ATM Machines

Per Carls posting, I'm not sure how recently he has been to Europe (he posted today that the toll booth on French roads accept Franc), but I have flown into FRA on Lufthansa four times this century (last time Nov 08), and I have never seen "scores" of ATMs, nor have I had to search for one that took my MC or Visa debit card. The first one I have found has always been at the end of the concourse (A or B, presumably C also) where it opens into the great hall of Terminal 1 (on the right). It was attached to a bank; I don't think it was Deutsche Bank, maybe some other. There has never been more than one person ahead of me. It has never charged any fees for using that ATM; of course, my bank took 3%.

ATM machine, in themselves, do not rip your off. The exchange rate will be the same whether it is in the airport or downtown. There may be an increased risk of fraud using stand alone machines that have been rigged to capture debit card info. That probability is very low in an airport. And the rigging is easily detected. Go to snopes.com for details. In the US you can find private ATMs that slap on a substantial service fee for dispensing money. I have not found that in Europe. There have been no reports on this site or others of ATMs ripping off people in Europe. Any airport ATM should be fine.

I understand that - question was "are they readily available" - meaning are they close to baggage claim or car rental areas, etc. Is there always a line so long it would take you all day? I want to know someone that has used them to make sure there is not some "hidden airport fees". I wasn't expecting anything to be stolen. I am referring specifically to Frankfurt International Airport.
Thanks - Bill

Are there ATM machines readily available in the Frankfurt Airport that will not rip you off some how.

Yes.

I was last in Frankfurt Airport in 2004, but I don't remember having any trouble or any wait getting money from an ATM.

The foreign exchange fee (that is, the percentage mark-up above the official interbank exchange rate) is set by your bank, not the operator of the ATM. The ATM will only charge you a small flat fee for an out-of-network withdrawl, the same as any ATM in the US would do. So if you get "ripped off", it will be by your own bank and it won't matter where you withdraw money.

"Is there always a line so long it would take you all day? What kind of question is this? Must be an Arkansas thing. Are u related to Clinton? What ATM takes time to withdraw funds? So you may have to wait for a few passengers to withdraw their funds. Big deal.

When we arrived at the Frankfurt terminal I asked an attendant where the ATMs were. He directed me to them; there were scores of them to choose from.

Note the systems listed on the back of your card; then look for a machine with that system listed on it.

There was no line of travelers waiting to use them, but that will be affected by the number of arrival flights.

It took us a few minutes to find the correct machine because there are so many, but you should find one if you persist. You are right to avoid the exchange counters.

Jeff D you talk big online. Maybe you left your manners somewhere. If you met me in person I doubt you would say what you did. It shows your upbringing. Thanks Tom, it was one of the answers I was looking for.
Thanks - Bill

Just as Frank did, I assumed your question was more about the fees, etc., at airport ATMs. The "readily available" part isn't the subject of the sentence (in grammar terms). And perhaps Jeff D could have been a bit more polite, but I agree that "Is there always a line so long it would take you all day?" is an unanswerable question. Unless someone has been standing there all day, they wouldn't know.

Figure of speech madame. Glad you got it figured out. I got exactly the answer I was looking for. Apparently they had no problem figuring out the conversation.

My point was that you were being argumentative when people were trying to help you. Just so you are fully informed, keep in mind that the information you got from Tom is five years old, so things might have changed in the meantime.

William, with that attitude you are going to have a lot of fun in Europe.

,,,,readily available in the Frankfurt Airport that will not rip you off some how......

That implied to me you expected to be ripped off at least some of the machines in the airport. It is a given that ATM machines are readily available in airports and elsewhere so I focused on the rip off portion of the question since that was the object of the question. I apologize for wasting your time with an answer you already knew.

Have a great time on your trip-
I have found Europeans to be friendly and helpful, and not at all snobby as some New Jersey people aparently were born knowing how to travel- bravo for your questions and travel well and often- and sometime you will be helpful to someone else-
pay it forward!
Ignore the ignorants!

Thought I might not have worded the question properly when Frank answered the way he did. I reworded the question and Carl from Dallas gave me the answer I was looking for. All I was looking for was the correct answer from someone that had actually used the machines. I have been to airports and there would be a line half a block long and when that happens, you always get someone having trouble with their card or somehthing. I have been to this airport many times, but this time I plan to use ATM machines instead of the exchange booths. I took a beating in Zurich last summer at one and in London last March. I would rather spend the extra money on beer than give it away.

I concur with Lee. I thought the phrasing -- scores of them, searching for the right one -- was a little odd but maybe just pedantic license to drive home the point that ATM machines are readily available. During the last four trips through the Frankfurt airport I always saw ATM machines where I would expect them to be. And I have never had to search for an ATM machine that would take either PLUS or Cirrus. Those are the two most common network system in the western world -- probably eastern also.

...and you DON'T need a car to find the ATM's, either!