alama:

I'm replying to this because you posed me a question. But I really haven't much of an idea: I buy foreign currency abroad (that's what ATMs are for!): when I buy it in Britain, it's almost always a distress purchase.

M+S' "no transaction fee" doesn't mean you get the best net rate: although they and the Post Office (larger branches only) have a reputation for good value on forex, that doesn't mean they're going to be the best value on a given day: neither have a policy of being the cheapest on any product they sell.

There isn't a Wal-Mart or Aldi equivalent in retail forex. But all bureaux operators have to show their rates clearly outside, so you can work it out reasonably easily.

Be sure to take some euros with you to Brussels Midi station. We made the mistake of assuming we'd be able to find an ATM, there were none to be found. We asked many people for directions to one, but the people at the station were not at all helpful - really the only rudeness I encountered over the whole summer was at Brussels Midi.

Anyway, take some euros because you might need to use the restroom and there is a charge and they only take euros! I had to dance around for an hour until I caught my connecting train.

And don't wait until you're out of money to get more euros. In the Netherlands, Belgium and especially France, many of the ATMs were either out of money or out of service, though I never found one that wouldn't take my particular card. I always found one that worked eventually, but they're not as reliable as in Britain or the US.

Why don't you get some euros at your home bank before you leave?

Hope you have a great trip.

Seems that you already have lots of info but just to reassure you... There most certainly IS an ATM at Brussels-Midi Train Station AND at Brussels Airport. I live here and travel in and out of those two locations frequently. I have used both ATMs within the last month. I have used both American and Belgian cards there with success.

in regards to atms at Brussels airport, i found this at airwise.com's guide to BRU:
Arrival ATMs: Bancontact ATM opposite the Locaphone hire shop accepts most cards. Banksys cash machine at the Post Office, open 8:00-19:00.

where is the ATM at Brussels Midi? which bank does it belong to, and is it reliable?

Hi All,

This is Sandy posting from Bruges, Belgium and I can VERIFY that there are ATMs at the Brussels airport and that they work perfectly find with an ATM card.

As you exit Arrivals at the airport, turn right and there are two ATMs by the Locaphone booth. One is right across from it and the other is next to it.

My ATM is not connected in any way to a credit or debit. The two machines have all the Visa, MC, Cirrus, Plus, etc. logos on them.

So, there you have it . . . ATMs at the airport and they do work fine.

Sandy_b

Thanks, Sandy!

Well, we just returned yesterday from our Brugge/London holiday, and darned if you Fodorites aren't correct about the difficulty in using a US ATM card in Belgium. Despite what the Visa ATM locator said, we found that both Fortis Bank's ATMs and the ATM outside of the post office in Brugge would not accept my plain (not a check card) ATM card. I was getting a bit panicky; in fact we had to go to a bureau de change to switch some $ and £ into euros, at a not so reasonable rate. Wondering what to do, I noticed a Citibank in Brugge, and thought I would cash advance my 0% APR Citibank MasterCard. The teller said she would be glad to, providing I show her my passport. DOH! I left it at my rental flat. But I noticed they have an ATM, perhaps it will work. Bingo--it worked like a charm!! So, if you are travelling to Brugge and the ATM outside of the post office in the Markt won't work (it has very long lines, and runs out of euros often) and the Fortis Bank ATMs (in the Simon Stevinplein, or the main shopping street, the Steenstraat) won't work, try the Citibank ATM on the western side of Brugge (the ring road--Gulden Vlieslaan 61), a very short walk from the Ezelpoort, probably the prettiest of Brugge's old entrances. The ATM is inside of the bank, but will allow outsiders to access it, unlike the other lobby-based ATMs throughout Belgium that are for that bank's customers only. I intend to post a trip report, but thought you could use this ATM info immediately!

Thanks for posting that info. Citibanks are on a different system from the Bancontact/Mistercash system and I didn't know there was one in Brugge! There are numerous Citibanks in Brussels, too.
A shame about your Fortis experience, we use their machines quite often with our U.S. bank cards, but they are also check cards. Looking forward to your trip report!