I did a search and the info is all pretty old. If we plan to get Euro%26#39;s when we arrive at CDG is there much of a chance that the ATM won%26#39;t work? Is it easy to get Euro%26#39;s in London and if so, should we get some then (before we leave for Paris)?
We leave this Tuesday and I%26#39;m now not only dealing with my concerns %26amp; stress but my husband%26#39;s giving me new issues to worry about!! It%26#39;s all good. We just don%26#39;t want to pay too much %26quot;dumb tax%26quot; especially travelling with teen girls. Thanks for all of the great help.
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It%26#39;s very unusual that an ATM doesn%26#39;t work. On a rare occasion, you%26#39;ll find one that%26#39;s out of order, out of money, or out of the bills required for the amount you selected.
It%26#39;s a good idea to find out before leaving home when your bank is offline during the night for overnight processing - which means your transaction will not go through. So, if it%26#39;s 9AM in Paris, but 3AM at home and your bank is offline, you%26#39;d get a message that %26quot;your transaction cannot be approved by your bank%26quot;, or something like that.
I ran into a couple in a cafe once who complained that their ATM cards did not work anywhere. They were attempting to withdraw money at the same time every morning. I told them to just wait a while. Sure enough, the husband went across the street to an ATM (by now it was past noon) and his card worked just fine.
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Obtain euros in France (or another country using euros). You%26#39;ll get a better rate (actually ATMs at French banks or post offices exchange at mid-market rates with no fees or commissions). Depending upon what your bank may or may not charge you for out of network withdrawals, the only cost to using a French bank or post office ATM is the 1% international currency transaction fee imposed by either Cirrus or Pulse.
If you have a problem with an ATM, try another. They are available all over the airport, actually they are available all over France.
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There are ATMs everywhere. Did you mean to say London, BTW, as you are flying into CDG? There are some ATMs in London that dispense euros as well as pounds (e.g. St Pancras station) if you did mean that.
Be sure to tell the bank where you will be and when (same as credit cards). If you have more than one account I suggest taking both for those times when one is offline for system updates.
Finally, don%26#39;t panic if a card is rejected - it%26#39;s quite likely that one half a block away will work just fine.
Have fun!
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I have never had any problems with ATM. One time a machine %26quot;ate%26quot; my friend%26#39;s card. That%26#39;s why it is good to always use an ATM at a bank, that way if there is a problem, you can walk in and deal with it.
I do not compare up to the cent but I think withdrawing at an ATM in France gives you the best rate.
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All great tips %26amp; info. Thank you.
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I agree with every response here. I would add that you could have a similar problem on arrival in the UK, if your flight arrives in early to mid-morning.
Don%26#39;t worry about it. If your card won%26#39;t work at that time, use one of the money-exchange windows to get enough cash to get to your hotel. You%26#39;ll pay a premium over the ATM rate, but it%26#39;s not that much for small amounts(about 60 pounds for a taxi from Heathrow to central London, and 60 euros from CDG to central Paris - allowing extra for any traffic delays. The actual fares will be less than that, but it%26#39;s best to overshoot).
As mentioned, be sure to notify your card issuers that you will be traveling abroad.
-- Steve
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Things that are good to know:
Withdrawals are taken from chequing (or primary account) - you will not have an option so make sure your primary account is the one you will be using.
DO notify bank and cc - out of country withdrawals frequently trigger %26quot;fraud protection alert%26quot; and your account could be frozen.
Credit cards are easier to use if you have a card with a chip.
ATM%26#39;s are as normal and available as in N. America.
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The only problem I ever had was that my jet lagged self was asking for too much money ( above our limit) at CDG because I forgot to convert dollars to euros. Duh!
Once I got over that I was fine! The other posters are correct that there are so many ATM%26#39;s that you should try another one if one doesn%26#39;t work.
I only took a small amount out at CGD in the wee hours eventually- I prefer to use an ATM outside an actual bank that is open, so that if I have problem ( one lady had her card %26#39;gobbled up %26quot; on a Sunday in front of a closed bank ,) I can go in and get assistance imemdiately.
I definitely avoid free standing machines at Internet cafes and the like.
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As another poster mentioned, do inform your bank before you go that you will be travelling, and whether you%26#39;ll need a higher daily withdrawal limit. Also, see if they have a reciprocal agreement with a European/French bank in order to avoid ATM fees. For example Bank of America has an agreement with BNP Paribas, so if you use BNP ATMs, which are all over France, you don%26#39;t pay any fees.
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If you are going to withdraw from your checking account, and you have more than one checking account at the same bank, be sure that you and your bank are in accord on the %26quot;primary%26quot; account, lest you not have enough money in one of them. The funds will be withdrawn on the primary account.
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