Buying Euros?

[YXU AC*SE]

If I use the ATM in Heathrow, can I get anything else besides pounds, i.e., euro?

 

Yes. Two ways -- At LHR, you look for Raphaels Bank branded ATMs -- they will dispense cash in Sterling, Euro, or USD. As well, ICE plc has ATMs that are stocked with Euro (in addition to Sterling -- not so sure about USD) adjacent to their traditional currency exchange walk-up windows.

 

Scott.

[MATHA531]

Yes. Two ways -- At LHR, you look for Raphaels Bank branded ATMs -- they will dispense cash in Sterling, Euro, or USD. As well, ICE plc has ATMs that are stocked with Euro (in addition to Sterling -- not so sure about USD) adjacent to their traditional currency exchange walk-up windows.

 

Scott.

 

However, I would bet you will get killed on the exchange if you use an ATM in London for anything other than sterling. It's like whenever I take the ferry across from Dover to Calais....if the ferry is British (I'm not sure they all are), you don't exchange say US currency to euro. Why not? Well first the ship converts USD to sterling and charges a currency exchange fee and then converts the sterling to euro and you incur another currency exchange fee. It's silly....if you need euro, you will have plenty of opportunity to get euro on your first stop on the continent wherever that might be at a European ATM.

[estebofarr]

Thank you Scott.

[iancal]

We usually leave home with anywhere from 500-700 Euros. We always get them from a foreign exchange office in our city. Much better exchange rate than the bank and we get the denominations that we want vs. what the bank has.

[Virgil]

There is a difference in a debit card tied to your checking acct that can be used like a credit card for transactions and an ATM card that can only be used to withdraw money from your account with a PIN number. I do not own/use debits because I think they are not safe. Like everyone else, I have used my ATM card all over Europe. Canada, and Mexico without an issue. When we land, I go to the ATM while my hubby is getting the car. I wouldn't even consider walking around anywhere with $2000 worth of any kind of money. That is just asking for trouble.

[diane.in.ny]

When you use an ATM in America do you get a choice of currencies?

 

I have never seen an ATM in the U.S. that gives anything except U.S. dollars

[diane.in.ny]

I have used my ATM card all over Europe. Canada, and Mexico without an issue.

 

I just returned from a river cruise of Holland and Belgium. No problem in Holland. In Belgium, my ATM card did not work at two ATMs (at one I went into the bank and asked and was told it was because I didn't have the chip) and a store refused all the credit cards of a couple we were traveling with because they didn't have the chip in them.