I plan to use ATM's for exchange in France, England and Dublin. Which is the most accepted credit card for ATM use? <BR>Thanks

Try not to use a credit card in an ATM if what you're getting is a cash advance. You'll take a hit on cash advance fees and interest charges. <BR> <BR>If, however, you plan on using an ATM card to withdraw from your bank account, you'll find plenty of ATMs that honor Plus or Cirrus network cards.

Cirrus is commonly found. Here's a website of the locations: <BR>http://mastercard.com/atm/

In France and England Visa have the edge on Mastercard-Cirrus. You'll find ATMs listed at http://visaatm.infonow.net/bin/findNow. (Whereas in Central Europe Mastercard is commoner than Visa). You can avoid some charges if you put five hundred dollars into your Visa account in credit before you go -- they can't stop you, though no doubt they'd like to. I think you know that ATMs in Europe use four digit PINs. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines <BR>

I have described this experience before, but it is worth repeating. <BR>Last year in Luzern, Switzerland, I used my standard NationsBank ATM card with no trouble. Card and PIN in; money out. (I know, there has been a merger.) <BR> <BR>In Lauterbrunnen and Saas Grund, the banks took either a Visa Check Card or a Master Charge Check Card. (Note the OR!! It was one or the other but not both.) I was unsuccessful when trying to use the my standard ATM card. My successful card was my NationsBank Check card that says VISA on it. It would not work at a Master Card bank. <BR> <BR>I realize the original question pertains to France, England and Ireland, but my guess is that the situation is fairly common where a small branch bank takes one type of card but not the other. <BR>To be safe, I have both the standard ATM and a check card. I don't use my charge card for cash because there is a macho style surcharge attached that I can do without.

I have had both kinds of ATM cards: those which are strictly bank ATM cards, which work with Cirrus, or Star, or Plus. My current card is a *mastercard* ATM (DEBIT card), which of course works virtually anywhere. <BR>When I had the first kind of ATM card, I had to look for the Cirrus logo on the machine, or the card didn't work. <BR>That was a couple of years ago, so it still makes me nervous when someone asks if their ATM card works everywhere. If the network has expanded so that every ATM card works in every machine (regardless of Plus, Star or Cirrus), someone please assure me - that'd be you, Brian, I think.

In France, VISA seemed more accepted in general which is another consideration, but I've never used it at an ATM so didn't pay attention to that; I hope you know that is considered a cash advance (although some people actually want cash advances on CCs and don't mind the cost, I guess). You can't avoid the transaction fee charge by putting money in your VISA account ahead of time. You get charged a cash advance fee regardless of your balance; it is a transaction fee for doing that, your balance is irrelevant (at least, in the US). You may not have to pay interest charges on it from date of withdrawal, though, if you have a balance; I'm not sure about that, I'd check with the card issuer if you plan to do that as that can get very expensive. Anyway, using a regular CC in an ATM is processed as a cash advance, not like a cash withdrawal from a bank account ATM (although my ATM card does have a VISA logo on it, maybe that's the kind you have; it's not a regular credit card, though).

Elvira, sorry to take so long to answer. I've been busy with (gasp) work-related duties. <BR> <BR>While it is necessary to find a machine that uses whatever network your card is on (and many cards subscribe to more than one network), most bank machines (in my experience) use more than one network. <BR> <BR>For example, I just went downstairs to our ATM (a super-regional Southeastern bank) and it lists 6 networks: Cirrus, Honor, Plus, Mastercard, Visa and Discover. So if the back of your ATM card has any of these on it, you can make a withdrawl. <BR> <BR>Banks are encouraged to sign up as many networks as they can as non-bank customers are very helpful in helping the bank recoup the cost of those very expensive ATMs through fees. <BR> <BR>The only time I was ever turned down at an ATM in Europe (never in the US) was in Amsterdam when I tried to use a small, local bank's ATM. This only meant that I had to walk a couple of blocks down the street until I found an ABN Amro ATM.

Thanks, Brian, I appreciate the info.

I just got back fron Germany last week after a three weeeks vacation. I had planned to use my Wachovia bank check card, but the bank "hot carded" it the first time I made a withdrawl at the Frankfurt airport and it was useless after that. Had I not carried some extra cash, We could have really been in trouble. I even told them before hand I was going to Europe. My advice is to emphasize to your bank that you're going overseas and that you will be using your check card there.

I just got back fron Germany last week after a three weeeks vacation. I had planned to use my Wachovia bank check card, but the bank "hot carded" it the first time I made a withdrawl at the Frankfurt airport and it was useless after that. Had I not carried some extra cash, We could have really been in trouble. I even told them before hand I was going to Europe. My advice is to emphasize to your bank that you're going overseas and that you will be using your check card there. Fortunately I was able to use my credit card at most places we stayed and at most shops.