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Cash machines

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good question - my memory says absolutely none in any village (and most likely no shop or bar in the really small villages too)
 
Hi

You will find many cashmashines along the way... the larger pueblos will have a cashmashine...

But you should make sure to carry money to get by for at least 4 days at the time... just in case.
And they will accept most major creditcards. - A good Idea would be to carry more than one creditcard - also just in Case... I found on my second Camino my creditcard failed on me... and it didn't work. Luckily I had another one.
 
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I agree. It's a fine line between not carrying too much cash but not being caught short. In addition, we found the bank fees had increased this year for out of country transactions - it's now $5.00 CDN for each transaction (using a debit card)- so you don't want to be withdrawing money too frequently at that rate. If you're alone carry a second card (different type) hidden away in case you lose your main one. If traveling with a companion, it's easier and safer to carry a couple of different cards.

lynne
 
Liz,

We found them almost everywhere. Note however, try out your card before you go to make sure it works. Also, we are from the U. S. and a friend took his Cash Card from a local credit union and it would only work in the larger towns and then only at bank machines.

Our card was from one or the states largest banks, Bank of America, and worked everywhere.

Buen Camino,
Jerry
 
don't forget the question was about cash machines in villages I don't know what a pueblo is ... but I have never seen a cash machine in any small village anywhere .. larger villages yes, but not small ones.
 
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Me either.
Most of the time, I got cash in the cities to be sure I didn't run out in the villages.

Also, check with your bank.
My bank account allows me to take cash from the ATMs in Spain and I'm only charged $3 US per transaction.
 
A village is a pueblo. There are the really tiny villages that only have a couple of houses and a church... you wont find a cashmashine here... but there are larger villages (not big enough to be a town or a city...) - some of these (most) have a cashmashine... and then of course the towns and the citys have more than one cashmashine...

But as I said.... if you take out money to get by for at least for days... then you wont run out of cash.

Most updated guidebooks and internet listings will also advise wheter there is a cashmashine or not.
 
My friends from Quebec seemed to have an issue with some cash machines. I don't know what 'group' of cards their bank was part of, but in some places their card didn't work. In one place, they had run out of money, and had no option but to walk an extra 9km past a town that had a machine they couldn't use, to get to a place where their card worked. I never had this problem with my card.
Margaret
 
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KiwiNomad06 said:
My friends from Quebec seemed to have an issue with some cash machines.

Margaret,

Quebecers who have problems with cash machines in Europe are those who carry a card issued by a local popular ''credit union''. The issue has to do with their PIN. I have met and heard of many who couldn't get cash other than from certain ATMs. Whenever I have discussion with people from Quebec on the topic of Santiago, I always forewarn them of this particular problem.
Viva mayor bancos!
Cheers,
Jean-Marc
 
We also had problems with our credit card which has 6 digits. I won't go into a very long story, but it turned out that if we had used the last 4 digits of the 6 digit number, it would have worked! Anne
 
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Hi

I am from a small town in British Columbia and bank at a local small credit union. I had no trouble using the cash machines. I did carry a second separate card with me in case my first card got chewed up or something by a bank machine. never needed it. My card did use a 4 digit PIN number and there also seems to be some issue on what "banking associations" that your card is tied to.

I did find that noone seemed to want to take my VISA credit card but that was never a problem as I was always able to get cash from the machines.
 
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Just another point: Telebanco was the only cash machine that has worked in every city, consistently for several years. Some of the others NEVER work for us, in particular Servired, which has never accepted any of our cards...

lynne
 
Mainly larger towns, wouldn't rely on smaller villages, sometimes there but not working. Had nice surprise in Carrion - asked machine for 150 euro - gave me 200 but receipt still for 150 - out of hours or would have questioned it and next day sunday so what to do except enjoy good fortune, did share concerns (felt a little guilty but hey banks can afford it i guess!!) with fellow pilgrim who agreed should just enjoy! Buen Camino!!!!!!!!
 
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Check your bank's ATM card. As long as it has the work 'Cirrus' or 'PLUS' behind it, you should be able to use it in any ATM machine in Spain with your own PIN.

Charges varies, depending on your bank and the bank you are withdrawing the money from. Ranges for 2-5 euros per transaction so you want to take out more if possible. Depending on the length or your camino, I generally bring around 300-400 euros and take out 300 euros (maximum for some ATM) at a time.

As for the towns, just make sure you had enough money until you hit a mid-size (five figure population) town or bigger. Then there will be no problems finding ATMs there. Sometimes your card may not work with a particular bank's ATM in that town, so if there are more ATM from other banks it will increase your chances of getting the much needed cash.
 
By the way, another thing I forgot to mention: we were unable to change dollars (cash) without having to wait for a 24 hour clearance, so I advise you to change them at the airport if you think you are going to need them immediately. (we eventually changed them in a friendly bank in Leon, after trying all banks along the way from Nájera onwards).Anne
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
In 2007, there were no ATMs between Astorga and Ponferrada. Aside from that, I discovered that I could obtain money every 20km or so, if I wished.
 
I too have a debit card issued by a credit union in British Columbia and I have found it works at ATM s everyhwere I have travelled, including eastern Europe, Egypt, Cyprus, Mexico and all of the "mainstream" european countries.
I did notice last year in Sweden when I went to pay for gas with a credit card I was asked for a pin for the credit card, something we are not asked in canada. Once I told them I was from Canada they took the credit card without difficulty, but I think you should activate the pin on your credit card if you intend to use it in Europe.....any others have that experience?

AJP
Victoria
 
Hi all,
This is a great "headsup" thread...thanks to everyone for sharing their info.
On Friday, I was advising my bank that I would be travelling outside of Canada for an extended period of time. I had just gotten my "renewal" VISA card...the new one with the Chip in it that requires a PIN. The person advised me that many European bank/ATM machines would not accept any PINs that were over 4 digits AND that the first number could not start with a zero. This info came from one of Canada's national banking institutions so I am guessing they might have some knowledge in this area. Of course my luck, the new PIN they just sent me starts with a zero so I am off to that bank on Monday to change the PIN. It's not worth taking any chances!
25 days and counting!!!!!!
Bill
 
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