Changing Money When Leaving
 

I like to arrive in a country with some local currency. A few hunderd dollars worth. No problem.

We'll be leaving Prague late in the afternoon and going to Budapest by train. Where is it best to change from Czech to Hungarian currency?

Then, we'll be flying from Budapest to Brussels for a stay in Bruges and Amsterdam. Where is it best to change from Hungarian currency to Euros?

Thanks.

It's usually best to get rid of currency in the country of that currency.

Buy Hungarian currency at a bank in Prague and pay with the remainder of your Czech (keep a few crowns for incidentals until youre out of the country).

Buy Euros in a bank in Budapest before you head out.

WK

I would definitely agree that it is best to get rid of a country's currency in that country before you leave, if you can. You should get the best rate that way, and be able to get rid of it.

I haven't been to Hungary for several years (maybe 4-5?), but when I was there, the Hungarian forint was not a hard or valued currency, and you could not get rid of it outside Hungary as it wasn't worth anything and no one wanted it. Also, it would have been very difficult to acquire it outside Hungary.

There are ATMs in Budapest that you may not need to worry about getting forints outside of Hungary before you go. Because forints aren't valued that highly, it is also easy to get rid of other currency within Hungary (eg, euro) or even use it directly.

I would definitely not load up on forints or think you can easily exchange them outside Hungary.

Unless you want to tip the customs and immigration people at the borders, you have no need to change money BEFORE arriving in the new country, because airports and train terminals have bazillions of ATMs where you can get local currency (not to mention currency exchange offices). And this doesn't even begin to consider the number of ATMs beyond the terminals.

Several years ago, prior to going to Europe after several decades' absence, I had misgivings about relying on ATMs, but my qualms were alleviated after viewing a website showing the locations of ATMs in European cities, including 300-person villages. I wager there are easily 5 times as many per capita (or per sq. mi.) in Europe as in US

<<Unless you want to tip the customs and immigration people at the borders>>

I know tomboy was joking, but I wouldn't recommend trying this! Might be misconstrued :).

All depends on the country. In some places, not tipping could get you delayed substantially (though probably not in Europe).

Well, I really hate to arrive without enough local currency to get from the airport/train station to the hotel.

We arrive in Budapest by train from Prague at 23:20 and I'd hate to spend time finding/using an ATM to be able to pay a taxi driver.

I'll probably start will the equivalent of $100 for each country.

I'll definitely take the advice here and try to unload local currency upon leaving.

Since I'll be in Prague, Budapest and Bruges/Amsterdam (Euros), exchanging from Czech currency to Euros on leaving is also an option if it's easier.

Thanks.

Hungary's main train stations all have ATMs. Check on the cirrus & plus websites for locations of where in the train station.
There are warnings to be on guard when using the train ATMs regrading possible theft. So if you go with someone, just make sure that person helps you keep an eye out. Put your money away right away.

An easy way to unload currency is to use it to pay part of your hotel bill upon check out your last day.

This is the year 2005 and modern technology works 99% of the time...for the other 1% of the time, you might have to exchange one currency (USD, euro, sterling, AUD) at an exchange office...it has never happened to me but I suppose it might happen....

Every European airport, train station, now have plethora of ATM's...it's no big deal to use the ATM upon arrival and you will get almost the exact rate of exchange minus whatever fee your bank wishes to rip you off with....people say they don't want to waste time on arrival but then again they're wasting time at departure and getting lousy rates...

But back yourself up with a 2nd or even a 3rd ATM card and some small bank notes in one of the major Western currencies......

...oops actually it's 2006...oh well can't keep track of my dates as I get older.

the second sign of old age is loss of memory.

As for tipping, perhaps that is the wrong word. Bribe is better.

A friend of mine, Ph. D. in Management from the Terry College at the U of Georgia, lives and works in Romania.

His wife was in the hospital, which closed its doors at some silly and early hour. When he wanted to get in to see her, he had to buy his way in.

If a company wants a business license, there are several ways to get one, but the best way is to pay the expedition fee. Otherwise you wait 6 months for it.

If that is not a bribe, I don't know what is. Pay the right fee, and the right person, and same day service is possible if you start early in the day.