I had the trip of a lifetime this past summer. My family and I spent almost a month in Europe – a week in London, 5 days in Berlin, a week traveling through Germany and another week in Munich. Even with a lot of planning, we were surprised over and over with things we didn’t know. But one thing that turned out to be easy – using credit and getting cash overseas.
I’ll be honest. We gambled a little when we headed off to London with nary a British pound in our pockets. We had some US cash – maybe $100? We had our ATM cards. And we had credit cards. But one thing we didn’t have? Problems.
Get a PIN added to your no-foreign fee card
At the Heathrow Tube station, finding the transit card machines was a breeze. A couple of employees in bright red vests were there to help us sleep-deprived travelers figure out what we needed. I had gotten a no-foreign fee card in the fall before our trip, and called my credit card company a few weeks before I left to get a PIN added to my card. When the machine asked for a PIN I was ready to go. No need for cash – the credit card with PIN made this easy.
The ticket machines in Berlin and Munich also accepted credit cards and requested my PIN when we purchased tickets. I never had to stand in line to buy transit passes.
By the way, let your bank(s) and/or credit card companies know you’re going overseas. Most have an online form you can complete, some require a call. Either way, if you don’t let them know, your card might be frozen because they will think it’s been stolen. Not fun if you’re needing money!
There are banks that charge no fees for ATM withdrawals
In addition to getting a new credit card, I researched no-fee banks in the fall prior to our summer trip. Several received good ratings and offered free checking accounts with debit cards. Make sure to look for a bank that charges you no fees and reimburses you for any fee the ATM charges. Being paranoid, I checked it out in the States before I left. Sure enough, the local Wells Fargo charged $3 for my withdrawal, but at the end of the month my bank reimbursed it into my account.
Here’s what’s cool about Europe: the bank ATMs we used there do NOT charge fees for withdrawals. I didn’t use the independent ATMs you see in airports or train stations (more on that below). But with no charge from the European side, and no charge from my bank, I was getting money as close to the exchange rate as possible. If I wanted €300 from the bank because we were visiting small towns, no worries. When we were in Munich the night before we left and I needed only €20 for dinner, it was a piece of cake.
Finding ATMs
A friend who works in Germany told us that ATMs can be hard to find. In the US, you see drive-up ATMs and many outside banks or in parking lots. In London, there were often ATMs outside train stations. In fact the Barclays outside the Bayswater transit station was our first stop for cash.
But in Germany it was harder to find ATMs, especially in Berlin for some reason. Maybe it was the neighborhood, we never could figure it out. However, it’s easy to map out ATMs on your phone before you leave or when you’re there. We actually knew where the ATMs were in the smaller towns we visited in Germany before we left the US.
One other thing I wasn’t used to: the German ATM lobby. In a lot of banks, there’s a lobby out front where a couple of ATMs are located. If the bank’s open, it leads into the teller area. If it’s closed, you’ll see a mall-type security gate separating the teller area from the ATM lobby. To get into these, you have to swipe your card, and only one person is allowed in at a time. Just know – no matter how much you research, there are tons of small differences overseas. Be flexible and have fun.
Finding the wrong ATMs
But watch out for ATMs that aren’t affiliated with banks. Some brands – including Travelex, Euronet, or Moneybox – may have higher fees or worse exchange rates. The best bet is to find a bank-affiliated ATM. And sometimes these banks are the small town bank, but that’s still okay. If there’s not a Deutsche Bank, the local bank should have ATMs available.
Using the ATM is easy
When I was researching Europe, many websites said to have a couple of ATM cards in case your card was eaten. In all the times I used an ATM, it was never lost. But Boy Scouts and all that – be prepared.
Using an ATM is as easy as using the ones here. To get English, look for the British flag (very rarely the US flag). If you have a couple of accounts it may ask you which you want to pull money from. If you want to use only checking, make sure you know your checking account number in case that’s how the account is listed. Again – we never had this problem of choosing between our accounts.
Safety
You’re in Europe, the buildings are ancient, and you just had a great meal. Trust me, you reek of tourist. Just like at home, make sure the ATM is in a safe, well-lit location. Make sure people aren’t crowded around it. Cover up your PIN when entering it. Don’t leave your common sense at home.
It all worked out for us. We arrived in London with no pounds and left with two pence. Got to Germany and took the train into Berlin, then found an ATM and lunch and were set to explore. It’s really that simple. Have a great trip!
Photo by Nick Pampoukidis