Currency Exchange

[Interpreter]

We are getting to St Jean Pied de Port on a Saturday. Are we going to have problems exchanging dollars over the weekend? Any suggestions on best places to exchange currency there?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

We are getting to St Jean Pied de Port on a Saturday. Are we going to have problems exchanging dollars over the weekend? Any suggestions on best places to exchange currency there?

Currency exchange occurs primarily at the airport. If you use your ATM card, the ATM will dispense Euros at the current exchange rate with a fee if your bank charges a fee (and an ATM usage fee from the bank that owns the ATM). Do not expect currency exchanges anywhere except the largest cities, and the charge will be obscene!

 

[Tincatinker]

@Interpreter, the easiest way to obtain € cash is using a debit card in an ATM. There is no Bureau de Change listed for StJdP though there may be a local Tabac that provides such services. You may wish to take advantage of Airport facilities.

 

[mspath]

Be sure to tell your home bank before you leave that you will be using your card in Europe for several weeks. Also make certain that you have a card which will work in Europe. For more re bank and debit cards see this earlier Forum thread. Lastly American Express cards are not widely accepted in Europe;be prepared.

Good luck and Buen camino!

 

[Jodean]

Using an ATM is always, always cheaper than using a money exchange. Do tell your bank you will be in France and in Spain, and you might want to bring a 2nd card for emergencies.

 

[whariwharangi]

We are getting to St Jean Pied de Port on a Saturday. Are we going to have problems exchanging dollars over the weekend? Any suggestions on best places to exchange currency there?

You are advised to have at least a hundred euro before you leave home. I would suggest trying to get 1 euro coins for bus fare (if you plan to take a bus from the airport)

The best place to exchange dollars is at an ATM machine. However you cannot always count on the machines being operable at a given location. Sometimes the length of the line up may require that you get your money elsewhere or miss your transportation.

At Malaga airport I could not get any cash from any ATM (and there were several). I ended up trading dollars at a currency vendor for a painful remittance. I got more cash from an ATM at the bus station ... at least proving the problem was not with my card.

At Buenos Aires airport the line up at every ATM was at least 30 people.

You will not have problems exchanging currency on a weekend given that no other problems exist.

Note there is a fee for using ATM machines. It doesn't matter how much you take out so there is a cost efficiency to be had by drawing the maximum. There was an ATM at London Airport that had no bank fees other than the cirrus fee (but I don't recall the bank's name).

 

[alansykes]

Note there is a fee for using ATM machines. It doesn't matter how much you take out so there is a cost efficiency to be had by drawing the maximum. There was an ATM at London Airport that had no bank fees other than the cirrus fee (but I don't recall the bank's name).

Not all banks charge a fee for ATMs. Some of my income is from US companies who pay me in dollars, and I stick that into an account with Charles Schwab. Their debit card has no ATM fees at all, and a very good exchange rate. My UK cards all charge a fee for using overseas ATMs.

 

[Garth]

Will I be able to use a Canadian bank debit card in an ATM?