Paying cash in Amsterdam

Carol, I've had to deal with that issue on occasion, and this is how I obtain the cash...... > Have your daily withdrawal limits increased by your Bank prior to departure > Take some Euros with you to provide as a deposit when you check in > Have travel funds in two accounts > Starting a couple of days before you'll need to pay the bill, withdraw the maximum daily limit on each card. Give the money to the B&B right away, so that you don't risk losing it. I used that method in Italy last year, and it worked fine. Cheers!

Carol, are you staying at the B&B at the end of your first day in Amsterdam? If yes, you will not get enough Euros out of an ATM in time to amass 1,000 Euros. You might ask the B&B if you can pay daily until you can get that amount. Secondly, if you are traveling with another person, both can withdraw cash to make this goal. You will need two different ATM cards linked to two different accounts. As a side note, I have a $500 withdrawl limit here in the U.S. The most I seem to be able to get in Europe is about 300Euro ($400) no matter how I try to get it increased. Just a thought. Finally, you can buy Euros at your large local bank (i.e. BofA, Regions, etc). They will charge you a fee of about 5% on the transaction but you will have Euros. We had to do that years ago for a cooking class we were taking the day after we arrived in Florence.

Two years in Amsterdam we were able to make a one time withdraw 750E from an ATM with a credit union debit card. That was all I needed so don't know if I could have gotten a larger amount. My credit union limited is $1500.

Just to give you 'the heads up'. Last year we had to pay for our 3 nights B & B accommodation in Amsterdam, up front. We paid in 100 euro notes. Our landlady advised a lot of businesses will not take 100 euro bills, as at that time, there had been a spate of counterfeit 100 euro bills doing the rounds. She accepted the payment, somewhat reluctantly.

Ken's methods are spot on; I'd combine them to be sure there's no problems (having more than one account AND have your daily limit increased AND withdraw the maximum every day AND ...) Be aware that your B&B isn't the only place in the Netherlands where cash is the only method of payment. Be prepared to have credit cards refused at all kinds of places (stores, train stations, etc). I'm used to paying for most things in cash (my ATM card has no foreign transaction fees, but my credit card does), but it was startling to see how many places there required it.

I several thousand euros cash on a past trip to reimburse a German friend who prepaid for a bike tour. I requested a temporary increase in my daily ATM limit to $700usd and was able to withdraw 500euro per day from BNP ATMs in Paris and DB ATMs in Germany. Now that said, the ATM in the Venice VCE airport limited my withdrawal to 250euro even though my credit union's limit was $500. If you are going to be dependent on ATMs for cash, having a backup ATM card is a good thing. I have seen ATM machines take and not return cards, and in spite of notifications, heard of cards being denied cash.