ATM's and banks in Paris -- suggestions?

First, ALL FEEs are determine by your card issuer. It doesn't make any difference who's ATM you are using. Second, I always advocate use an ATM attached to a bank during open hours over the stand alone simply because if you have a problem you may be able to go into the bank and resolve the problem right then.

Also, does anyone know what the cash withdrawal limit is on certain ATM's ?

Thanks, Frank. What you said makes sense.

I guess a previous post in the archives on Banking was not accurate when they stated neighborhood ATM's charge more.

I think the daily cash withdrawal limit is $400 (but ask your bank) - I had a problem with this when I withdrew money - wanted to do it all at once and miscalculated in Euros so I tried to withdraw more and it wouldn't let me. I put in a lower amount and it wouldn't let me and then went under the daily limit.

Even though I had called ahead of time to tell them I'd be using my ATM card in France - because I tried twice to withdraw more then the daily limit - they put a fraud alert on my account and I had to call home and call the bank to get it straightened out.

You must contact your credit union and inform them of the cities you will visit and the dates you will be there. At that time you can request they increase the amount that can be withdrawn each day. Also be sure your pin is 4 numbers. I always use an ATM attached to a bank and just look for one that has Star or Cirrus. You will not have a problem finding one.

You will also find that many European banks impose their own daily or transaction withdrawal limits, so no matter how high your limit is at your home bank, you may not be able to draw it out all in one transaction.

Thanks everyone. I did tell my bank when and what cities I'm going to. I forgot to ask them what my withdrawal limit is. Thanks for reminding me, and for your experiences.

BG -- thanks for the tip about the logos. My debit card does not have Star or Cirrus. I have "Plus" and "Pulse". Is this common in Paris?

Plus is the ATM system run by Visa, while Cirrus is the network run by Master Card. Both are common around the world.

In addition to notifying your bank or credit union that you will be traveling, and when and where, you should prepare for the fact that they may still put a fraud block on your card. This recently happened to me. When we landed in Amsterdam I was able to withdraw money from the ATM, but then they blocked my card. I didn't realized it until I tried to use my card again in Paris. Luckily I had another debit card from another account to use until I resolved the problem. I suggest you have the fraud number with you, just in case you need to contact them. This may not make a difference, but I notified my credit union in person that I would be traveling. My daughter, with the same credit union, called to notify them about her plans. Her card was never flagged as potential fraud like mine was.

P.S. Don't keep the fraud number in your wallet. You will want it with you if your wallet gets stolen. Unfortunately I learned that the hard way. :(

Need to correct a couple of prior postings. The STAR network is NOT available in Europe only in North America. Plus and Cirrus networks are the most common and are everywhere.

There is the possibility of two different limits on sn ATM withdraws. First your bank will limit your withdraws within a 24 hr period -- those limits are often in the range of 400 or 500 dollars but could be lower so check with your bank. And some banks limit the number of withdraws no matter the size to a max in a 24 hr period -- somethings 3.

Finally, the ATM itself my limit the amount of money that can be taken at that location. Often about 250E. This limit is most common on weekends and in high tourist areas so that the ATM does not run out of money as quick. I have generally found that ATMs attached to a bank do not have these limits or the limits are much higher.

Thanks everyone for you responses! Good suggestions, and will follow through. The last thing I want to spend time on in Paris is troubleshooting access to my funds. So, hopefully all will work smoothly as it did in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic.

Hope my debit card is not too old.

Also, a note to Norm: you said "Plus is the ATM system run by Visa". My debit card is a MC, and has the Plus logo on it.

Thanks again.

Yes, Maryann....the companies don't restrict who belongs to their system....so a bank that issues Visa credit cards can still have their debit cards issued by the Cirrus system.....and vice versa. These are separate businesses, and apparently they can't use one to leverage the other (if you issue our credit cards, you MUST use our ATM system), since that would apparently violate anti-competition laws in a whole whack of countries.

you can use a credit card in the atm to get money out right?

Correct --- BUT that can be very expensive. Cash withdraw on a credit card is treated as a cash advance -- a loan. In addition to the usual fees, a substantial interest rate will start the minute you withdraw the cash. Use it only an an emergency when all else has failed.

I didn't know that, someone I know goes to Europe a lot and says never to take a debit card because it's so dangerous,but to take a credit card instead and that they work at atms. Good to know, so do you usually take both debit and credit cards?

I just have an ATM card, I refuse to let my bank give me a debit card (too risky). I take both my credit card and my ATM card to Europe

An ATM card IS a debit card, travelfan. It's tied to your checking account and can be used for purchases as well as getting money out of the ATM.

A debit card is no more risky than a credit card unless, of course, you write your pin number on the debit card. We take two debit cards tied to two different accounts and three credit cards. During 300+ days of travel we have never had a problem with either the debit or credit card.

Nancy -My ATM card CANNOT be used for purchases it is not a debit/check card card. There are two different types of cards - one is both an ATM and debit/check card and one is ONLY an ATM card in which you can only withdrawal money from a bank.

The risky part is someone can steal it and drain your bank account out of all that money, then it sometimes takes several days to straighten it out with the bank - in the meantime you are out of the money.

With credit cards if someone uses it - you aren't out of the money up front

Without a PIN number you can't withdraw money from a debit card, whether it is an ATM card or a debit/check card, so there is no increased risk to having a debit/check card type. If unauthorized withdrawals are your fear, you don't avoid that by only having an ATM card.

I use a debit card attached to a checking account separate from my regular account for traveling, but I carry my regular card just in case of problems with the other one.

Here are some facts on the difference between debit/check cards and ATM only cards. Yes you can use a check card WITHOUT a pin:

http://www.pirg.org/consumer/banks/debit/debitcards1.htm

The difference? Debit cards are riskier than password protected (PIN-only) old-fashioned ATM cards because debit card can be used with a PIN OR can also be used with only a signature, without a secret PIN or password, just like a credit card, over the phone or in a store.

Debit Cards: Much greater liability risk than credit cards:

-- Legally, your ultimate liability for fraudulent use of a credit card is generally only $50. And, when a credit card is fraudulently used, you are also only disputing whether you owe the bank money.

-- Unlike a credit card, if your debit card is used fraudulently, the thief robs your checking account. Potentially, all your money is drained out of your checking account. It could take the bank 10 days or more to investigate and refund your money. In the meantime--you could bounce checks to your landlord, credit card company, or mortgage company.

-- Worse, unlike a credit card, under the law, your debit card liability could be as much as $500, if you notify the bank more than 48 hours after you learn of the problem or even up to all the money in your checking account plus your maximum overdraft line of credit if you fail to notify the bank within 60 days (See Fed excerpt below). Under pressure from the state PIRGs, banks claim to have voluntarily limited debit card liability to $50. PIRG has received complaints from consumers whose banks have not honored the well-publicized alleged voluntary $50 limit. Let us know (uspirg@pirg.org) if you have lost more than $50 in a debit card dispute with a bank, savings and loan or credit union.

Using my debit card in Amsterdam, Bruges and Paris I never had to use my PIN (except to get $ out of the ATM) and only had one person asked for my ID.