Canadian bank card?

[TinaPEI]

Hi everyone,

I bank with PC financial. I have checked with them but I haven't heard anything exact as to whether or not the card will work in Spain. Do any of my fellow Canadians use PC financial and have you used the bank card in Spain? I plan to buy some Euros to take with me, but I would not want to be carrying the whole amount! Most will be in my bank to take out as needed.

Thanks!!!

PS bought new camera, booked flights, and I have contacted Orisson (and heard back, but not received the paypal bill) This is getting real.

 

[whariwharangi]

Check back of your card for symbols indicating Cirrus or Maestro. The other criteria is that your card uses 4 digit pin.

 

[Thengel1]

As long as the card works with one of the major ATM networks (PLUS, Cirrus for example), you should be fine. If you look on the back of the card, it should show you what networks it works with.

It is still possible that there may be individual ATM's that won't accept your card. I ran into an ATM in Bayonne (on my way to SJPDP) that wouldn't accept a Credit Union Bank card that only accessed the Cirrus network internationally. But, mostly there was no problem.

In any event, having a backup (either cash, or a credit card) for emergencies is a good idea.

 

[jirit]

Once you decide if your card will work in Europe, make sure your bank knows that you will be Europe and when and for how long. A number of times banks have trapped my debit card and stopped me from withdrawing money from an European ATM.

Do this for all your debit and credit cards, and recheck that daily limits ( you might be surprised that you Canadian daily limits is too low for your needs in Europe.

 

[Canucks]

We used our bmo card and found that one of the common banks with ATMs in Spain did not work with our card. Santander was fine and the availability was frequent enough that we had no problems.

 

[Albertagirl]

Hi everyone,

I bank with PC financial. I have checked with them but I haven't heard anything exact as to whether or not the card will work in Spain. Do any of my fellow Canadians use PC financial and have you used the bank card in Spain? I plan to buy some Euros to take with me, but I would not want to be carrying the whole amount! Most will be in my bank to take out as needed.

Thanks!!!

PS bought new camera, booked flights, and I have contacted Orisson (and heard back, but not received the paypal bill) This is getting real.

Tina,
I used my President's Choice bank card exclusively for my October/November camino last year. The first time that I tried to use it, in Pamplona. it did not work. I had made sure to use it when the bank was open, so I was able to retrieve my card. I believe that that was the local version of a credit union, that is, a minor and local bank. My card worked at the next bank which I tried. Eventually, I settled on the Santander bank, which I believe is the largest bank in Spain, and that always worked. You will get fairly large bills from the machines, so it is a good idea to go into the bank and exchange them for smaller bills which you can more easily spend in albergues. It doesn't hurt to have a credit card or a second bank card to fall back on, and to keep it in a different location, in case of theft. Have a wonderful camino. I am going again in September.

 

[Brian&Deb J.]

Just emphasizing Albertagirl's comment. Make sure you insert your card in an ATM only when the branch is open. I had the experience in Spain of having machine swallow up my card and not return it. Since it happened to be a bank not affiliated with my bank's system, their security filters assumed I was a fraudster. No problem at all getting it back from a manager, however I had to wait the weekend until they opened.
The bigger the branch the better odds you will have no problem!
As usual, this "crisis" had a nice silver lining, we spent a lovely weekend in a small town we would have otherwise just passed through. (thanks to credit cards and our cash stash)

 

[whariwharangi]

Carry at least two cards issued by two different banks.

 

[TinaPEI]

Thanks everyone, those are great tips! I was hoping to hear from someone who had actually used the card, so that's great to have real experiences. I feel better now. I have asked on my sisters to do my transfers and such because I find the app to be unreliable. She'll be helping me out. I'll be bringing a bank card from a different bank as well, as back up, but it would be harder for her to transfer for me, but it will work if needed. Thanks again!

 

[CdnDreamer]

My credit union suggested I take a second bank card for the same bank account. That way if they had to cancel my card, or if the machine ate it, I would have a backup card with me. I never had any problems with the bank machines in Spain. Having a second card came in handy in the USA last year, when I couldn't withdraw US $400 as it translated into over $500 Canadian. But I was able to take out US$300 on one card, and US $100 on the second card. I guess the $500 limit is per card, rather than per account.

 

[jirit]

A couple of other points to consider.

I believe PC Financial is underwritten by CIBC. It might pay to check and further, find out if they have any reciprocal agreements with any European based banks. For example when traveling in Europe I typically withdraw euros from those banks that have an agreement with my Canadian bank whereby the withdrawal fee of $5.00 is not charged. In Spain for example I withdraw euros from Deutsche bank and Barclays.

Second I typically make large single withdrawals to again minimize the potential charges. Typically again series A national banks allow you to make such withdrawals while local and regional credit unions typical cap the daily limit to 150-200 euro.

I minimize the use of my credit card, using it for only bus and train tickets because again the credit card companies along with your bank will charge another 2.75% on top of what is normally a poor retail rate of foreign exchange.

 

[aliwalks]

Hi everyone,

I bank with PC financial. I have checked with them but I haven't heard anything exact as to whether or not the card will work in Spain. Do any of my fellow Canadians use PC financial and have you used the bank card in Spain? I plan to buy some Euros to take with me, but I would not want to be carrying the whole amount! Most will be in my bank to take out as needed.

Thanks!!!

PS bought new camera, booked flights, and I have contacted Orisson (and heard back, but not received the paypal bill) This is getting real.

I have had problems both in Spain and US with PCFinancial would recommend taking back up card. I work for a Canadian credit union, and used that card everywhere no problem, Buen Camino

 

[kusitb]

I also use PC Financial as my main bank here in Canada since they have no fees. I also have an account with Scotiabank. So I will be bringing both these cards.

Questions:
1) Both these cards have more than one accounts linked to them (Chequeing, Savings, Line of Credit). When I use it as a debit card here in Canada (for example at supermarkets, gas stations, etc), it asks me what account I want to use for the transaction. Same thing when I go to a ATM machine. Does anyone know if Spain's bank machines will be able to recognize these several accounts linked to a single card? Actually, we are flying in/out of France and visiting Fatima in Portugal as well, so I'm interested in three countries: Spain, France, and Portugal.

2) There is another thread in this forum about pre-paid debit cards:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-payment-cards-debit-cards.36660/#post-346642

I'm interested in this for the simple reason that it is a separate account/card and it is NOT linked to my bank accounts and credit cards so it automatically reduces security exposure. I've been doing some research and I saw that Cashpassport is available in Canada:
http://www.cashpassport.com/1/en/ca/About-Cash-Passport/Fees-Limits/

- Has anyone tried this?
- It seems like Mastercard Cashpassport is less expensive than Visa Cashpassport. Does anyone know the difference in availability of ATM machines that accept these cards?
- Does anyone know of any other option similar to Cashpassport that is available to Canadians?

Thanks in advance.

 

[CdnDreamer]

The credit union I deal with said that foreign countries sometimes only recognize the chequeing account. I had no problems using my debit card to take money out of my chequeing account. I don't have a savings account. You don't need to stress about using the debit card in Spain - because you won't be using it. If anything, your accounts are safer when you are in Spain than in Canada. Almost all transactions on the Camino are in cash. I would use my debit card once a week to get cash from a bank machine. The rest of the time was cash and if I stayed in an expensive hotel, then I used my VISA. Buen Camino!

 

[bitesizedtravel]

Hi all,
I don't have PC Financial, but can speak to Scotiabank - I used it with no trouble at Barclays in Spain. They're part of the same global ATM alliance and I could make withdrawals at no cost. That may be useful info you, @TinaPEI, in selecting a second bank card. That said, they're smaller and harder to find, but you can identify branches ahead of time and plot your banking stops. I started in Leon and only found them in Leon, Ponferrada and Santiago de Compostela.

Your mileage will vary with the banking system, but I've generally had good luck with both Scotiabank and BMO in Western Europe. As other posters have suggested, check the symbols on the back of your card to match banking networks, and only use machines when the bank branches are open. Be sure to notify your banks ahead of time so they don't freeze your cards, and get direct numbers to call from outside of Canada in case you encounter trouble along the way.

In response to @kusitb, I'm not familiar with the Cashpassport, but I didn't find many places to use credit cards on my Camino. I only did simple withdrawals from the primary account attached to my card, so you may encounter some difficulty accessing anything beyond your primary chequing account.

I hope this information is helpful, Buen Camino to all!
Krista

 

[kusitb]

You don't need to stress about using the debit card in Spain - because you won't be using it. If anything, your accounts are safer when you are in Spain than in Canada. Almost all transactions on the Camino are in cash. I would use my debit card once a week to get cash from a bank machine. The rest of the time was cash and if I stayed in an expensive hotel, then I used my VISA. Buen Camino!

Hi @CdnDreamer - yes, I've read that the camino is a cash economy so I figure that while in the camino, I will probably use ATM machines for withdrawal only once a week.

May I ask why you say that "your accounts are safer when you are in Spain than in Canada"? I work in IT, with some security background, and I've consulted with a couple of major banks here in Canada. I'm interested to know what Spain (or Europe) has in terms of security that Canadian banks don't have.

Hi @bitesizedtravel - the Cashpassport site says that it can be used in any ATM that accepts Visa or Mastercard. My understanding is that one can load it with a set amount in any currency (in this case euro). Then when using at an ATM, it just subtracts the amount withdrawn plus the service charge ($3 for Visa, 1.75 euro for Mastercard). Mastercard seems to be cheaper and it is free to withdraw cash from a teller of a participating bank.

The main attraction of the Cashpassport, at least to me, is security. If it is compromised, only the Cashpassport is compromised. If my regular banking card is compromised, then that could become a huge problem.

 

[bitesizedtravel]

Hi @CdnDreamer - yes, I've read that the camino is a cash economy so I figure that while in the camino, I will probably use ATM machines for withdrawal only once a week.

May I ask why you say that "your accounts are safer when you are in Spain than in Canada"? I work in IT, with some security background, and I've consulted with a couple of major banks here in Canada. I'm interested to know what Spain (or Europe) has in terms of security that Canadian banks don't have.

Hi @bitesizedtravel - the Cashpassport site says that it can be used in any ATM that accepts Visa or Mastercard. My understanding is that one can load it with a set amount in any currency (in this case euro). Then when using at an ATM, it just subtracts the amount withdrawn plus the service charge ($3 for Visa, 1.75 euro for Mastercard). Mastercard seems to be cheaper and it is free to withdraw cash from a teller of a participating bank.

The main attraction of the Cashpassport, at least to me, is security. If it is compromised, only the Cashpassport is compromised. If my regular banking card is compromised, then that could become a huge problem.

Upon further reflection, I recalled my friend who went with me got a prepaid, reloadable Visa. I believe you can buy those in the gift card sections at Superstore or Shoppers Drug Mart, or even at your local Canada Post outlet. That might be a more straightforward solution to reach the same end.

 

[kusitb]

That is great info, @bitesizedtravel I'll check it out.

 

[Albertagirl]

I used my PC Financial debit card for cash withdrawals on my camino, in conjunction with an app on my ipad. This was convenient for me, because I was able to check on all my banking and see what was going in and out of my accounts, paying bills and moving money around. I also took with me my Mastercard, which could be paid through the PC Financial app and was useful when I stayed in hotels. And I took, but never used, a credit union debit card. That served as my backup bank card if the PC card disappeared, as well as access to the funds in my savings account, if I ran out of money. But I knew before I left that it was for emergency use only, as the charge for each withdrawal is high and the amount which can be withdrawn each time is low. I looked into cash cards, but the risk of losing the card or having it stolen seemed too high and I needed to make transfers into and out of various PC accounts.
On one occasion, I was followed and approached in the evening by an unknown local who was obviously trying to chat me up for some advantage to himself. I did not know at what point he began to follow me and I recalled that I had located a bank nearby and checked out the posted opening times, so I avoided that route and did not make a bank withdrawal the next morning. I had a small cash stash, kept separately, which was enough to tide me over. Remember that single women travelling alone can be targets, and keep alert when about to make bank withdrawals.

 

[kusitb]

I used my PC Financial debit card for cash withdrawals on my camino

Hi @Albertagirl - do you remember how much PC Financial charges per withdrawal? Also, how many accounts are linked to your PCF card? I think I can almost check this task off my list of todo - I just need to know if having more than one account linked is not going to cause any confusion with the Spanish ATMs. I know that I can call the bank, but it would be re-assuring to know that somebody has actually used a card with more than one account.

 

[Albertagirl]

Hi @Albertagirl - do you remember how much PC Financial charges per withdrawal? Also, how many accounts are linked to your PCF card? I think I can almost check this task off my list of todo - I just need to know if having more than one account linked is not going to cause any confusion with the Spanish ATMs. I know that I can call the bank, but it would be re-assuring to know that somebody has actually used a card with more than one account.

I've just had a look at the last six months of my account, available on the app. I was charged $3.00 each time I made a withdrawal. These withdrawals were made from my chequing account, so as I recall, I was able to do my bank machine banking in English and I chose the chequing account as the account from which I was making the withdrawal. Besides that, I only have an Interest Plus Savings account and I cannot make withdrawals from that, only transfer money to the chequing account the day before I need to withdraw it. Another thing which you might consider is how much you are authorized to withdraw from your chequing account each day. At one point, Presidents Choice informed me that I was not to withdraw more than $500 cash a day, as my cash withdrawals had previously been small. I objected to this and the amount was raised to $1,000 a day again. I have just noticed that I had at least one withdrawal (in euros, of course) which was more than $500 out of my Canadian account. Confirm that you have the amount authorized that you wish to withdraw, to avoid problems.

 

[jirit]

If you are using Scotiabank, you will be pleased to know that there is a BNP branch and ATM in Saint Jean PdP

And approx. 5-6 Barclay ATM and branches along the entire Frances route to Santiago de Compostela.
(Barclays has a website that pinpoints each ATM in Spain)

And there is both a Deutsche bank and Barclays ATM in Santiago itself.
(both are south of the old centre)

All these banks have reciprocal free withdrawals agreements with Scotiabank.

And all these banks will allow you to withdraw 500-600 euro each time as long as your daily limits back in Canada allows it
(and if it does not, then arrange to have it changed before leaving)

 

[kusitb]

Thanks a lot, @Albertagirl and @jirit - knowing where the affiliate ATMs are would be VERY helpful. I'll be carrying a GPS and I can easily mark those before departure.

 

[CdnDreamer]

I said that

Hi @CdnDreamer - yes, I've read that the camino is a cash economy so I figure that while in the camino, I will probably use ATM machines for withdrawal only once a week.

May I ask why you say that "your accounts are safer when you are in Spain than in Canada"? I work in IT, with some security background, and I've consulted with a couple of major banks here in Canada. I'm interested to know what Spain (or Europe) has in terms of security that Canadian banks don't have.

Hi @bitesizedtravel - the Cashpassport site says that it can be used in any ATM that accepts Visa or Mastercard. My understanding is that one can load it with a set amount in any currency (in this case euro). Then when using at an ATM, it just subtracts the amount withdrawn plus the service charge ($3 for Visa, 1.75 euro for Mastercard). Mastercard seems to be cheaper and it is free to withdraw cash from a teller of a participating bank.

The main attraction of the Cashpassport, at least to me, is security. If it is compromised, only the Cashpassport is compromised. If my regular banking card is compromised, then that could become a huge problem.

When I am in Canada I use my bank card for almost every financial transaction I make during the week. I use it at fast food restaurants, movie theatres, stores, gas stations etc. So I am opening up my banking information to countless numbers of debit machines that could be compromised. When I was in Spain my debit card was used only once a week, and usually at a bank machine of a major bank. So it wasn't the increase in security that made my bank account safer, it was the lack of use of the debit card.

 

[Saint Mike II]

As an alternative ask your bank about "travel money" cards. They are very similar to a Master Card or Visa and operate the same way. You load them up with as much money (in Euros) as you wish and just go to any large bank ATM - select the "credit" option and withdraw the money you need. My bank provided two cards and I can't remember if there was a fee or if it was free.
Good luck

 

[kusitb]

That's good info, @Saint Mike II. I was not aware of that option. Which bank do you bank with?

 

[kusitb]

Hi @Saint Mike II - I just noticed from your profile that you are from Australia, so please ignore my question above. I went to the website of my banks (PCF & Scotiabank) but I could not find anything. I will call them later today just to make sure.

 

[kusitb]

I just found out that the Spanish post office offers pre-paid cards: http://www.elcaminoconcorreos.com/en/tarjeta-prepago.php

I'm not yet sure if I would like to use it, but I'll just post the information here for completeness.