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Your preferred bank ATM in Krakow?

Hello,
In our travels to Europe we've learned from guides and locals what ATMs are preferred because they don't charge as high fee of their own in addition to my bank's fee. Do you have a preferred bank that has low fees? We'll be arriving by train and would like to get our cash right away.
Thank you,
Jenifer

Posted by
23177 posts

First off, you need to understand how fees are set or determined. The first fees are set by the network, generally Visa or Plus and it will be same whether it is Poland or Italy. The network sets the exchange rate and that is with one percent of the interbank rate. The bank does not set the exchange rate. The bank or owner of the ATM may levy a small fee for using the ATM terminal. That is not common through out most of Europe but it should be disclosed on the ATM screen prior to withdrawal. After that all fees are determined by your card issuer or your bank. The above applies to all bank owned ATMs regardless of their country. However, IF it is a privately owned ATMs, then they are free to charge any fees that they decided. So it is very important to use ATM that is associated with, owned by, a bank.

Posted by
76 posts

"The bank or owner of the ATM may levy a small fee for using the ATM terminal."

My question still remains the same...I'm looking for a recommendation for ATMs that charge low fees.

Posted by
4539 posts

Looking at Google Maps, I see a PKO Bank ATM inside the Krakow train station, between Starbucks and Costa Coffee. I used a PKO Bank ATM in Wrocław, Poland this fall. I can't be certain that it did not charge me a fee, because my bank (Schwab) refunds any worldwide ATM fees, however ...

I have 2 reasons to believe it did not charge me a fee:

  1. I do not recall seeing any notification of such a fee when I used the ATM, or any request to accept a fee and continue
  2. I do not see an "ATM Fee Rebate" among my account transactions, which I do see when a fee has been charged by other ATMs and then rebated by Schwab
Posted by
23177 posts

....My question still remains the same...I'm looking for a recommendation for ATMs that charge low fees. .....

And my response is the same. A bank owned ATM might charge a fee a using that ATM and that fee will probably range around 2 - 5 euro. Not enough to worry about. Your local bank might charge you more in fees then the foreign ATM. I don't have any experience with ATMs in Poland but my general experience through out Europe is that the ATMs do not charge a fee for using the ATMs. And if there is a fee for using the ATM it will be disclosed prior to completing the transaction. Remember the vast majority of ATM users are the locals and not tourists. Where you can get screwed is a privately owned ATM so your focus should be on finding a bank owned ATM, any bank owned ATM.

Posted by
26834 posts

My experience has been very different from Frank's. I have had bank ATMs try to charge me fees in many, many countries. (France may be an exception.) Fees are spreading, so a bank that was good for ATM users a few months ago may have changed its policy by the time you get to Poland.

I am not certain, but I believe the Bank Pekao ATM near my hotel in Warsaw didn't charge a fee in 2018. No guarantees that the no-fee policy continues.