Traveling to Europe

[tontod]

I'll be travelling to Europe end of next week. From what I know England still has pounds as their currency and also Switzerland still uses francs? Should I take a combo of travelers checks and cash (euros, pounds, swiss francs)? Those of you who have traveled to europe recently (aphex), what did you do?

 

[BennyD]

just take a visa, you can use it pretty much everywhere in the UK

i think the same is true for switzerland

 

[h8red]

Originally posted by: tontod
Should I take a combo of travelers checks and cash (euros, pounds, swiss francs)?

That's what I would do. It has been a long time since I've been in Europe but I took a combo of traveler's checks and various cash. Also make sure that you put a Canadian flag on everything so that everyone thinks your from Canada. There is probably a lot of anti-American sentiment in Europre right now:frown:

 

[tontod]

I dont have visa, but I do have mastercard. Is that going to be a problem, or is mastercard accepted in most places?

 

[luv2chill]

both Visa and MC are accepted nearly everywhere. Take a couple of travelers checks if you want to as a backup. I brought a couple and didn't use them at all. But if you lose your card it's good to have some money in your money belt (you are planning to wear a money belt right?).

Enjoy! Switzerland is awesome.

l2c

Edit: For cash, use your ATM card... yes it will most likely work fine, and you are guaranteed the best exchange rate.

 

[crumpet19]

When I went to London last November I took with me Bitish Pounds and Visa.

If you're going to convert money, do it at a bank here. It's much cheaper to convert money at a US bank than at an airport.

 

[StageLeft]

I always have Jeeves carry a case of gold bullion for cash transactions.

 

[Triumph]

Cocaine is universally accepted. Take some of that.

 

[tontod]

Originally posted by: luv2chill
both Visa and MC are accepted nearly everywhere. Take a couple of travelers checks if you want to as a backup. I brought a couple and didn't use them at all. But if you lose your card it's good to have some money in your money belt (you are planning to wear a money belt right?).

Enjoy! Switzerland is awesome.

l2c

Edit: For cash, use your ATM card... yes it will most likely work fine, and you are guaranteed the best exchange rate.

The only problem with using the ATM card is my bank and the local bank will both charge transaction fees. I guess I'll be losing a bit in the conversion from dollars to euros anyway without using the atm, so maybe it wont be too bad.

 

[aphex]

Hey there, Well i should be able to lend a hand here....

First things first.....

You WILL get the best exchange rate using a credit card typically..... However, in Holland, very few places take credit cards (except amsterdam/rotterdam of course). Living in Utrecht, i ended up opening a Dutch Bank account to save myself money and time.

Personally i would reccomend a combo of credit card, debit card, cash, and travelers checks (listed in order of importance).

1) Credit Card - the BEST exchange rate... Use it whenever you can. Remember when you exchange money over there, your getting fees tacked on, when you use your credit card, you get the ACTUAL exchange rate at that time, no crappy ass fees and inflated exchange rates.

2) Debit Card - Can be VERY useful, especially because damn near EVERYWHERE in europe accepts them (especially holland), and the exchange rates are favorable. I typically got charged $2 for taking out cash from an ATM (which i did in large sums to deposit into my dutch account). Remember though, you can typically only use your american debit card at ATM's (and not in stores). In Europe they use a system called Switch &

3) Cash - Well of course because everyone accepts cash... Just no security with it....

4) Travelers Checks - AWESOME for security, but i ran into ALOT of places that didnt accept them. Keep maybe $50 in Travelers Checks for security, but i wouldnt spend them till ya get home... PAIN IN THE ASS those suckers are...


Honestly, if you can do it... Use the credit card.... All around its the best option, for security and most importantly for exchange rates... Cash is always handy as well for those places that dont accept cards (which in london & switzerland are few). Debit cards are good too, but only really if your taking out large sums (when the exchange rate is currently good).

Hope this helps, and have a KICKASS TIME! I should be headin back to Interlaken, Switzerland in a year or so... Im not kidding, i dream about that place nearly once a week... Freakin rocked my world....

🙂