Our first trip to Berlin. Flying in to Brandenburg Airport from Heathrow. Is there a bank or ATM with reasonable fees to get Euros?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23267 posts
There will be ATMs in the airport. But don't know who owns them. There has been a recent tendency for all of the ATMs in the airport to be operated by one company -- generally the currency exchange company. If you cannot wait for a bank in Berlin then get a hundred at the airport and more later. You will pay a little extra.
Posted by
Redwood City & Uppsala Sweden
651 posts
You might like to have some euros, but unless others say differently, I wouldn't buy a lot. I don't recall using any Euros in Berlin in the spring of 2019, & it seems Europe has gone even more cashless since. We stuck to the center of town though, did the usual things, used a credit card for meals, hotel & a few taxis, & by now Google & Apple Pay probably work as well.
Posted by
2315 posts
& by now Google & Apple Pay probably work as well
Can't speak to Google Pay but I have been using Apple Pay in Germany as a whole and Berlin in particular for years.
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6501 posts
There's at least one bank ATM in the arrival area, maybe more -- explore the website. I don't know what it might cost but you'd probably pay slightly less in the city. So you could take out a little money at the airport, and meet any further cash needs in town. I used cash a lot in Berlin, as well as my credit card.
If you have time before flying out, you could look for a foreign exchange booth (like Travelex) at your home airport (PHL?) to get those initial euros. That would be the most expensive way to go but maybe also more convenient.
Posted by
Chicago
1943 posts
I went to Berlin and it was hard to find an ATM at a bank. Most are Euronet which charges outrageous fees. I would take out some Euros because some small stores and restaurants don't accept cash and you will need coins for the toilets-50 cents.
I would wait until you can find a bank ATM in Berlin. You can use credit cards for transport now in Berlin.
Posted by
OP
Philadelphia
7 posts
I really appreciate all of the helpful advice!!!
Posted by
Atlanta
4827 posts
Check with your bank to see if you need to put a travel alert on your atm / credit cards. Some no longer require it, but some still do. You do not want the bank or credit card company to see a foreign transaction, think it is fraud, and shut down your card.
Posted by
60 posts
On our recent trip, we found that ATMs from Deutsche Bank or from any Sparkasse (similar to US credit unions) did not charge extra fees. Both are somewhat hard to find though there were a few at BER