How much could I use my credit card?

[Aaron Baldwin]

How much of spending on the Frances these days can you put on your credit card? Trying to avoid atm fees.

 

[Vacajoe]

Much of the time, but not all of the time. Most of the albergues, but not all of the albergues. Many of the stores/bars/restaurants/cafes, but not all of the stores/bars/restaurants/cafes….

You WILL need cash, but how much truly depends on your plans for which path, what kind of accommodation, etc. Best plan is to take out several hundred euros at a time and try using your card when possible.

 

[JabbaPapa]

It's a bit like how long is a piece of string -- as even in ideal circumstances, there are both daily and weekly limits.

Besides, cash in your pocket is far more important in Spain than elsewhere.

Not everywhere even has sufficient internet bandwidth to even process credit card payments. Not to mention proprietors unwilling to pay any attendant fees for the service.

Portugal is easier from far lower, sometimes non-existent, fees and a more extensive ATM network -- but cash is still essential in both countries.

I dunno, maybe consider purchasing some local debit cards, in Pamplona maybe, to avoid the worst of the expenses ?

 

[Pafayac]

maybe consider purchasing some local debit cards

It could be a good idea, but take care that some cheap debit cards (eg, "compte Nickel" in France) are not sold to american residents (because I think the account manager is suppose to give yearly information to US Federal Bank, and this procedure is considered as too expensive for low costs accounts).

 

[Aaron Baldwin]

I think I'm going to use my Capital one mastercard when I can and sign up for a Charles schwab card for Atm withdrawals. Seems to be the best route for me.

 

[WalkinRon]

Thanks to advice from @Anniesantiago I got a Charles Schwab ATM card. Works great! I used it in the airport upon arrival, then in Bayonne, and again right on the camino in Burguete-Auritz. The ATM fee is usually 7 or 8 euros and 100% of the fees are refunded by Charles Schwab at the end of each month. Be sure to always choose euros/local currency for your transactions and never your home currency!

Buen Camino!

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @Aaron Baldwin ,
Spain, particularly rural Espania is still very much a cash economy. The albergues and casa ruals, operate on small margins so they may only accept cash. If you intend to stay in a hotel in some of the larger cities then yes they will all accept your credit card. I would recommend that you take a "debit card" where you can withdraw cash (Euros) via an ATM/Cash Point. Yes some if not all of these withdrawals will attract a small fee - say around E2.5 so limit your withdrawals. If you are worried about have a lot of cash on you then I suggest you carry lest than E200/250 - and carry it in small bills - 5/10/20s. Hope this helps. If you have more questions feel free to ask. Cheers

 

[JabbaPapa]

Yes some if not all of these withdrawals will attract a small fee - say around E2.5 so limit your withdrawals.

It's small for Europeans (including UK) and I think usually US and some others, but the fees can be much higher for pilgrims from various other countries, or those having cards and bank accounts having no standing reciprocity arrangement with the Spanish banks -- which might (or might not) be the case even for some US banks.

If in doubt, maybe contact your bank for information.

 

[Lindsay53]

It is a confusing issue. The last 7 weeks I have used ABANCA ATMs that clearly state there are no fees charged by my card issuer for this service yet a few days later my Australian bank account shows an international ATM withdrawal fee.

 

[Kathar1na]

It is a confusing issue. The last 7 weeks I have used ABANCA ATMs that clearly state there are no fees charged by my card issuer for this service yet a few days later my Australian bank account shows an international ATM withdrawal fee.

It is confusing because not all forum posts contain accurate information and because the additional cost that you may have to pay consists of various parts that do not always apply. It depends on your own bank, on the ATM’s bank, on whether there is some kind of agreement between your group of banks and the ATM’s group of banks, whether your card is based on the euro (EU consumer law) or on another EU currency (EU consumer law), or on a non-EU currency.

The additional cost for withdrawing cash from an ATM in Spain consists of these three parts which are not the same for everyone and where not all 3 parts may apply each time you withdraw cash:

• Comisión de tu banco - your own bank’s fee for withdrawing cash abroad
• Comisiones del cajero que utilizas - ATM fee due to the fact that the Spanish ATM does not belong to your own bank’s network or to a partner network
• Comisión en el tipo de cambio - margin on the official exchange rate. This is often hidden, you are not even aware of it. (My own bank started only recently to send me a text message with clear info about this margin whenever I withdraw cash in a foreign currency or make a payment in a foreign currency. For close to forty years I had no clear idea of how high this additional cost was, and my guess is that this is still the case for the majority of forum users. No matter what you do, even when you preload a card with euros at home and your bank account is not in euros you will pay a currency conversion fee).

 

[Kathar1na]

This is translated from a Spanish website about using a card issued by a foreign non-EU bank for withdrawal of cash at an ATM in Spain:

Generally speaking, most banks in Spain will charge you 2 EUR, but some banks may charge up to 5 EUR. To this should be added the commission charged by your bank for using your card abroad (if it charges you) and exchange rate commissions (if you withdraw euros in Spain and your card is in another currency). This can amount to up to 5% of the money you withdraw.​

​

PS: As frequently mentioned, what you should avoid are the Euronet ATMs because there your total fees for withdrawal can be higher than 10% of the amount you withdraw. You find them often at major airports and major railway stations. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euronet_Worldwide

 

[trecile]

Generally speaking, most banks in Spain will charge you 2 EUR, but some banks may charge up to 5 EUR

I'm pretty sure that I was charged 7€ by the ATM for a recent withdrawal. Sorry, I can't return name of the bank. Since I have a Schwab account debit card it's not something I pay a lot of attention to since they refund me those ATM fees.

 

[Kathar1na]

I'm pretty sure that I was charged 7€ by the ATM for a recent withdrawal.

I am happy to believe you .

I am quite good at finding stuff on the internet but I have not yet found a website with reliable information about ATM related fees for withdrawal of euros in Spain at an ATM of a Spanish bank and with a non-EU issued card and a non-SEPA issued card (whether debit, credit, or any hybrid form). The majority of these websites deal only with the fees associated with ATM withdrawal when you are: either a customer of a Spanish bank and use the ATM of banks other than your own bank or when you are a customer of a Spanish bank and withdraw money abroad (= in a country other than Spain). The website where I quoted from is one of the few that explains in clear enough language which parts contribute to the overall cost of an ATM withdrawal when a non-domestic non-€ based card is used, i.e. when currency conversion is involved.

There is really no answer that "fits all" and from all I've read on this forum a Schwab card is an excellent choice for pilgrims from the USA.

 

[lt56ny]

I think I'm going to use my Capital one mastercard when I can and sign up for a Charles schwab card for Atm withdrawals. Seems to be the best route for me.

I assume your Capital One card does not charge a foreign transaction fee. But I would doublecheck. My Citi Mastercard didn't and now, without informing me, they do. They said they informed us but of course it was buried on page 687 of my updated agreement.

 

[TheFlagator1980]

How much of spending on the Frances these days can you put on your credit card? Trying to avoid atm fees.

Credit card fees screw the merchant. Use cash and have credit card to get cash when needed.

 

[trecile]

Credit card fees screw the merchant. Use cash and have credit card to get cash when needed.

You should never use a credit card to get cash from an ATM. The fees are incredibly high because it's considered a cash advance. Only use a debit card at ATMs.

 

[wynrich]

We recently returned from 5 weeks in Galicia. We used a Capitol One debit card and used Abanca ATMs and we were never charged any fees. We paid about 90% of our expenses with credit card (actually via Apple Pay). But we didn't stay in any albergues. I imagine many of them would prefer cash. And certainly you'd need cash for the donativos. But our experience was that hotels and restaurants and stores pretty much 100% accept credit cards.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

IMHO, there are more important things to worry about on the Camino than ATM fees and bank charges. As an Australian, I paid enough on air fares and travel insurance; these other costs add up to very little in comparison. So just enjoy yourself!

 

[Kathar1na]

IMHO, there are more important things to worry about on the Camino than ATM fees and bank charges. As an Australian, I paid enough on air fares and travel insurance; these other costs add up to very little in comparison. So just enjoy yourself!

Well, that's nice that you have adopted this attitude. I myself share it more or less but then I am EU/€ based and my interest in this topic is mainly academic. I am interested in understanding and, possibly, helping others less familiar with the ins and outs of international financial transactions.

Having now, I think, a reasonable grasp of it all, I can see that much depends on one's own home bank, the foreign ATM bank, one's own kind of card, and the international payment network involved. The potential fees are basic cash withdrawal fee, out-of-network withdrawal fee, exchange rate margin, and possibly Dynamic Currency Conversion. The latter is to be avoided under all circumstances, the exchange rate margin is next to unavoidable imho and usually invisible, and the first two can be waived or not depending on the given constellation/combination of banks and networks.

In other words and by way of an example, for a withdrawal of €200 in Spain, you may be charged either €1.98; or €1.98 plus €4 plus €6 where you may be charged only one of the two latter fees or both (i.e. you have to pay an additional €4 or €6 or €10 in total); or else, if you happen to fall into the DCC trap, it will all add up to an extra €26.26.

And an additional cost of €26.26 for a single €200 withdrawal ... in my book that is worth being informed about it beforehand so that you can avoid it resp. that you can reduce your extra cost for such an ATM withdrawal in Spain to €1.98 ideally and not even see this amount printed on your receipt which may give you even more satisfaction and the zen-like peaceful state of mind that pilgrims ought to have throughout their Camino.

For a fuller explanation see:
A Guide to ATMs in Spain in 2023: Fees, Locations, Avoiding Credit Cards, and Alternatives

 

[Lindsay53]

IMHO, there are more important things to worry about on the Camino than ATM fees and bank charges. As an Australian, I paid enough on air fares and travel insurance; these other costs add up to very little in comparison. So just enjoy yourself!

Alright for some, but others do need to worry about such things, especially given the high cost of travel from Australia.

 

[Trekker One]

I use credit cards all the time at home, but literally never on the Camino. I would rather use cash and help the many family businesses avoid credit card fees.

 

[gloria lowe]

Credit card fees screw the merchant. Use cash and have credit card to get cash when needed.

Obviously you haven’t used your credit card for cash. Very high fees and interest for that. Debit card for cash. Just saying.

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

I'm pretty sure that I was charged 7€ by the ATM for a recent withdrawal. Sorry, I can't return name of the bank. Since I have a Schwab account debit card it's not something I pay a lot of attention to since they refund me those ATM fees.

Santander. 7 euros! I was blown away. After that I went to Abanca for my next 2 withdrawals on my recently completed camino. Abanca was 3 euros I think.

 

[CWBuff]

re: Credit Cards - as much as you want. The first word out of my mouth before I was ready to pay the bill was "tarjeta?" and would you believe it close to 95% the answer was "si".
If you are set by paying with CCs - ask and if the answer is "no" then you can pull the euros out

re: ATMs and fees - been discussed here on The Forum many times. Some of us opened Charles Schwab checking account which automatically sends you a debit card. Load that account with a given amount (IIRC I dumped $5,000.00 which is WAAAAY more than enough) and at the end - CS refunds you your ATM fees.
There are others who use a different method where fees are either non-existent or are refunded.

Good Luck & Buen Camino

 

[Tincatinker]

Anyone wishing to avoid bank fees on Camino simply needs to bring €n,000 with them in cash and hope that they don’t encounter any of my relatives on the Way

An aside, but why doesn’t anybody want to pay for anything anymore unless it’s a double de-caff mega snowball latte with extra smugness? Sid charges me 3 quid for a bacon sarnie, maybe £1:50 in ingredients so a £1:50 fee for sourcing the bacon, the bread, the van and the griddle, oh and cooking the damned thing. If Sid was tasked with providing me with a bunch of the currency of my choice in the location of my choice and at a time of my choosing I figure he’d want a little bit of the top and I can’t see anyway in which I could argue that he wasn’t entitled

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I am in Madrid now and everywhere so far is happy to accept my card even for €2. I use a Wise debit card that saves me money on currency exchange fees. I am carrying some cash for backup.

 

[annette zarb]

I assume your Capital One card does not charge a foreign transaction fee. But I would doublecheck. My Citi Mastercard didn't and now, without informing me, they do. They said they informed us but of course it was buried on page 687 of my updated agreement.

Does Citibank charge now? I was all set up to use them

 

[lt56ny]

Does Citibank charge now? I was all set up to use them

I have had trouble having them wave it. You can always call as a new cardmember to find out.

 

[C clearly]

On the Lana, I have encountered several places where signs over the bar say that the minimum amount to be charged to tarjeta is €10 or €15.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I have used cash three times in my first week and one of those times was when I had exceeded my tap and go limit without noticing it.

 

[jim burke]

As an American, i might be expected to rely on plastic, but i considered it a huge liability, for several reasons.
1) if you have any trouble, for a variety of reasons, you can be cut off from funds. And then what? A new card is issued to my home in America? I'd be screwed!
On the caminos, i was constantly astonished by fellow peregrinos who would only carry €20 or so, and assume everything would work.
I have a silk money bag that fits under my beltline, with passport, plastic and cash. After a short period, i wasn't even aware i was wearing it (though when i took it off in the shower i felt incredibly vulnerable!) I walked with it, slept with it on, and it was invisible to others and could only be taken from me if they pulled down my pants!
On my first camino i carried enough cash for the entire journey, and never gave it any thought. I was free! I had no worries about hacking, identity theft, no ATMs, whatever.
And! Spanish shopkeepers love cash! No problems whatsoever!
I had enormous peace of mind, in spite of the fact that i was frozen out of my email account and had no cell phone! (Smart phones were new then).

 

[trecile]

) if you have any trouble, for a variety of reasons, you can be cut off from funds. And then what? A new card is issued to my home in America? I'd be screwed!

I actually was pickpocketed in Madrid before my first Camino. My bank's sent replacement cards to Spain.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I use multiple cards kept in multiple places and so if one is stolen or compromised I switch to another.

On my current Camino I have used cash three times.

 

[annette zarb]

I have had trouble having them wave it. You can always call as a new cardmember to find out.

I have used it before when travelling but am contemplating getting another card too just in case. Did you use their debit card or credit card?

 

[lt56ny]

I have used it before when travelling but am contemplating getting another card too just in case. Did you use their debit card or credit card?

I used their debit card. I very rarely use my credit card. I only use it if I need to book transportation back to Madrid or Barcelona, Since I walk less traveled caminos alot I may use it when there is no albergue. Otherwise I use only cash that I keep in my money belt, which never leaves me and an emergency 100Euros that is hidden in the inner recesses of my backpack.

 

[David Tallan]

I am really noticing on this Camino a much wider acceptance of plastic than in 2016 or even 2018. That said, there are some places where I still need cash.