Trying to figure out the best way of traveling with money or ATM cards. I live in CA and have an account with Washington Mutual/Chase. Right now I know their ATM card will not work in Russia. Could someone give me some suggestions as to which ATM card would be a good one to take to Russia. Is it a good idea to exchange some American dollars here into rubles to take with us? Or do the exchange over there?
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9100 posts
How do you know your current ATM card won't work? The big western bank in Russia is Citibank and they're affiliated with all the major networks. But, it's impossible to purchase (or sell) rubles outside of Russia. If you need to exchange cash, it can only be done once you're in country. You will have no problems finding an exchange bureau; it's a big business over there. In Russia cities there seems to be an office on almost every corner.