ATMs in Scotland
 

Which ATMs in Scotland work with banks in the USA? Are ATMs few and far between? DP306

ATM's are all around. Always use a bank named one and just in case have some spare cash. Note the banks will dispensetheir own notes only!

Any ATM will "work with" your card, provided you've let your bank know you'll be traveling (so they don't put a fraud alert on it when you try to use the card) and have a four-digit numeric PIN. As SkyeHigh said, they're easy to find.

Check with your US bank to see if they have any reciprocal agreements with UK banks. For example, Bank of America customers can withdraw cash with no withdrawal fees at Barclays ATMs. Any other ATMs would involve a fee - I believe $5 - charged by BOA. If you bank with a credit union, often they don't charge withdrawal fees at any international ATMs. There are many, many threads here about these logistics.

They are easy to find . . . in <i>most</i> areas. But if you are going to be out in really rural parts or on the islands, don't run too low on cash. For instance there is only 1 ATM on Mull - which sometimes runs out of money. (plus there's a 'bank mobile' that makes weekly rounds)

It wouldn't hurt to have 2 ATM cards. I'm paranoid, so I always have an extra in case the machine eats my card. I know that's not likely, but I like to be careful.

ATMs work on an international network - you likely have either a Cirrus card or a Plus card and if you have neither, get a new account. That's the "work with" factor. If your Cirrus card is used in a Plus network ATM, it won't work; ditto the opposite.

<strike>Scotland only recently obtained electricity and is still being wired for internet, therefore the ATMs are</strike> Scotland is, at last check, part of the Anglosphere, a constituent nation of the United Kingdom, a first-world country and essentially integrated in the modern world, therefore it has ATMs all over the place in its cities and large towns.

<i>Which ATMs in Scotland work with banks in the USA?</i> All of them - unless you have a Discover card in which case you are goosed. Cards with Mastercard or Visa logos will work

<i>Are ATMs few and far between? DP306</i> Depends where you are. On the Outer Hebrides (or Princes Street in Edinburgh) they are far apart, on George Street in Edinburgh you'll find one every few yards.

"Note the banks will dispense their own notes only!"

What do you mean by this, SkyeHigh??

I think they man you will get Scottish notes from ATMs not Bank of England ones. Each Scottish bank issues it's own notes. All interchangeable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banknot...Scotland_notes

<i>What do you mean by this, SkyeHigh??</i>

Scottish banks - RBS, BoS & Clydesdale are allowed to print their own banknotes and so their ATMs will only dispense their notes.

Other banks - notably HSBC, National Westminster & Barclays will normally issue Bank of England notes- which is odd as NatWest is owned by RBS.

Yet other banks & supermarket chains will issue you with whatever their bank note supplier - so you may get a mix of Scottish banknotes and or BoE notes.

What is certain is that in all cases banknotes are NOT legal tender in Scotland, though they are accepted.

Okay, it is a tough one to answer about Scottish Bank notes. The 3 banks, The Royal Bank of Scotland, The Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale print their own notes, as do the Bank of England. ATM's owned by banks that print their own notes issue them. Others do a mishmash of different notes.
Now the question is are the legal? Technichaly no, Scotland (and Northern Ireland) have no legal tender. The notes all say the "bank of..promises to pay xxx pounds sterling" but pounds there are no notes pounds sterling that are legal in Scotland or NI. Okay that is technical but we've survived 300 years this way. Oh, please don't remind me that none of the banks are Scottish owned, Two are owned by the British Government the other is Australian!

Never mind these quirky things add up to what Scotland is and all notes are accaepted everywhere. Interestingly they change features and the golfer, Jack Nicklaus is the only living person to be featured on a Scots Bank note.

I did not mean to add confusion when making the point. I should have clarified!

Thank you for the explanation. If you have extra Scottish banknotes, will they be accepted in Wales and England?

Yes, they will be accepted, sometimes eagerly as some people collect them.

Please note what janisj says: ATM's can be few and far between in rural areas. I would be sure to have sufficient cash, particularly on a weekend.

Yes, top up on petrol and cash...thanks. Am I dreaming that someone here wrote you can get cash at the post???

You certainly can in France, and you can do just about everything else (bank, social benefit, etc) at the post in the UK, so it would make sense.

thank you all, I am in the process of opening a Bank of America account and will be able to draw money from Barclays ATMs with no fees.. Looking forward to the trip.. Shortly I will post my itinerary and will await your comments.. Dennis

<i>If you have extra Scottish banknotes, will they be accepted in Wales and England?</i>

Don't assume they will be - if a shopkeeper accepts them then it's probable they'll have to cash it at their bank who will charge them (as they do for all cash transactions) unless they can find a customer willing to take as change.

BUT as I said several banks will only issue BoE notes as do the ATMs in Waverley Station and Edinburgh Airport.

<I am in the process of opening a Bank of America account and will be able to draw money from Barclays ATMs with no fees.>

Just bear in mind that you're not going to find too many Barclays Banks and ATMs away from the main population areas in Scotland, as they're not a traditional 'Scottish' ban.

<i>Just bear in mind that you're not going to find too many Barclays Banks and ATMs away from the main population areas in Scotland, as they're not a traditional 'Scottish' ban.</i>

They aren't that common IN main population areas - there are two for example in Edinburgh (St Andrews Square & the west end of George Street) both outside branches of Barclays. After that the next nearest is Stirling

In fact looking through Scotland there aren't any standalone Barclays ATMs - they are all attached to a branch. If you are going further north then after St Andrews the only ATMs are at Inverness and Aberdeen.

http://ask.barclays.co.uk/branchfinder/

Honestly, you're better off opening a Cap One account and getting a debit card from Cap One. No Foreign Exchange fees, no transaction fees, and it is NOT bank dependent like the BoA-Barclays arrangement.