I used to get some Euro from my US bank before a trip. I just learned that it's better to travel with my debit and credit card and withdraw Euro from ATM in Europe to get a better exchange rate. If I am arriving to Barcelona at 10pm and don't know where to go, can I purchase the T10 card using a credit card? or meal?
What's the best way to prepare for different things that can happen? Thank you for your advice.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
While you should use an ATM in Europe to get the bulk of your cash, there's nothing wrong with arriving with some euros bought in the US. Sure, you pay more, but for €100, the extra fees won't break you. I'd particularly want to do this for a late arrival like yours. Yes, there are ATM's at the airport, but it's nice not to even have to think about it until the next day. Remember, if you don't have any leftover euros yourself, you can buy euros from friends who have some left over from their trip; this saves you the bank fees, and you can use a fair exchange rate instead of the one the banks use.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
If you get there that late it's possible that there may be no human ticket sales at the station, and US credit/debit cards often don't work in vending machines. I'd get 50 euros cash in the US before you go just to be safe.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4053 posts
You can get euros at airport ATMs 24 hours a day. Here is a list of machines http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Barcelona/en/Page/1045569607399//ATMs.html#ATMs
Click on the links to find the locations. Take out a substantial amount and then use cash where you would offer plastic back home. Cash, with a single withdrawal fee, is probably cheaper than the charges your bank may impose for foreign credit card transactions. The airport site also has layout maps and other helpful information.
Posted by
OP
Diamond Bar
15 posts
Great!!!
Thank you for the responses and info.
Posted by
Austin, Texas, USA
543 posts
The T10 card works great and is easy to use. You can also split them up with other people.
Posted by
OP
Diamond Bar
15 posts
Good ideas and info. Thank you all.
Vivian
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
I think it's best to stop and get some euros at an ATM in the airport. The normal caveat here is make sure you use a bank ATM not an Exchange bureau posing as an ATM. A bank will have some form of bank, banc, banco, etc. in the name. A travel exchange usually has some kind of EX in the name and will charge you too much. It seems to me we arrived in Barcelona and passed a group of ATM looking machines that were at least partly exchanges. If you get to an ATM and there is a line, you can probably find another machine before you exit the airport. Your credit/debit card won't work to buy your T10 (it wants a chip and pin card) and the system only takes a certain size bill (I think the photo showed a 20 euro bill but it didn't even want those). After you get some cash (which will come largely in 50 euro bills), stop at a news/magazine shop in the airport and buy something small to get change. You can also ask for an odd amount when you withdraw from the ATM, e.g. 335 euro rather than 350. I think we planned to get downtown using rail/metro but came across the Aerobus first, so just hopped on.