Euro Denominations

[Robert Wawrzyniak]

Hi all

We will start the Norte from Bayonne on 20 April 2023. As with past caminos, we will purchase a supply of euros before leaving Oz but in talking to the bank it seems that they mostly hold 200 euro notes. We have travelled holding mainly 100 euro notes in the past and experienced little difficulty in changing these at stores and albergues, etc. Whilst we realise that smaller denominations are easier to transact with they are usually difficult to get prior to departure. Question is, has anyone travelled with the 200 euro notes recently and did they experience any difficulty in cashing them?

 

[Flog]

€200 notes can be a hassle to change, even eyed with suspicion sometimes as they are not in common use. That said, any bank will split them for you. Do you use a 4 digit ATM card? Could you not just take one with you, then you have access to cash as soon as you land in Europe?

 

[Anhalter]

Not much experience with 200€ notes... you simply don't get them much in Europe unless you specifically ask for them at your bank. At the ATM, it's rare to get anything bigger than 50€.
While i live in Germany, i guess Spain might be similar. Quite a few shops (specially gas stations) don't take 200 and 500 bills. Quite a few more are not very happy if you pay with a bill disproportionately bigger than your purchase, but might accept it. For example, i remember myself a few times at the local bakery saying something along the line of "hey, i only got a 50, would you prefer me to pay by card" (when buying a 3€ bread).
So i guess 200s won't be perfect, but with some managing you can get by. Just make sure to change them into smaller denominations regularly and don't wait till you have to pay your 1€ coffee with it.

 

[woody66]

When i travel from UK to Europe i always take 20 Euro notes. (makes it easier for me if their the same denomination and change is easier to work out: in Italy i once gave a guy in a burger bar a 50 by mistake and got change for a 20 only realised much further down the road that evening) I use my card as much as i can contactless and also with pin
i read on here a lot of places even some banks won't accept a 50 Euro note!
Woody

 

[Hertsseasider]

Some ATM's in Spain (and it is only some) allow you to choose the denominations when withdrawing cash.
Another tip is not to withdraw an amount that is divisible by 50 or 100, say 190. That way you will always get some smaller notes.

 

[Former member 107684]

As mentioned above €200 notes are quite uncommon here in daily use so doubt they would be welcome at all places. But if you're in Bayonne you could change them for smaller denominations before you start your camino.

 

[Kathor1]

A word of caution: Spanish banks may no longer change euro banknotes into smaller denominations these days, especially not when you are not a customer of the bank. I know this for certain for my own bank (not in Spain) and I think that I’ve read it on the forum when pilgrims reported their experience. The reason is that they don’t handle cash at the desk because cash withdrawal and cash deposit are done via their ATMs. I would not get €200 banknotes, not even €100 banknotes. Can your bank not order a few €50 banknotes for you?

 

[ivar]

Tip: if you have a large euro note you would like to exchange, try paying with it at a large supermarket (the larger the better, they have cash in their register).

Smaller places will most likely only except 50 euro bills or smaller.

 

[RhysB]

Anything north of 50 is eyed with suspicion and sometimes rejected in my experience. Best to change when you arrive to 20's if possible.

 

[Former member 107684]

The reason is that they don’t handle cash at the desk because cash withdrawal and cash deposit are done via their ATMs.

That's a very good point. Now that you mention it the local branch of the French bank that I use is more like an office than a traditional bank, with no cash in sight (except for the multiple ATMs). Even in the UK when I wanted to change some out-of-date paper money for the new plastic I was sent to the back of the bank to wait for a special teller.

 

[Kathor1]

That's a very good point. Now that you mention it the local branch of the French bank that I use is more like an office than a traditional bank, with no cash in sight (except for the multiple ATMs). Even in the UK when I wanted to change some out-of-date paper money for the new plastic I was sent to the back of the bank to wait for a special teller.

While I can’t speak for Spain where I never went into a bank to change a €200 banknote into say €50s, already years ago a local bank refused to change a €20 into €5s for me and I think the way they’d do it goes like this: they take your cash, credit your bank account and then you walk to the ATM and withdraw the same amount (or a suitable amount) that will give you the desired denomination.

 

[Anna Cameron]

€200 notes can be a hassle to change, even eyed with suspicion sometimes as they are not in common use. That said, any bank will split them for you. Do you use a 4 digit ATM card? Could you not just take one with you, then you have access to cash as soon as you land in Europe?

But the withdrawal from an ATM will involve paying extra fees - possibly 2 fees, once at point of withdrawal (notorious local ATM fees) and then fees to the Australian bank. Much better to try and acquire the smaller euro denominations at the outset, if possible!

 

[Flog]

A word of caution: Spanish banks may no longer change euro banknotes into smaller denominations these days, especially not when you are not a customer of the bank.

Good point, banks are not interested in retail business anymore, certainly it is the case here in Ireland anyway.

Tip: if you have a large euro note you would like to exchange, try paying with it at a large supermarket (the larger the better, they have cash in their register).

Smaller places will most likely only except 50 euro bills or smaller.

Good tip

But the withdrawal from an ATM will involve paying extra fees - possibly 2 fees, once at point of withdrawal (notorious local ATM fees) and then fees to the Australian bank. Much better to try and acquire the smaller euro denominations at the outset, if possible!

I disagree. The fees for a few €200 withdrawals isn't going to bankrupt anyone who can afford to spend a month walking across Spain, or fly halfway around the world to get there. There is no need to acquire a big clump of cash euros before arriving in Europe, a couple of hundred in smaller bills until you find your feet is all you need.

 

[naplesdon]

I pocket load of 200 euro notes is not something I would want to carry with me. Any chance one of the currency exchange booths in an airport would be willing to change 200's for smaller notes without a fee?

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Hi all

We will start the Norte from Bayonne on 20 April 2023. As with past caminos, we will purchase a supply of euros before leaving Oz but in talking to the bank it seems that they mostly hold 200 euro notes. We have travelled holding mainly 100 euro notes in the past and experienced little difficulty in changing these at stores and albergues, etc. Whilst we realise that smaller denominations are easier to transact with they are usually difficult to get prior to departure. Question is, has anyone travelled with the 200 euro notes recently and did they experience any difficulty in cashing them?

You can use them in the machines at big supermarkets (Alcampo) with self-serve tills. If you go into a bank, it's possible they might change them into smaller noted for you. (I haven't actually ever had one, but I saw that the machines take them).

 

[henrythedog]

You might try a specialist currency broker. In the UK I use TravelFX which gives (marginally) better rates than my bank or a high-street bureau and delivers next day by ‘special delivery’. They allow me to choose maximum €50 notes.

Molly’s recommendation for the shops with auto teller tills is good also. Once when stuck with some €100 notes in France a series of purchases of a packet of gum solved the problem.

 

[Kathor1]

the withdrawal from an ATM will involve paying extra fees - possibly 2 fees, once at point of withdrawal (notorious local ATM fees) and then fees to the Australian bank. Much better to try and acquire the smaller euro denominations at the outset, if possible!

Are you sure? I have never bothered to work it out because the differences are so small that it is not worth it (to me at least and imho) but I am sure that the bank adds a commission when they sell foreign currency in cash at their desks - the fee may just not be visible to us because it is hidden in the exchange rate that they use.

In any case, convenience is the reason why I would get a few hundred euros in cash in €50s and ideally €20s before departure, and later after arrival and on Camino from ATMs as needed. If the ATM fees would hurt my wallet too much, I’d just drink a few orange juices or beers less and would drink water instead, or skip one or two menus del peregrino and replace it with a ham sandwich.

 

[WalkingInGers]

Do think of the small shops that don’t have many bills in their drawers or cash registers. You might want to exchange some of those notes for 10s and 20s, and I might add to always have a couple of them on hand for small purchases.

 

[AnneO]

I have found it difficult to even use 50 Euro bills unless I am spending close to that so there isn’t much change. I prefer 20s and below.

 

[WalkingInGers]

I live in the boonies of France and each time that I take out a 100€ note to pay for example, groceries, I am looked with suspicion…I dare to say that it is probably the same in small Spanish villages.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

1/ If you order your cash sufficiently in advance in smaller denominations , your bank will generally oblige ( In NZ I used Westpac, which you also have) . Do NOT bring €200 notes - I, too am now in Germany, as above many places look at anything over 50 and send you elsewhere. Just got off the Camino Ingles, last week I bought a companions coffee because the café couldn’t/wouldn’t accept a €50 for a €5 bill.
2/ Get a WISE card, you can load it with whatever currency you need - Eg sterling, Norwegian kronor, or in this case Euro, you can use it for contactless payment in bars, supermarket’s etc, you can use it in money machines - and because it’s already in Euros you don’t pay extra with most machines, & although it’s a debit card you can use it as a Visa card in internet sites eg Booking.com . Easy to load with more cash (I only ever did €500 - €1,000 at a time) using internet banking - be warned, takes a few days - or almost instantly from your credit card, which my bank counted as a purchase, not a cash advance. You’ll need to load an App onto your phone. That let’s you see what you spent and where, and how much you have left. Their exchange rate was very good too. Operates with a normal 4 digit pin, which I chose. My son has one too, just used it in Norway- and the best thing is, you can swap the currency on return and use up any unused funds in your local shops. Or keep it for the next Camino!
P.S I always carry cash, debit card and credit card- don’t we all?

 

[Former member 107684]

I also have a Wise account and card which I use for currency transfers and when travelling. It has worked flawlessly for me for about three years now, I think. And the advantage of using the card when travelling is that if it is lost or stolen only the amount loaded on to the card is at risk.

 

[blueskywa]

Hi all

We will start the Norte from Bayonne on 20 April 2023. As with past caminos, we will purchase a supply of euros before leaving Oz but in talking to the bank it seems that they mostly hold 200 euro notes. We have travelled holding mainly 100 euro notes in the past and experienced little difficulty in changing these at stores and albergues, etc. Whilst we realise that smaller denominations are easier to transact with they are usually difficult to get prior to departure. Question is, has anyone travelled with the 200 euro notes recently and did they experience any difficulty in cashing them?

I haven’t read all the replies but we got all denominations from Travelex online, then picked the cash up at a nominated place in our local shopping centre

 

[jl]

The other option for Aussies is to use Travelmoney Oz to buy Euros. You don't say where in AUS you are from, but I would imagine they are found in most cities (often in large shopping centres) - though some branches did close during Covid, they are slowly re-opening. I bought Euros from them before departing last Sept, in smaller denominations, and will do so again this year. Check with your bank re ATM's - BankSA (a subsidiary of Westpac / St George) is a member of a global ATM alliance network. This means that as a customer of one of those banks, in Spain, you can withdraw from Deutsche Bank ATM's fee free (currency conversion fees apply though). Other banks have similar systems. HSBC and Wise are two that spring to mind. The post office no longer sells Euros, and neither does my bank, which is why I have switched to Travelmoney Oz.

 

[pjacobi]

There once was a 500 Euro note, but it was withdrawn due to use in illegal transactions. That just means that illegal transactions are now done with 200 Euro notes.

Euro banknotes - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

-Paul

 

[Tony Bobcat]

Hi all

We will start the Norte from Bayonne on 20 April 2023. As with past caminos, we will purchase a supply of euros before leaving Oz but in talking to the bank it seems that they mostly hold 200 euro notes. We have travelled holding mainly 100 euro notes in the past and experienced little difficulty in changing these at stores and albergues, etc. Whilst we realise that smaller denominations are easier to transact with they are usually difficult to get prior to departure. Question is, has anyone travelled with the 200 euro notes recently and did they experience any difficulty in cashing them?

Hi Robert, I’ve never used a 200 eu mostly 50 20 and the most used is the 5. I don’t know which bank you are with but you were lucky that they helped you. We use th Commonwealth bank, they told us that they don’t deal with foreign money.

 

[C clearly]

That just means that illegal transactions are now done with 200 Euro notes.l

Just to clarify, the €200 note is not illegal, but it is unfamiliar to, and not desirable to most shop owners. Illegal transactions are done with all variety of notes.

 

[mary_mh]

Hi Robert, ING, while exclusively an online bank, rebates all transaction fees from ATMs and POS transactions for its Orange Everyday accounts (which are savings with visa debit/credit options). I have used this for many years of travel with no problems. Recently I spent a couple of months in Finland and the UK (from Oz). I took some cash, but used my ING account as I would at home and paid no fees.
I purchase cash in Oz at currency exchange places - I research for best exchange rates.

 

[LesR]

Hi all

We will start the Norte from Bayonne on 20 April 2023. As with past caminos, we will purchase a supply of euros before leaving Oz but in talking to the bank it seems that they mostly hold 200 euro notes. We have travelled holding mainly 100 euro notes in the past and experienced little difficulty in changing these at stores and albergues, etc. Whilst we realise that smaller denominations are easier to transact with they are usually difficult to get prior to departure. Question is, has anyone travelled with the 200 euro notes recently and did they experience any difficulty in cashing them?

Agree with advice above that. given your difficulty in sourcing smaller denominations in Oz, best to take just a small amount of cash into Europe and withdraw cash as smaller denominations once you get here - taking a large amount as cash is a recipe for disaster, irrespective of the denomination...). I was never comfortable trying to pay for anything with more than a 50 euro note and even then changing 50 euros was obviously a burden on a small business.

My strategy was to take a Travel Card which was pre-loaded with euros - while the exchange rate back in Oz wasn’t good, the right Travel Card can mean no further fees (except for ATM fees on the Camino - and there has been a recent thread on the comparative fees and charges of ATMS on the Camino). Frequently, but not always, the ATM asked if I wanted large or small denominations....

If you have the time, it is worth ringing around to find a bank that can provide smaller denominations AND arranging a Travel Card (so that you do not have to carry a large amount of cash).

 

[Nick B]

Hi all

We will start the Norte from Bayonne on 20 April 2023. As with past caminos, we will purchase a supply of euros before leaving Oz but in talking to the bank it seems that they mostly hold 200 euro notes. We have travelled holding mainly 100 euro notes in the past and experienced little difficulty in changing these at stores and albergues, etc. Whilst we realise that smaller denominations are easier to transact with they are usually difficult to get prior to departure. Question is, has anyone travelled with the 200 euro notes recently and did they experience any difficulty in cashing them?

Last time I ordered euros from CBA they came in a mixture, maximum was 100 and lowest was 5. Can order them online and nominate the branch to be picked up at, by memory I ordered 2500 euro.

 

[Robert Wawrzyniak]

Hi all

Many thanks for your helpful responses. After a day pounding the pavement around Central Station in Sydney picked up suffient 50, 20 and 10 euro notes to cover the first few weeks of our walk. This combined with a Bankwest debit card should see us through (this is similar to the ING account but there is no qualifying deposit/withdrawal threshold and it doesn't apply fees or charges for international transactions). Tony Bobcat, quite surprised to hear about your experience with CBA. As I understand it, they are the last of the big 4 to sell foreign currency (but true to form, I left it too late to order the desired denominations)

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I also have a Wise account and card which I use for currency transfers and when travelling. It has worked flawlessly for me for about three years now, I think. And the advantage of using the card when travelling is that if it is lost or stolen only the amount loaded on to the card is at risk.

And even that risk is marginal - as soon as you realise that it’s gone, you can jump into the app and freeze transactions.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hi all

We will start the Norte from Bayonne on 20 April 2023. As with past caminos, we will purchase a supply of euros before leaving Oz but in talking to the bank it seems that they mostly hold 200 euro notes. We have travelled holding mainly 100 euro notes in the past and experienced little difficulty in changing these at stores and albergues, etc. Whilst we realise that smaller denominations are easier to transact with they are usually difficult to get prior to departure. Question is, has anyone travelled with the 200 euro notes recently and did they experience any difficulty in cashing them?

G'Day - forget the banks. Last time I need a supply of Euros I did an on=line application via Travel-Ex (or at least that's what I think they are called). I state how much I needed and how I wanted it. I was able to nominate their office nearest to my home (Canberra at the time). I now also use a CBA issued Visa Money Card (they are free if you are a CBA customer) - you get two cards (with two different PINs). You can preload them with just about all internationally trade currencies - GB Pounds, US Dollars, Japanese YEN and yes the Euro. All you do is go the first ATM in France or Spain and make a withdrawal - most ATMs will give you E5 , E10 E20 and E50. Anything larger than these are all but useless. In fact the EU has withdrawn the E500 and only if you ask do you get E100 (from a bank). Best of luck.

 

[MARSKA]

I researched both Travelex and Wise. Terrible reviews online.