Where to buy Euros in the U.S.?

[hubofhockey]

An extraordinary run of bad luck. I have flown to London (GBP), Paris, Rome, Venice, Frankfurt and Amsterdam - and while have occasionally found a non-functioning ATM, have always found many at each airport - with at least one (usually first one I tried - just once the third) working fine. The exchange rate beats what is available at US banks - and far better than exchange kiosks - and if you have a card which refunds charges applied by the proprietary bank ( as my UBS card does) you will realize significant savings.

 

There are many cards that now refund charges of foreign banks. Capital One has been doing it for years. We fly into Heathrow in August for a vacation in London and then to Paris. We will leave with 0 GBP and 0 Euros in our pockets and I have no concerns about not getting GBPs at Heathrow or Euros at Gare du Nord.

 

I am just not a big fan of carrying around a great deal of cash in any denomination, local or foreign. Rarely at home do I carry around more than $100 in my wallet. I just don't see the point. However, I will pick up 250 euros at a time in Paris and 200 GBPs in London only because we spend more on vacation. I am just not a fan of buying foreign currency in the US or even getting it all on the first day of my vacation.

[cruisemom42]

For the average casual traveler, I think the trifecta of 1) having a few euros in pocket, 2) having a no-fee debit card for additional withdrawals once on the ground, and 3) having a no-foreign transaction fee credit card will cover just about any base when traveling outside the US.

 

Exchange rates other than via ATM are generally poor -- someone mentioned AAA upstream, for example. I've found their rates pretty abysmal, right up there with hotel desk/cruise ship rates and airport kiosks.

 

I frequently travel solo on both cruises and land trips of several weeks overseas. Utilizing the above, I have never found myself in a situation where I was unable to pay for something or get the funds needed to do so without having to carry a wad of cash with me.

[chipmaster]

For the average casual traveler, I think the trifecta of 1) having a few euros in pocket, 2) having a no-fee debit card for additional withdrawals once on the ground, and 3) having a no-foreign transaction fee credit card will cover just about any base when traveling outside the US.

 

Exchange rates other than via ATM are generally poor -- someone mentioned AAA upstream, for example. I've found their rates pretty abysmal, right up there with hotel desk/cruise ship rates and airport kiosks.

 

I frequently travel solo on both cruises and land trips of several weeks overseas. Utilizing the above, I have never found myself in a situation where I was unable to pay for something or get the funds needed to do so without having to carry a wad of cash with me.

 

+1 on ATM, the challenge for some, including I when I went needing a few thousand for private tours. Just bit the bullet to get enough for the big items and top off at ATM, maxed out a few times :o

[CPT Trips]

Cruisers should be aware the Travelex has machines in foreign airports that look like ATMs. BUT, they are simply automated exchange machines that have travelex's miserable rates.

 

Just an added point on the credit card. It pays to have a card that is chip and pin rather than chip and sign or simply a mag stripe.

[DirtyDawg]

IKEA. You didn't think they only sold furniture and Swedish meatballs did you? :p

[lisiamc]

If you travel off the beaten track, it is very possible to have a hard time finding an ATM in a smaller, less touristy town that will do foreign exchange. Not all banks sign up to it, and sometimes different branches of the same bank won't all participate.

 

I had to ask a taxi driver to take me to three different Bancomats once, because the one (and there was only one at that time) in Forli airport was broken, and the first two Bancomats I tried didn't accept foreign cards.

 

Now I try to make sure that I arrive with enough Euros to at least get a taxi and buy a coffee.

[kingoftheicedragons]

To the people who say to use your ATM card once you get to Europe, do you have an ATM card with a chip in it? I ask, because I was in Europe (and notified the credit union that we would be there), and the card wouldn't work in the ATM machine (even tried a few times). I did have enough euros in cash that I got before hand to not have a problem in the end, but I was very careful with the cash I had on hand and didn't try the ATM any more. I do know that Europe is getting to the point where US ATM cards without the chip won't work.

 

After getting back, I did decide to get a credit card with a chip in it for the next time that we go.

[SadieN]

To the people who say to use your ATM card once you get to Europe, do you have an ATM card with a chip in it? I ask, because I was in Europe (and notified the credit union that we would be there), and the card wouldn't work in the ATM machine (even tried a few times). I did have enough euros in cash that I got before hand to not have a problem in the end, but I was very careful with the cash I had on hand and didn't try the ATM any more. I do know that Europe is getting to the point where US ATM cards without the chip won't work.

 

 

 

After getting back, I did decide to get a credit card with a chip in it for the next time that we go.

 

 

DD lives in Rome and has a card without a chip. She's able to get euros out of ATMs (bancomats). She has to buy train tickets in person or online, not at a kiosk. She doesn't drive.

[cruisemom42]

To the people who say to use your ATM card once you get to Europe, do you have an ATM card with a chip in it? I ask, because I was in Europe (and notified the credit union that we would be there), and the card wouldn't work in the ATM machine (even tried a few times). I did have enough euros in cash that I got before hand to not have a problem in the end, but I was very careful with the cash I had on hand and didn't try the ATM any more. I do know that Europe is getting to the point where US ATM cards without the chip won't work.

 

After getting back, I did decide to get a credit card with a chip in it for the next time that we go.

 

As of yet, there aren't too many ATMs or bancomats or whatever you want to call them that require a DEBIT card with a chip. However, there are places (like automatic ticket machines) that require a chip-and-pin CREDIT card.

 

I suspect you may have just been unlucky with the machine you tried to use. Either that or your credit union issued debit card works on one of the less commonly accepted "networks".

 

I've used ATMs all over Europe and a few other assorted destinations (SE Asia, Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt) and have been lucky so far to not have any significant issues.

 

If your card doesn't work in a specific machine, it may be difficult to determine the reason. (The machine may just be out of cash, but it won't necessarily tell you that.) Best bet is NOT to keep trying that machine but to try a different one. If you've tried 2-3 and can't get it to work, then call your bank/credit union. They may be blocking the transaction on their end, even if you told them in advance that you would be traveling.

Edited May 5, 2015 by cruisemom42

[sail7seas]

More of U.S. Bank credit cards are now coming with chips but still few have chip and pin.

 

[GottaKnowWhen]

...If your card doesn't work in a specific machine, it may be difficult to determine the reason. (The machine may just be out of cash, but it won't necessarily tell you that.) ... If you've tried 2-3 and can't get it to work, then call your bank/credit union. They may be blocking the transaction on their end,

 

The several times I have had issues with non-functioning ATMs, I usually back off for a few minutes, let others in line have a try. When people from multiple countries with various sorts of cards have problems, I figure it is an ATM problem and not a bank problem.

 

I'll try to get in touch with my sister-in-law concerning chips in debit cards; she worked in the ATM business in Europe for many years, still has contacts in the business, should be able to clarify the situation. If I find anything I'll report back here.

 

Stan

[slidergirl]

Just got back from my vacation to Italy. My Debit/ATM card does not have a chip; had no problem at any Bancomat I used. My VISA/AMEX cards to have chips (chip & sig); I had no problem using either of them at restaurants and stores. For my metro and one Leonardo Express tickets, I just used cash to avoid having to wait in line at a manned station. For the other Leonardo ticket, I used Trenitalia's "Treno Pronto" app to buy my ticket.

Yes, I did have some Euros in pocket before I arrived. It's just an old habit to bring back about 100EU to have for my first few hours on my next trip.