Currency before travel?

Dear Ashley,

Have you looked in the search feature, located up and to the right? There are 117 enties under your question.

Have a great trip!

The rule of thumb: purchase or convert currency at an ATM once you arrive at your destination. You will get the best rate. Make sure you contact your bank and let them know you will be traveling.

Yes, another bank will sell you currency. US Bank has decent rates and offices everywhere. When investigating, do not get lured by "no fees", especially if the rate is horrible. Ask the Rate for today (even if you are not planning on exchanging today) and what any fees might be, and if the fees are fixed ($15 for the transaction) or a percentage. Then figure up what it would cost to get say 500 Euros, divide that out to a dollar cost and compare with the Interbank exchange rate. Typically the cost will be 5-8% more than interbank, if it gets to be 10% or 15%, you are not getting a good deal. Using an ATM in Europe, you should be able to get 1 to 3% above interbank rate (depending on your bank fees) Credit cards will be 2-4% (again depending on your cards fees) and exchange over there anywhere from 5% on up. Many prefer to have at least some Euros before they leave, though unless I have some left over from a previous trip, I go without; but the resounding concensus of this board is to just rely on the ATM once you get there.

I just got back from Italy on Sunday. I got my first euros at the airport when I arrived in Milan.

Have fun.

You can get what you need to start your trip at the airpost, than use ATMs

Just to clarify what Tom recommended - get your Euros at an ATM at the airport and then continue to get them from ATMs. Don't go to the exchange booths at the airport.

My habit is to get at least 100 Euros at a local bank exchange before I leave. Consider this emergency back-up money and hide it away till near the end of your trip and then spend it all on your last days as normal "walk-a-bout money."

Lots of reasons for doing things this way.
1. Back-up just in case your cards don't work.
2. Back-up if you HAVE to get a taxi back to your hotel.
3. Back-up if you lose all your cards.
4. Keeps you from ever having to have to use one of the rip-off street level exchanges.

Otherwise just use the Italian ATMs.

Ashley,
I've done it both ways--waited until I arrived at the Europe airport and used an ATM there. I've also changed a little currency here before departure so I had some on hand money before arrival. I happen to live in a university community with hundreds of international students and faculty who travel abroad very frequently. Therefore, the banks here have Euros on hand, so I can just walk in and get a hundred. You might check to see if any banks near the university have Euros on hand. I know people here who wouldn't think of leaving the US without foreign currency in hand. Then there are others like me who usually wait until I arrive to get Euros. It's a matter of what you feel comfortable doing.

Since I am paying cash for everything, almost, I am taking a bit of euro before I go instead of having to go to the ATM every day. Those fees can add up, too

My bank has a branch that handles foreign exchange.

Have a good trip, I am going May 25 for a month and am really looking forward to it.

I usually leave with at least some exchanged cash, maybe 100 Euros, as a back-up. Just in case I can't find an ATM at the airport or the one there is out of order or you need cash for any other reason ... Since I mostly travel with kids in tow I want to avoid having to get cash as my main priority when I arrive in Europe. My house bank doesn't offer exchanges either so I usually use one of the exchange places in downtown Calgary. And just make sure I pick one that has a reasonable exchange rate and fees not over a couple of bucks. Check your yellow pages and phone up a couple of banks and/or exchange places and ask for their fees and rates before you make your way down there.

But my last trip to Europe was booked with less than 24 hours notice so there was no way for me to get cash ahead of time. As soon as I arrived at the airport in Frankfurt I asked for the nearest ATM and draw some cash there with no problem. And then proceeded to the train station and purchased a train ticket with my visa cc

Ashley,

I only take Euro's if I have some left over from my last trip. Otherwise I go to an ATM at the airport when I get there. I never take more than $20-40 US just to use at the US airports for incidentals during the trip. Any more is just something else to pack around and potentially loose.

Ciao Ashley!

If you're arriving at FCO, once you exit through the frosted, sliding glass tours from the baggage claim area into the B Arrivals Terminal... there is an ATM on the wall on the hallway to your right - just follow the signs as if you were headed to the train station and you'll see it about 25 feet after you start down the hall. That will keep you from having to head upstairs to find an ATM. DO NOT go to the "money changers" in the baggage claim area. These are the WORST places to get Euro!

For more hints, check out this post: CLICK HERE

I personally would never arrive without SOME euros in hand. Maybe even only 50, but what if your plane is delayed and you arrive late at night and the ATM you can find is empty? What if there's a train strike and you need to take a taxi and don't have enough cash right away? I dunno, It's just not worth that risk to me. But it's how I function at home, too. I never leave the house without at least $50 in my wallet, even though I almost never use cash at home. Wells Fargo appears to sell Euros online to non-customers, but their rate is not so good, they have a $200 minimum, and then they charge $8 for shipping. But for peace of mind, it is probably worth it., t