Currency Exchange

Does anybody have any advice for the best way to get some euros for a trip to Europe? I only need exchange a few hundred dollars and I would like to have the euros before the trip. We live in a small town and our bank is not really set up to do this.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

Ask you local bank if they will supply you with Euros. Mine [Wells Fargo] does with no fees.

Second best option is to use your ATM in country. We did all over Tuscany with no problems; limit was 300 Euros per day.

If you have to use a local change place try a bank first, then a change store second and the airport last. If you do use the change places shop around. In Florence we saw the rates vary by as much as 5%.

 

FYI. Inform your Credit Card company that you will be traveling out of the country to avoid any approval delays.

PD

 

I used ATM's all over Germany with no problems. The MSP Int'l airport has a currency exchange booth which was useful to get a small amount of foreign currency to get one going.

 

ATMs can be used all over Europe with no problems whatsoever and it is not necessary to phone your CC company for any prior approval,it really is very easy nowadays,enjoy your trip.
Dave Mc

 

I second this. Matkat, unfortunately your claim is not always true... I was majorly pissed to find out last summer - after I was already in Europe - that my main CC at the time (a Citigroup card) was not authorized for international use. That caused a few headaches. I couldn't change anything on my account at that point and ended up having to use my secondary card past its limit.

Not only that, but many (most?) point-of-sale systems at cash registers wouldn't accept *any* of my cards, which sent me on several ATM hunts, including a foot trek back across Maranello to find an ATM. Hearing, "your card is denied" became a thrice daily occurance.

You can usually get fair rates from a Visa CC, as they charge only a small percentage more than the daily rate. Beats pulling cash out of fee-loaded ATM's and carrying currency. Euros have made things easier, but Switzerland still uses CHF francs.

 

Somewhat off the original subject, but where could I get my hands on some old pre-Euro currency, specifically a 20,000 Greek drachma(sp?) note?

 

If you are close to a large airport with international travel, you should be able to get to their currency exchange window without checking in or going through customs.

or exchange just before departure