PIN with letters or a combination of letters/numbers you can translate them by using the dial of a phone e.g. J,K or L = 5. This worked for us even though we have to go to a restaurant across the street to "borrow" a phone to look at the keypad.

I was told by my bank that if I had only a savings account, I could not access it in Europe. Only chequing accounts are somehow entered in the system. Check with your bank, though other responses seem to back this up.