France & Venice- ATMs, Travelers Cheques, cash?
Aug 26th, 2010, 08:52 AM
#1
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France & Venice- ATMs, Travelers Cheques, cash?
Do you need traverlers cheques or just depend on ATMs and taking some Euros to get started, and using credit cards at restaurants, hotels, shops.
Aug 26th, 2010, 09:03 AM
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Use a credit card for what you can (hotel, restaunts,etc.). Get cash from an ATM for your small purchases. Travelers Checks are more difficult now, many banks won't exchange them.
I always take some euros with me, I know this costs more than using an ATM but I like to arrive with some cash. I usually exchange about $100 at the airport. There is a lot of discussion about this on here, if you perform a search for ATM, you'll find lots of opinions.
I always take some euros with me, I know this costs more than using an ATM but I like to arrive with some cash. I usually exchange about $100 at the airport. There is a lot of discussion about this on here, if you perform a search for ATM, you'll find lots of opinions.
Aug 26th, 2010, 09:57 AM
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When I was in Venice in October 2008 I had trouble finding an ATM near my hotel on the weekend that had not run out of money. I was staying in the Dorsodura district. I did not have similar problems on the weekdays. I finally found an ATM near San Marco. Something to keep in mind while planning your withdrawals and spending. I always use ATMS, so this is more of a heads up for Venice, since I had not run into this problem before in other European cities.
Aug 26th, 2010, 09:59 AM
#8
No, you don't need traveler checks. They are very old fashioned and hard to use these days. For most people a combination of: ATM debit card, USD cash, and credit cards works best.
I think the one time TC's might be considered is if you had to pay for an apartment all at once and the landlord would accept them as payment.
I think the one time TC's might be considered is if you had to pay for an apartment all at once and the landlord would accept them as payment.
Aug 26th, 2010, 10:27 AM
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I use credit cards for larger purchases and get cash with my debit card for everything else.
I don't buy Euros before I arrive; there are plenty of ATM's in the airport to use without losing any time. If your debit card has a Visa or MC logo on it, it will work at virtually any machine in Europe. Watch for exchange bureau machines, especially at the airport, that look just like ATM's, they work but cost significantly more (look for a machine that has bank in the name and avoid any machine with Ex or Exchange in the name).
Traveler's checks are worse than useless, you pay for them and then have to hunt for someone who will take them (usually only banks during banking hours).
I also bring a few hundred in US currency for emergencies that I can exchange in a pinch. It always comes home unexchanged.
I don't buy Euros before I arrive; there are plenty of ATM's in the airport to use without losing any time. If your debit card has a Visa or MC logo on it, it will work at virtually any machine in Europe. Watch for exchange bureau machines, especially at the airport, that look just like ATM's, they work but cost significantly more (look for a machine that has bank in the name and avoid any machine with Ex or Exchange in the name).
Traveler's checks are worse than useless, you pay for them and then have to hunt for someone who will take them (usually only banks during banking hours).
I also bring a few hundred in US currency for emergencies that I can exchange in a pinch. It always comes home unexchanged.
Aug 26th, 2010, 11:05 AM
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Further to nytraveler's caution, I have often had difficulty getting cash from ATMs on Sundays in France and Italy, usually in the morning. I think there's some sort of electronic restocking or something going on for a few hours. Generally, later in the day I've had no problem getting cash. Now I try to remember to get cash Saturdays.
Aug 26th, 2010, 11:40 AM
#13
You are wrong, Michel. The Visa and MasterCard logos are far more important than the Cirrus or Plus logos.
But a card with ANY of those logos will work in the machines, which is why the logos are displayed in the first place.
My French cards have only Visa and MC logos and not those other logos at all anyway. And they are debit cards.
But a card with ANY of those logos will work in the machines, which is why the logos are displayed in the first place.
My French cards have only Visa and MC logos and not those other logos at all anyway. And they are debit cards.
Aug 26th, 2010, 12:56 PM
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Visa owns the Plus network, Mastercard owns the Cirrus/Maestro network. So, debit/ATM cards associated with either Cirrus/Ḿaestro or Plus should work in any French bank ATM.
Some US banks, in an effort to maximize profits, issue credit cards with PINs (these are not EMV or chipped cards) allowing you to make ATM withdrawals as a cash advance against your credit card account. The withdrawal becomes a high interest loan (at approximately 25%) starting at the time of the withdrawal and continuing until your entire credit card balance is paid in full. If you carry a month to month balance, accessing funds in this way can be very expensive.
Some US banks, in an effort to maximize profits, issue credit cards with PINs (these are not EMV or chipped cards) allowing you to make ATM withdrawals as a cash advance against your credit card account. The withdrawal becomes a high interest loan (at approximately 25%) starting at the time of the withdrawal and continuing until your entire credit card balance is paid in full. If you carry a month to month balance, accessing funds in this way can be very expensive.
