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Post Office ATMs?

Hello, all.

Do post offices in England have ATMs?

Zoe.

Posted by
3514 posts

The services offered by the UK Post Offices for over-the-counter transactions do seem to be limited to specific banks that are based in the UK. The ATM should work fine for anyone.

Curious as to why you are asking? There doesn't seem to be any benefit to using a Post Office ATM specifically in the UK over a bank operated one. Unless you know a secret. :-)

Posted by
5311 posts

ATMs at Post Offices are all provided by the Bank of Ireland - just rebadged.

Posted by
11613 posts

Thanks for your replies.

I am asking because I am a creature of habit and in Italy I use the bancomats of the Poste Italiane whenever possible, and have been told that the exchange rate is a little better (I have not done the math so I don't know for sure). So just curious if post offices in England have ATMs, possibly with a good rate. No secret knowledge.

Posted by
19052 posts

Unless you are letting the ATM use dynamic currency conversion, the exchange rate is set by YOUR bank, not the ATM. I don't know if Italian ATMs charge a fee for use (I've never been charged a fee by any bank ATM in Europe), but that could make a difference.

Read your contract. Your bank pays the ATM in their currency (pound, euro, whatever), and uses the Interbank rate in effect at approximately the transaction time (your banks choice), then discounts the rate (in their favor) by 0% to 3%.

Posted by
337 posts

Most post offices I have seen have a cash machine.
Further, Lloyds Bank is one of several that advertise no transaction fees on cash transaction at their machines. You then only deal with your card provider at home whatever their transaction fees and conversion are. Regards

Posted by
4025 posts

Lee: The Caixa bank in Spain charges a fee for ATM transactions on a foreign bank card. Or did eight months ago, at least. I used other Spanish banks without the fee. I've never seen a fee at UK banks but exceptions are always possible. Using a private ATM, such as can be found in pubs etc., is a different story.

Posted by
3514 posts

Since the rate you are charged for the cash withdrawal (excluding fees your card issuer may charge you) is set by the network (Visa, MasterCard, AmEx) not your bank or the ATM owner, it should be no different no matter the ATM you use. If you get tricked into DCC the rate may vary drastically, so try and avoid that if you can by not letting the ATM charge you in your home currency.

When I was in Italy last October, I used multiple Italian Bank ATMs and every one charged me exactly what Google said the Interbank rate was for that day for Euros. Previous trips to other European destinations including the UK were the same. I have a fee free debit card, so my bank added nothing to the transaction cost. I did not go to a Post Office, so I don't know what I would have been charged there.

Posted by
14481 posts

If you go to Vienna, the post offices there will have ATMs, two of them adjacent to each other. Both are yellow, one has the title "Kontoauszug" whereas the other has the title, "Auszahlung" It's "Auszahlung" that you need, ie cash payment.

Posted by
11613 posts

Yes, Fred, I have used the bank ATMs in Vienna.