I have never been asked to show my passport for a credit purchase anywhere in Europe; two exceptions: checking into a hotel and obtaining VAT refunds. As someone else mentioned tell your credit card company that you will be using the card in Europe.

Regarding the statement about needing your passport to get an audio device at a museum (Pompeii was mentioned). I have left my driver's license to do so several times -- including at Pompeii. I would never leave my passport for something like that.

It is a very bad idea to leave a passport as security deposit for an audio guide. Most places that do that give you a choice -- Credit card, picture ID/driver's license, passport, etc. Never leave your passport.

Could someone share with me which U.S. banks don't charge to use the ATM at banks other than the ATM card issuing bank? In my experience it seems that they all charge if you use the ATM at other banks, unless they have a specific reciprocal use agreement. Thanks for the info.

sugarbear: In my experience, most US banks don't charge a fee unless you are withdrawing money IN THE USA, in which case they charge a fee if you're not using a machine directly tied to their bank.
I'm sure it will do you NO good whatsoever, but my bank is a small one in Arlington, VA, that caters to small businesses, which is why I bank there, but it's the James Monroe Bank. I doubt you'd ever have any reason to be a customer of this bank unless you resided in Northern Virginia.

The best way to avoid fees is to use a debit card instead of a credit card. Be sure you know your PIN number as a number because most (if not all) European banks do not have letters when you log in.

We always get about $100 worth of euros at our bank before we go just for peace of mind. It's nice to just head for the hotel and not look for an ATM at the airport.

Suggestion: Check expiration date on cards and passport!

Sugarbear, my bank is a small local bank, the Wrentham Cooperative Bank, in Massachusetts. They do not charge a fee to use non-network ATMS; however, if I go to an ATM in the US that is not affiliated with them, the bank whose ATM I am using may charge a fee. In Europe, the banks have never charged me a fee to use their ATMS. I believe I even read here that in some countries the local banks are not allowed to charge such fees.

Hi,

Nikki is correct. EU banks are not permitted to charge for the use of the ATM machines.

One small example of the superiority of the Old World Culture.

Ira, just wondering why you think it is so awful for a bank to charge a non-customer to use its ATM? Would you expect your lawyer to not charge your neighbor if your neighbor used his services, but wasn't a regular? Same with banks..they provide the service for customers of other banks to use their machines, but charge a fee for this convenience. Having said that, I would never have an acct at a bank that charged me to use its own ATMs, because I rely on them so much. Therefore, I chose a bank with a fairly large # of ATMs in the places I go most often. If I am stuck somewhere without money, and none of the ATMs in my area are part of my bank (or its alliance), then I suck up the $2 fee as a convenience charge. Full disclosure: I do work at a bank, and I know how the fee and cost structures work...the bank DOES make money off of these non-customer transactions, but guess what...we are a business!!

Anne