Pounds at Heathrow
 

are there plenty of atm's at heathrow? Can I wait and get pounds when I arrive?

Absotively, posilutely.

If you have a Bank of America debit/cash card, you can use the Barclay's ATMs free of charge.

Thank you so much! Quick pack to leave tomorrow! Very fortunate to get this trip!

Yes get your £ at a LHR ATM.

However - I <i>think</i> the situation has changed. There always used to be a variety of bank owned cash machines. My last trip I was in LHR T-5 and EDI and I can't remember which was which - but one had only Travelex machines (T-5 I think) and the other had only Amex (I believe EDI) machines. This really surprised me.

So you can still get cash easily but you may not be able to find a machine affiliated w/ a specific bank.

You may find that the ATMs at Heathrow charge for withdrawals as they are owned by a private company. This is in addition to any charge your bank may make.

Once into central London though you should have no problem finding a bank owned ATM which will not charge - though your bank may.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-i...-heathrow.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-i...s-england.html

we are flying into Gatwick would it be better to find an ATM once we get into London or at the airport??

airport, in arrivals walk through area, before you get on the train

Not totally sure, but just looked at the LGW map and couldn't find traditional Bank-affiliated cash machines. Just Travelex and Moneycorp - so there may be fees.

I'd <i>maybe</i> wait til I got to the station in London. (there used to be several different Bank machines near each other but it appears BAA may have sold the rights to Amex/Travelex/Moneycorp)

Are there bank-affiliated machines in Victoria Station?

oh2doula ...

There are ATM's at Gatwick (...and probably every other major airport in the world, I suspect.)

As stated before, if you have a bank preference, then just get 100 GBP or so at Gatwick, and then use your bank of preference for the rest of your trip.

I do not recommend converting dollars before leaving the US - probably very expensive.

SS

The reality is that the London area is a lot like most American cities in that credit cards are taken most everywhere for most everything.

I was in London a couple of weeks ago. Not once did I pay cash for anything whatsoever during the 5 days I was there. Not once. Starting with topping up my oyster card upon arrival at Heathrow, checking into my hotel, having lunch at Pret a Manger, pickiing up a couple of sodas at Boots, scurrying off for the theatre to pick up tickets order beforehand via the internet, topping up my sim card, dinner, picking up refreshments for the theatre beforehand (sodas, aero bar, potato chips, picking up my ticket for the evedning performance I booked in advance, stopping by a convenience store for late night snacks...a typical day.

Okay there are a few things you might need cash for. I don't drink so no pubs to down a pint (might need cash there), didn't do any London Walks where I think one needs cash (but with the ability today of sticking a card reader on a smart phone, who knows anymore. Snacks at grocery chains etc. all take cards and rarely enforce any minimum purchase requirements.

I find the use of cash when I travel (I know others disagree) to be almost obsolete. And of course, I make sure I have a credit card with no foreign transaction fee and pays me at least 1% rewards......only way to travel as far as I am concerned.

>><i>There are ATM's at Gatwick (...and probably every other major airport in the world, I suspect.)</i><<

My point was there used to be plenty of bank-affiliated ATMs at LGW (and LHR and EDI) but now they all seem to be of the Travelex/Amex type so there <i>may</i> be fees.

>><i>Are there bank-affiliated machines in Victoria Station</i><<

Last time I was in Victoria was last June and yes, there were machines of at least 3 different banks.

"now they all seem to be of the Travelex/Amex type so there may be fees."

It's messier than that, and it'd be interesting to hear if anyone knows the facts

Cash machines in Britain that charge a transaction fee are legally required to declare the fact very visibly, both around the machine and during the transaction: they need to be programmed to allow the user to confirm understanding. Like janisj, I've not seen a conventional bank cash machine at Heathrow for ages (which doesn't mean there aren't any) - but I've not noticed any "this machine charges" signs either, and BAA is quite good at forcing compliance on merchants.

But there's no law controlling the rate a dealer charges for currency conversion, or requiring exchange rates to be displayed at a cash machine. Travelex notoriously charges less favourable rates at airports than most high street dealers, and it's inconceivable their electronic deals are any more favourable to the customer than their manned exchange desks.

Since hardly anyone in Britain ever gets significant sums from British airport cash machines, the issue's too trivial for the media to investigate. So I've no idea whether drawing out £100 at Heathrow costs a visitor €1 or €50 more than his account would be debited if he'd used a city centre bank machine .

janisj and I may be flagging a problem that's real, highly profitable for the dealers, but insignificant to the mildly defrauded punter.

Anyone actually know how favourable a rate they were charged at a Heathrow cash machine?

At Gatwick south terminal airside there is a Barclays ATM upstairs, very close to Next. Landside there are bank affiliated ATMs. Don't go thru north terminal very often so can't remember.
According to Barclays website, there is a Barclays ATM at T5 by Thomas Cook although which TC it does not say. There are usually ATMs on the way to the tube station.

we plan to use credit cards for most things but since we will be going to several markets thought cash would be better - as usual thanks janisj and flanneruk!!

if anyone is passing through Bristol airport, I can tell you that there are bank ATMs landside opposite the easyjet checkin area. they dispense both £ and €.

the same applies in the waiting/cafe departure area at St. Pancras for the eurostar.