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ATMS / Bank availability on the CP

isnardj

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Camino Frances
Just curious to anyone who’s done the CP from Lisbon to Santiago lately:

Who are the ATMs (trusted) & banks along the CP ?
What cash reserves would you recommend ?
Do most places - food & accommodation take debit cards ?
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Who are the ATMs (trusted) & banks along the CP ?
What cash reserves would you recommend ?
Do most places - food & accommodation take debit cards ?
I used ATMs at banks or supermarkets. I had no issues doing that. As for cash reserves, I started with about 200 euro, and replenished if I got below 100 euro. Some places do need cash, but I used a credit card at others. Never used a debit card.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Just curious to anyone who’s done the CP from Lisbon to Santiago lately:

Who are the ATMs (trusted) & banks along the CP ?
What cash reserves would you recommend ?
Do most places - food & accommodation take debit cards ?
If you’re going to use an ATM try to use one attached to a bank - or in a banking-hall, during opening hours.

As to which are ‘trusted’; I’m sure they’re all as safe and secure as a Swiss … oh, hang on.

I use cash under €10 or so, but pretty much everywhere took cards and the locals seem to paying by card for just about everything.
 
We did the CF last Sept and Oct. I was surprised how many places accepted credit cards. many more than 6 years ago.
Buen Camino
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Just curious to anyone who’s done the CP from Lisbon to Santiago lately:

Who are the ATMs (trusted) & banks along the CP ?
What cash reserves would you recommend ?
Do most places - food & accommodation take debit cards ?As
As @jungleboy comments, MB (Multibanco) machines are the standby; all the local banks are part of that network. You'll find one outside almost any bank branch through the country.

Another advantage of using them: if you have picked up a local SIM card for your phone, you can top it up through any Multibanco. I thought this was brilliant!

Debit cards--supermarkets and mid > upscale restaurants, yes.

Before Covid, the smaller places were just starting to use them; we found that after Covid, a lot of small cafés and tiny stores in our semi-rural area had quit doing so. The economics of keeping going meant they didn't want the overhead of paying for the service, when a lot of their customers still used cash. I know we got this comment from a couple of our local businesses.
 


How did you top up your local SIM card using the MB ATM? Was yours a Vodafone sim?
 
Mine was a Vodaphone SIM.

It's pretty straightforward.

On the first MB screen after inputting your PIN, there are a variety of choices. I believe one of these is "serviços." (I hope @jungleboy or someone else present can confirm this. I'm working from memory, here in Canada...)

After pressing "services" or the equivalent, you'll get something like this:


Bottom left is "telemoveis," which is mobile phones.

Click that, and it'll give you a list of all the providers in Portugal.

Choose the one you use (Vodaphone for me), and it will ask you for the phone number in question, and how much you want to top it up. Obvious blanks: 9 spaces for the phone number. I guess it assumes it's Portuguese.

It displays both the phone number and the amount input for top-up.

Once you confirm that, about 30 seconds later, you'll get a text notification on your phone that the topup has occurred. A great service!

---

More on Portuguese ATMs (websites found while looking for this screenshot):





Bom caminho!
 
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Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Thank you so much for this detailed helpful reply. It will be so much easier doing it this way as last time I went into a Vodafone store as I wasn't confident doing it online. Bom caminho and muchas gracias!
 
Trusted ATMs are ones with an ‘MB’ sign. This means multi banco and is the banks’ ATM network. Euronet is the network that charges more.
Thank you for that information-- very helpful to be in the know on this.
 

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