CDG Layover on the Way to Rome

With your connection time, you may not be able to get to an ATM at CDG in time, if there are any delays, either at immigration, or if you have to retrieve luggage if it is not checked through to FCO, or if your incoming flight is late.

Improbable but possible: the ATM at CDG eats your debit card.

I would wait until FCO to retrieve cash. If you want to buy something at CDG, use a credit card.

Or you can order a small amount of euro from your local bank to get you through the first day or so (get €5s, €10s, €20s). Costs a bit more but overall a small additional cost for your trip, and less stress after a long flight.

I would wait until FCO to get euros from an ATM. There are several after you exit the gate area. I would not get euros before you leave the US as fees are a lot. As mentioned above, you could use a credit card to make any purchases at CDG, but with only a 45 min layover, I doubt you'll have any time to purchase much more than coffee.

Absolutely buy some Euros at home. If you arrive with 100-200 it will have cost you an extra $10-20 due to a poor exchange rate, a pittance in light of the total cost of your trip and more than worth the convenience. Finding an airport ATM, whether in CDG or FCO, fatigued from a long flight, burdened with luggage-to me it's an unneeded stress and you are thief bait. Get to your hotel in Rome (using the Euros from home), settle in, have a meal, find an ATM attached to a bank in a safe place (your hotel will help you) then get as many Euros as you think you'll need so you don't have to withdraw too often. That is where you'll encounter fees.

Get them at CDG if you have time. If not, get them at FCO. But I have to admit I'm one of those people who likes to have 200 euros on me before I leave. It's worth not having to stress about whether the ATM at FCO isn't working.

Thanks, everyone for your comments! You brought up some good what-ifs. My layover is 1 hour and 45 minutes at CDG not 45 minutes.

My experience with terminals 1 & 2 at CDG is that there is a lot of walking. It may take most of your time available getting to your new flight. Don't waste time looking for an ATM (I usually don't see them) but just keep moving.

Don't bother looking for an ATM cash machine or worry about having Euro currency at CDG. With 1 hr 45 min you will likely not have time to shop at CDG. Wait to FCO when you are not under time pressure to find and use an ATM.

Get the 100-200 euros before you go. In the big scheme of things, it won't cost you that much and you'll have the peace of mind knowing you have some cash in your pocket on arriving. If an ATM doesn't work, or even worse, eats you card, let that happen in Rome, not on your way.

About 2 years ago there was an ATM by the toilets toward the exit end of the baggage carousels at FCO. We were carry-on only, but we were much in need of the toilets and there were benches against the wall right there to sit on and watch our luggage as we each took a turn.

That ATM was very popular. I was a bit reticent to use it, because I try to always use ATMs in bank lobbies. But it was in the secure area of the terminal before you exit through the "nothing to declare" doors, so I was less concerned about using it than one in the public area through the doors. There may have been others along the way from the gate, but I didn't notice any.

FCO airport maps show cash machine (ATM) locations:
http://www.adr.it/en/web/aeroporti-di-roma-en-/pax-fco-airport-map

Thanks, guys! My reasoning in regards to stopping at an ATM at CDG is not shop...it's just so I can leave FCO as soon as possible and not worry too much about stopping to get euros but all of you make some good points so i think I'll wait until FCO to get Euros. Rick suggests waiting until your arrival in Europe to get Euros so I'll do that and save the $20 or more exchange rate and fees.

Edgar, I've looked at those maps before. Maybe I'm just reading them wrong, but I only found one cash machine on the map on Terminal 1. And that's the only machine listed on the maps...unless I'm reading the maps incorrectly.

FCO Maps. Arrival Terminal 3 also has a cash machine near the Baggage Claim 4 Toilets. (Bottom left corner of the map). Common to have airport cash machines near baggage claim areas.

Thanks, Edgar!

We always take a credit card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. With this, we have found that charging hotels and meals gives you the best exchange rate. We then get our pocket change from an ATM.