Lolo12

This may sound like a dumb question - when taking money out of an ATM machine in Europe that is not on the euro system, is it possible to get euros from the machine? I am quoted certain rates by guides in euros and yet the country I am going to has its own local currency. How would I get euros? I don't want to get them before I go. Maybe they are just quoting euros for the general european population.

PalQ

Never seen such an option - an guides who list prices in euros in non-Euroland countries will of course take the local currency as well. You won't need euros in say Switzerland and probably could spend them in only a few tourist hotels or stores.

kerouac

Some Swiss machines allow you to withdraw euros or Swiss francs. Just about every coin operated machine in Switzerland accepts euros.

PalQ

Haven't been there since 2004 and then no machines, etc. took euros - but things change and this is good. Thanks for the update.

ira

Hi lolo,

If you are going to a country where the currency is clam shells, you deal in clam shells.

If someone gives you a quote in Euro or Dollars, it can't be to your advantage.

WallyKringen

What country or countries are you talking about?

P_M

Ira, if you are in a country where clam shells are the currency and you try to pay with US$, it could be a CALAMITY.

Christina

I don't know where you are going, but I think (not positive) I have seen some ATMs in Europe that gave a couple currencies. Not sure on that, and I imagine they were not really ATMs of a bank, but a private exchange machine, so would have a markup.

I don't agree that a quote in euros means they are cheating your or it is not to your advantage. I have seen that on various hotel websites, and it is just for information or an advisory. It doesn't necessary mean they will accept euros as payment, though, it's just to quote the rate.

JoeTro

What about a country (like say Slovenia) that is adopting the Euro very soon and often quoting prices in both currencies?

kerouac

The Slovenian exchange rate is already locked solidly to the euro, so I would imagine that those are the exact prices. After all, Slovenes have to get used to the new prices by January 1st.

ira

>I don't agree that a quote in euros means they are cheating your or it is not to your advantage. I have seen that on various hotel websites, and it is just for information or an advisory.<

And if a hotel in euroland, for your convenience, quotes you a rate in dollars?

kerouac

And let us not forget the immortal words of every American Airlines flight between the US and Euroland: "Alcoholic beverages are 5 dollars or 5 euros." Very convenient.

P_M

Good example of why it's best to pay in the local currency, kerouac.

It's cheaper to pay in US$ because AA is an American based airline. Hence the local currency would be the USD and the € would be the foreign currency. So as usual, it is advantageous to pay in the local currency.

jsmith

Would it still have been advantageous to pay in the local currency in 2002 when the Euro was worth about 90 cents?

Seems I'd have saved money by paying American Airlines in a "foreign" currency but maybe there is some funny math I don't understand.

P_M

Until Nov. 1, 2002 the drinks were still free on AA.

P_M

I hit "Post" too soon.

I remember that date because I flew AA to Italy on Nov. 1, 2002. I asked the FA when they started charging for drinks and he said that was the first day.

Lolo12

The countries I will be visiting where I received quotes in euros are Croatia and Slovenia. I will be paying a driver to take me from Ljubljana to Trieste and his quote was in euros - hence my dilemma as to how and when to pay him. I was also given quotes by a Croatian tourguide in euros rather than in kunas. I always prefer to be given prices in local currency.

kerouac

"1 January 2007 for Slovenia. Date confirmed and finalised by the European Commission, conversion rate 239.640. The final exchange rate was fixed on 2006-07-11"
All conversions in Slovenia must now be made at exactly that rate and not any other.

kerouac

I can also add that from 11 July 2006, the euro is the official currency of Slovenia. In the interim period, the tolar is merely an expression of the euro price in a different way. In any case, that's how things were presented to us in France, Germany, Spain, etc., in the transition period before the euro currency actually began to circulate.
It is also interesting to note that the euro is the official currency of Montenegro and Kosovo.