Just re checking..ATM Cards?

[TattooedJared]

I was told not to take cash with me to England. My ATM card will work? It has the Visa thing on it too. I just wanna be SURE that the ATM will work and I wont get stuck without spending money. Thanks!

[spiffyone]

I was last in England almost 10 years ago and my experience with this was hit or miss, depending on which ATM I was at.
Hopefully Kari or Linda will respond...the other thing you might want to do is just take like $100 or 150 in cash with you, and if you need $$ the first day and haven't found the right ATM yet, at least you will have $$.
I had a wierd experience like this in Canada...arrived Sat am with very little cash, my ATM card did not work in the ATM closest to the hotel, and the money changing places are closed ALL WEEKEND there...how uncivilized (on second thought, how civilized). So I was without cash for 24 hours. Couldn't buy a soda, a snack, etc. It was annoying.

[jesgooch]

The only thing you might need to make sure of is that your pin number is morethan 3 numbers or is 4, I can't remember...

Oh, wait, right. My pin number was 6 numbers, and I had to shorten it to 4 to get it to work in Australia, NZ and Fiji.

Just exchange a little bit of cash, always nice to have to tip cab drivers and stuff. Your bank should even be able to order you some so you don't have to go to a cash exchange place.

Also, find out how much your bank will charge you extra for the exchange rate. I think AMEX has a travelers check card that can be used like a debit card...try them too.

[kari]

Okay.

Having never used an ATM in my life (honestly! :shocked: I don't see the point. What do you use them for? To draw cash ... when almost every shop will accept your card directly as payment anyway) I'm not the best qualified to answer. You will need a 4 digit PIN ... and I would think you would be charged for each transaction at an ATM with it being a foreign card. I'm not sure whether this would work but if you want to minimise the risk of being charged look for ATM with Link written on it. You will probably be charged anyway, but still.

If your card says VISA on it you will be fine for using that at most shops. I remember being in NYC as a kid and for whatever reason, nobody there took Mastercard, or Access as it then was. A major city and nobody takes your credit card!

I would still advise taking some cash with you. At this stage you can probably get it from the airport as you leave. Keep the bulk of your cash (and cards) in a money belt hidden underneath your clothes. Only have in your pocket what you need for the day (or half day ... it costs nothing to go into the loos and rearrange yourself!) If someone gets "too close" to you, check straight away that you still have your wallet. Watch out on public transport. Other than that there aren't really too many tricks ... nobody will wave bits of cardboard at you or throw a "baby" at you like they do in some European cities. Nothing will happen but just watch yourself ... I was nearly pickpocketed in Paris and if I had have been ... well it would have been my own stupid fault.

If you can't get cash from the airport, then you should be able to at any bank ... or try a main post office.

HTH.

[AZO-FA]

I always use my card. Rarely have I had to get cash out of an ATM internationally.

Most places, your card will work. I have run into some places that dont have the right technology to accept foreign cards, but they have only been in Mexico.