dwooddon

I'll be coming into Vancouver by rail from the US. Does anyone know if there is an ATM machine in the station where I can get Canadian currency before I catch a cab to my hotel?

FainaAgain

Dwoo, what train are you taking? If the one that runs along the ocean, is it Pacific something, it comes in at midnight when the station is closed. The taxis are there. If the daytime, I don't remember for sure, but most likely yes.

dwooddon

I'm coming in from Seattle on the AMTRAK train. It gets in at 11:40 in the morning on a Saturday.

dwoodliff

Dwooddon: Darn! I thought for a minute there that I was going to get to meet you. We are taking Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver next month -- but on a Monday. Noting the similarity in our names, wouldn't that have been funny if we had been traveling on the same train on the same day?

dwooddon

I would have liked that, too. Maybe another time.

Since I'm not leaving for a few months, maybe you could check out the availability of an ATM in the station and post when you get back. I'd appreciate it.

dwoodliff

Dwooddon: I will look for an ATM for you. In the mean time, here's a pretty cool site you can check out:

www.360360.com/stations/vac.html

You can click on a map of the Vancouver train station (Pacific Central Station) and take a virtual tour (although you may end up on the ceiling). I went around and around, and zoomed in and out, trying to find the ATM. I'm sure there is one, because the station looks pretty nice, but everything gets really out of focus when you zoom in.

When you type in the address, be sure you use "vac", and not "van". "Van" gives you pictures of the station in Vancouver, Washington.

Have fun!

dwooddon

You're right. Closeups are pretty blurry and I could not tell if there was an ATM or not. Thanks for the link.

WillTravel

My husband says there is an ATM, and it charges a $2 CAD fee. I couldn't remember. If worst comes to worst, there is one across the street in or near the VanCity credit union.

dwooddon

Thanks WillTravel. That helps.

FainaAgain

Dwoo, why don't you get some CDN at home? What if that only ATM (if it's there) out of service? What if it has only large bills, and the cab driver doesn't have change?

rkkwan

Getting Canadian dollars at home mean poor exchange rate and most likely service charges from your bank.

Worst case is that you'll just pay the cab driver US$ at par, and get C$ for change. If the distance isn't that far, at most you lose a few dollars that way.

You may use that much fuel just to get to your bank (perhaps twice) to order and get your C$ at home.

dwooddon

FainaAgain: Getting foreign currency in my area (Orange County, Calif) is difficult and expensive. Banks have to special order it and, to my knowledge, we have no currency brokers here.

If I were flying, I could use one of the currency exchanges in the airport but I have never seen a train station in this country that had one and they are also expensive. Like many others, I have found the fastest and least expensive way to get local currency is from a networked ATM such as Cirrus or Plus in the host country.

WillTravel

Vancouver ATMs give money out in 20s - at least every single one I've used in the past few years.

FainaAgain

Going to Canada last time I just went to BofA office and exchanged about $50CDN at any price for a piece of mind I am always afraid to end up in an unknown place without local currency for a taxi. Later I'd use ATM and credit cards, but I always must have a little local cash with me.

It helps to live in San Francisco I guess. Didn't cross my mind it may be a pain to get foreign currency.

dwoodliff

dwooddon: I promised I'd answer your question after our visit to Vancouver. Here is the answer:

Yes, there is an ATM inside Pacific Central Station in Vancouver (just right of the gift shop), but, NO, it wouldn't accept either of my ATM cards. I could see there had been a sign on the front noting what types were accepted, but it had been torn off.

Fortunately, there is a bank in the station where you can exchange currency, or you can simply make a small purchase in the gift shop, where the change is given in Canadian coins, which is much faster than standing in line at the bank. (Larger amounts can be exchanged at your hotel.)

A warning: Watch out for panhandlers inside and outside the station. One guy was going from person to person as we stood in line at the bank, asking for change. We saw him again outside the building, and AGAIN across the street in the Skytrain station. Talk about determined! He was trying to assist people buying Skytrain tickets, so he could ask for their change!

I hope everything goes smoothly for you on your trip!

Donna

dwooddon

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.