Is it cheaper to buy euros before you leave, or when you arrive in Ireland?

If you mean exchanging $ for euro, you do not need to "buy" euro anywhere. Simply use your ATM card as you travel around Ireland. You will get euro out of the machines.<BR><BR>If you do "buy" euro - they will be more expensive in the US.

Euro is more plentiful there compared to the US - thus they will be "cheaper" there than here in the US.

First, call your bank or credit card company and ask them about their charges in overseas ATM machines. If they charge fees, change banks/credit card companies. <BR><BR>My MasterCard company and my bank VISA debit card charge no fees. If you have similar cards, go to any ATM overseas (usually there is one at the airport after you clear customs), put in your card, enter your 4 digit pin, select the amount of money you want, and "bingo" the euros flow.<BR><BR>It's a wonderful thing.

Yes, this would be just in case the ATM card didn't work for any reason. Forgot to mention that I am in Canada, yesterday one euro cost $1.53 Canadian at my local bank, but they couldn't tell me what it would cost in Ireland.

IMHI I always like to land with a bit of the local currency in hand though some will tell you not to bother.<BR><BR>I arrived at Torp airport in Norway this past June on a flight from London. The airport had one, count 'em one ATM that had a line of 11 people at it when I walked by. 11 people 2 minutes(?) per transaction and I was 22 minutes ahead getting to the taxi. Doesn't seem like much time, but at 11:30 at night when you're tired and want to get to your hotel it made a difference for me.

David, I have traveled all over Europe and never encountered more than one person in line at any ATM, anywhere. You must have been the exception to the rule. Sorry.

Mike, no need to apologize. I've traveled quite a bit in Europe over the last 5 years and this is the first and only, so far, time it's happened to me. Let's face it Torp isn't a huge airport. I flew there 'cause it was a significant savings on Ryan air to get from London to Norway. <BR><BR>But I'll always land with a bit of currency, especially now with the Euro. For me it was easy in June to ATM in Finland for 200USD before I left. An easy way to have some cash on hand before I return to France next April. And at the rate the Euro is going, it may be a decent investment.

George, the mid-market rate on Friday for the euro was C$1.5156. If your local bank was willing to sell euros at C$1.53 (a 1% mark-up), that was a heck of a deal that nobody in Ireland would come close to matching. I'm sure you would find a 4% to 5% mark-up in Ireland, i.e. C$1.57 to C$1.59 per euro.

topping this great thread, with its great message header<BR>

Buy them at the euro bureau

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