In order to withdraw enough Euros when we arrive in Italy, we got an ATM card for our checking account. (We already have a debit card for another account that we will also be taking with us.) Bank gave me choice of a debit card or an ATM card. I decided to go with the latter but now think I may have made a mistake. There is no Visa or Mastercard logo on the card, but there IS a CIRRUS logo on the back. Will we be able to get money out of an ATM machine in Italy without having the Visa or MC emblem on the card? Thanks in advance for your help.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32220 posts
Judith, If the card only has a Cirrus logo on the back, it should work fine in Europe. My primary ATM card only has Cirrus and Maestro on the back (no Visa or MasterCard logos). Getting an ATM card was probably the best choice, as debit cards don't always work for POS transactions in Europe (at least that's been my experience). I'd suggest checking again with your Bank, just to confirm that it will work. Be sure to notify them of your travel dates so they don't "freeze" the card. Happy travels!
Posted by
OP
Beachwood, OH, USA
27 posts
Thanks so much Ken. I woke up in the middle of the night (it is 3:15 a.m.) with this horrible thought that I had made the wrong choice. I chose the ATM card because if someone got a hold of it, at least they couldn't use it for purchases. Of course our banker knew why we were getting the second card so ideally she would have told us if there was a problem, but you never know.
Now I can go back to sleep. ;-)
Posted by
TN, USA
2115 posts
Judith, for additional peace of mind, check the ATM location guide for Cirrus on-line before your trip. You can either call the phone number on your card, ask your bank for the link, or Google Cirrus ATM locations. Before any overseas trip, I always print out locations of participating ATMs within a few blocks of our hotel(s). The hotel front desk then advises which ones are attached to banks....or it is easy for us to determine as we check out 2-3 locations. You are very, very smart to get the plain ATM card vs. the debit card. And, you probably also know to hold a brochure or your hand over the keypad as you type in your code/PIN number for additional security. Safe and fun travels :)
Posted by
PA
2752 posts
Cirrus locations are plentiful. We have used our Cirrus-labelled card in Amsterdam, Czech Republic, Berlin, Budapest, Poland, Israel. Never an issue. Seems that the bank owned machines are all on the Cirrus and Plus networks (someone else can clarify that if I am not correct).
Cirrus and PLUS are networks the banks belong to, and the fee that is charged on the exchange rate is about .8% (if you pull euros that that day's exchange rate says are equal to $100, your account will show a withdrawal of about $100.80) One of my sons will do semester abroad in St. Petersburg next spring, and our card will be his cash source. Make certain that you have called the bank's security phone and told them the exact dates you will be in each country, they don't seem to care about the city, only the country. That includes a long layover where you may want cash. We had an unanticipated 4.5 hour layover in Zurich last year after switching out flight at the airport, our connection here was not going to be on time to make the long-haul, and we could use it to get currency in Zurich as we had not listed Switzerland for that day, as we had expected to be there nly about 90 minutes. And we could not call from our airport here as security needs to see the call come from our listed phone umber with the card, we use our land line for this, not our cell.
Posted by
OP
Beachwood, OH, USA
27 posts
Margaret, I never thought about googling ATM locations in advance. Thanks for that great idea.