Seeing many comments about not needing any £’s while exploring London and that one can basically get by with using your credit cards. I can see where you want it for small tips and such (if that is appropriate, I know in Italy it isn’t the norm but we did anyways). But for small pubs and such would one want cash for that? Just wondering for 3 days in London, what would be advisable to have to go along with cc’s.
TIA!
We spent five weeks in England this past May, including the first 4 days in London. We did not need cash until the third week we were there. Everywhere in London accepted credit cards, including the pubs. If you want to add a tip, tell whoever brings the credit card machine to you. They will ask how much and add it to your final bill before the charge is run.
I finally withdrew £50 so we would have cash for a street festival in Haworth. Brought £30 home.
I spent about 3 weeks in the UK in the summer, including Northern Ireland, Wales and one final night at a hotel at Heathrow.
Using 2 different credit union credit cards, I literally "tapped" almost 100% of the time. I never needed to sign for any CC charge. That included in small and large restaurants, at shops and grocery stores, at tourist sites, for train tickets, in taxis and even on local buses in Wales that only took credit cards, much to the surprise of my B&B host in Llandudno who thought I'd need cash.
This was my first European trip since 2019. I found tapping very easy and convenient. Some might say it's too easy and convenient, but I like it both at home and abroad.
I did get a total of £100 in 2 separate withdrawals. I used that cash primarily for laundromats, round up tips and tips for housekeeping staff. I brought home £40.
Although I wasn't really in London this trip, I'd assume your experience would be similar.
jjec, turn that question around and consider if you were traveling for three days to a destination in the US. Would you want to go without any cash at all, and just rely on cards? Or would you want some cash for small stuff and quick transactions? To me its not a question of what is the norm or preferred, but what you're comfortable with.
We were in London for almost a week earlier this year and we never obtained cash; we used our credit card the entire time, including charging a trip to the loo.
What Stan said.
I bring about $100 equivalent OR get that amount on arrival on any trip. If I go home with money in another currency I just store it for a hopeful next trip.
Stan hits a happy balance . While I rarely used cash on my recent trip to Europe , the bulk of my expenses were on cards , and most of those transactions were contactless . Cash was still necessary on a number of occasions . One particular example stands out . We arrived at The Burgtheater in Vienna one morning to see the interior ( The theater's backstage workings , and most importantly , the Gustav Klimt paintings in the Grand Staircase ) the computers were down , so cash was required for admission . Occasionally , curve balls like that do pop up . Good to have cash on hand for those instances .
London is particularly strong on “card only” places. I feel that 100 pounds is way too much for 3 days. I would do 40 pounds max.
Thanks all for the input. We currently have 60£ to hit the ground with. Sounds like that should be good…..
60 GBP should be more than enough. In November we only needed cash for ONE booth on Portobello Road Market and some 50 pence coins for toilets in stations.
I've spent the last 14 out of 16 weeks in the UK. Yesterday, I had to go to the ATM machine--the first time since before the pandemic--because I am getting my hair cut today and the place I go doesn't take credit cards. Only cash or bank transfers.
Other than that, I have run into a couple of taxi drivers that didn't take credit cards but these were not in London.
Otherwise everything was contactless or by credit card.
Just reading Frank's post reminded me of the only times I need cash. The hairdresser. Last week. Only takes cash. Have to remember to go to the ATM before visit.
I live in London. Apart from the hairdresser can't remember the last time I used cash. I have a couple of small notes in my purse, just in case.
We were in the UK for a month in May, even in London we found in a few small shops and taxis took cash only.
All taxis in London must have a working card payment device in the passenger compartment, accepting at a minimum American Express, MasterCard, & Visa. If not the vehicle is considered unfit to drive.
the only times I need cash. The hairdresser
on the other hand my wife's (outside of London) hairdresser doesn't take cash - we have her bank details and do a simple transfer on the bank app to pay her.
If you are staying in any smaller B&Bs, verify that they take cards ahead of time. Some don't.
Marco, there was five different times in May while we were traveling in the UK for a month that taxis would only take cash.
These days, I think its a personal preference, particularly with the ubiquity of Apple/Google Pay. Plenty of places are card-only. But there are a few that still require cash. You can go weeks without needing it, until you do. Having ~$100 equivalent on hand may seem like too much to some, but sometimes for small purchases it is just quicker. I dont think you'll go wrong either way. If its me, I have at least a little cash, just in case. But thats just me.
Marco, there was five different times in May while we were traveling in the UK for a month that taxis would only take cash.
Although my specific comment above was directed only at London many other local authorities have similar licensing requirements. Although in some cases it may still be legitimate not to accept cards, in many it is a try on.
I took 3 cabs recently, they all had card readers in the passenger compartment with a long list of ALL the payments types they accepted.
I think one of the cabs had a handwritten sign saying cash was preferred, but it was nighttime and I couldn't be sure. I just paid by card.
