ATM in Spain

[manifestdestinyLISA]

Hi Pilgrims!

Its getting close, Im getting excited when I am not nervous!I hope to meet all of you sept/oct pilgrims along the way!

As I am finalizing some travel details I found out that my Bank of America debit card would work only in France & Portugal but not in Spain- no affiliates...I have another card with "Plus", "Star" and "INTERLINK" from different bank would this one work in Spain or France, Portugal? Are Visa debit cards widely accepted at Atm machines if they have star, plus or Interlink?

Thank you for any asistance with this matter.

Buen Camino!
Lisa

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Lisa. As far as I know Visa, Mastercard etc are welcome pretty much everywhere (in ATMs and restaurants etc). I think there can sometimes be an issue with American Express for some reason. I use my Visa debit card with no problems, but also have a prepaid Mastercard 'credit card' just in case. Buen Camino!

 

[wayfarer]

Check the ATM, if it has + on the list then it should work ok. Mine did, but then we are part of the EU system, but it should still be ok.
Have a great Camino.

 

[manifestdestinyLISA]

Thank you Wayfarer! so when you say + that is the same on my card where it says PLUSjust want to be sure :wink:

 

[manifestdestinyLISA]

Thank you Tyrrek. Im just a little confused because my Bank of America is also a Visa- but it does not have plus, interlink or star on the back. Weird that the bank said it would be accepted in France & Portugal but not Spain.

THe other debit card I have from another bank does have the star, interlink and Plus..also a Visa.

thank you for your support through out my planning stages over the last 3 months!!

Pace,
Lisa

 

[tyrrek]

Weird that the bank said it would be accepted in France & Portugal but not Spain.

That is weird. Did they say why? OK they might not have an affiliated bank, but isn't that why Visa/Mastercard etc exist, so that you aren't depending on which bank gets on with another? I'd get a second opinion from someone more senior in your bank.

Buen Camino!

 

[azure]

I too am traveling with my Bank of America debit card, I just called to double check and you CAN use that card in Spain. I think what confused you is that in other parts of Europe there are banks that are part of the global ATM alliance, -- Bank of America, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, Scotiabank and Westpac. The Global ATM Alliance will make cash withdrawals free of international access fees through a combined network of ATMs to the 36 million customers of the five institutions.
In Spain you have to pay the ATM fees but they will work.

 

[OldDad]

Suggestion: Notify your bank or credit card company before you leave your country for Spain.

 

[manifestdestinyLISA]

OK, thank you OldDad and Azure- Ill have to double check..I asked another customer service rep at BOA and she said only France & Portugal...No Spain. But Ill ask Bank Manager..to clarify for me..I am getting really excited & nervous only 19 days til take off!

Buen Camino to all!
Lisa

 

[mralisn]

Fully agree with letting your banks know you'll be traveling out of country and using your cards in whatever countries you visit. I have done this each travel and never have had a problem. You don't want to be so far from home and stuck without funds.

On that note, I always make sure to use ATM only during bank hours unless absolutely impossible. I have met others who have used ATMs on weekends or holidays and had their card "captured" and not returned from the machine. This requires staying until the next time the bank opens. No fun. While on the Camino, I double checked my funds on Thursdays or early Fridays and would usually make my withdrawals then to be safe.

¡Buen Camino Lisa!

 

[fraluchi]

Weird that the bank said it would be accepted in France & Portugal but not Spain.

That is weird. Did they say why? [...] I'd get a second opinion from someone more senior in your bank.

...and ask the person who gave this, in my opinion erroneous, opinion whether he/she knows where Spain is located? :roll:

 

[adesmar123]

My VISA ATM card was a local bank with Intralink and Plus. It worked at all that I tried in France and Spain.

Make sure your PIN fits the Euro protocol which is 4 digits I believe. You should check that to make sure you avoid a problem.

There are ATM's as soon as you land in France or Spain. I used a big bank's ATM at the airport and wasn't charged a fee. I also wasn't charged a fee anywhere on the Casmino. But I also stayed away from ATM's in really small towns.

But yes tell your bank where you will be!!!!!!

Buen Camino

Alan

 

[Pieces]

the reason most places won't accept american express is that not only do they charge the stores obscene sums to accept them it also takes forever to get the money...

 

[tyrrek]

the reason most places won't accept american express is that not only do they charge the stores obscene sums to accept them it also takes forever to get the money...

Don't we just love bankers?! Sorry, I'm going off topic... Apologies to banking peregrinos!

 

[Tia Valeria]

My VISA ATM card was a local bank with Intralink and Plus. It worked at all that I tried in France and Spain.

Make sure your PIN fits the Euro protocol which is 4 digits I believe. You should check that to make sure you avoid a problem.

There are ATM's as soon as you land in France or Spain. I used a big bank's ATM at the airport and wasn't charged a fee. I also wasn't charged a fee anywhere on the Casmino. But I also stayed away from ATM's in really small towns.

But yes tell your bank where you will be!!!!!!

Buen Camino

Alan

We used Mastercard without problems, including small towns. The point about 4 digits is most important. If your card has a 6 digit pin it will not be accepted. That might be why the bank says it will not work in Spain. Our cashcard carried a warning that if a 6 digit pin was required we had to add 00 in the advised spaces, but we never found a 6 digit machine in Spain.
We too used the card when the bank was open and also ran a check on the Mastercard site for free ATMs. Very helpful for finding their exact location too.

 

[soch]

My commiserations to peregrinos having problems with Iberian ATM machines, but could we put a little perspective on this. Ask yourself if your frustration level compares to that of the two energetic folk, who, on August 8th last, used a bulldozer to rip a cash machine from the local branch of Barclay’s Bank in the small Sussex town of Hassocks (UK). After carefully loading the ATM onto the back of a pick-up truck, they were last seen, speeding up the High Street, ON FOOT, after their engine failed to start.
:!:
http://imgur.com/a/2o4Sg/layout/blog

 

[tyrrek]

My commiserations to peregrinos having problems with Iberian ATM machines

Ha ha! Good story!

I think the message from this thread is that nobody has had any problems with ATMs in Spain. I totally accept the point about 6 digit PIN numbers though - I didn't know they existed.

Buen 'hole in the wall' Camino!

 

[Merryecho]

I just signed up for an account at first republic bank. No ATM fees anywhere in the world, no foreign transaction fee, but they only have ATM/debit card, no credit card. Also have new united airlines visa which has no transaction fee, but a5$ or 3% ATM fee, whichever is higher. Plan to use them both, those fees really add up.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

No ATM fees anywhere in the world

That may be only for their own ATMs. The ATM fee in Spain is collected by the bank providing the ATM, so is avoided only if you have a bank that reimburses the fee (which First Republic may; Charles Schwab does). Banks that claim that they do not charge a transaction fee probably disguise it by exchanging at the sell rate, which already includes the vigorish! There is no free lunch in the international exchange game. They brought you too big to fail; they can figure out a way to tap your wallet. Be careful of using a credit card to get cash. Interest starts from the day of withdrawal. At least with a debit card, you get your own money, not borrowed funds.

 

[grayland]

One further bit of wisdom about using ATMs in Spain (or anywhere in Europe).
Avoid using your card late on Friday or on the weekend if at all possible. If something goes wrong and the machine decides to eat your card, you will not be able to get into the bank to try to get it back until Monday. This can ruin a schedule.

If you can....think ahead and get needed funds on Thursday or early Friday if needed for weekend.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

One further bit of wisdom about using ATMs in Spain (or anywhere in Europe).
Avoid using your card late on Friday or on the weekend if at all possible. If something goes wrong and the machine decides to eat your card, you will not be able to get into the bank to try to get it back until Monday.

Absolutely right. NEVER use an ATM if the bank is closed. There are also cunning thieves around, who stick a metal plate over the money output slot. It looks like part of the ATM. The plate stops your money coming out. If the bank is closed, you can only walk away, at which point the thieves come and force off the plate, getting your money. Been there. Done that. The thieves got my 300 Euros.

Buen camino!
Stephen
http://www.calig.co.uk/camino_de_santiago.htm

 

[Merryecho]

Falcon- I did my research as I travel often. First republic reimburses ATM fees from any bank, anywhere in the world, and does not charge a foreign transaction fee. Big drawback, there aren't very many offices, and you can't apply online. They even gave me a welcome packet with a box of chocolates and a corkscrew!