In article , G.Mizer
wrote:
I am traveling to London tomorrow for the USA
and was wondering what your thoughts are on where the best
place to exchange money is.

If you are going from here to foreign parts you tend to get a pretty
fair rate by using your ATM card if you have a suitable one. Airport
kiosks are IME less than competitive.


--
Tony Bryer

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 18:24:38 +0100, Tony Bryer
wrote:

If you are going from here to foreign parts you tend to get a pretty
fair rate by using your ATM card if you have a suitable one. Airport
kiosks are IME less than competitive.

This is what I tend to do these days. Beware, however - British cards
do not work everywhere. In particular, I have never encountered a
Belgian cash machine anywhere that would accept a British chip-and-pin
type card, possibly because their standard is different.

This was despite Visa and Cirrus/Maestro symbols appearing on most of
them.

I've never tried in the US, but I have, however, successfully used
British cards to withdraw cash in Germany, Austria and the Czech
Republic, mind, and in no case were charges particularly excessive.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

"Neil Williams" schreef in bericht
...
On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 18:24:38 +0100, Tony Bryer
wrote:

If you are going from here to foreign parts you tend to get a pretty
fair rate by using your ATM card if you have a suitable one. Airport
kiosks are IME less than competitive.

This is what I tend to do these days. Beware, however - British cards
do not work everywhere. In particular, I have never encountered a
Belgian cash machine anywhere that would accept a British chip-and-pin
type card, possibly because their standard is different.

That's strange. The other way around there seems to be no problem.
When I was in London last year my Belgian card worked in any ATM in London
(used about 5 different ones)

H

Neil Williams wrote:
On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 18:24:38 +0100, Tony Bryer

wrote:

This is what I tend to do these days. Beware, however - British
cards
do not work everywhere. In particular, I have never encountered a
Belgian cash machine anywhere that would accept a British
chip-and-pin
type card, possibly because their standard is different.

This was despite Visa and Cirrus/Maestro symbols appearing on most of
them.


There's one cash machine in Brugge which accepted my card. It's in the
centre near Pizza Hut

Neil Williams wrote to uk.transport.london on Tue, 26 Apr 2005:

I've never tried in the US, but I have, however, successfully used
British cards to withdraw cash in Germany, Austria and the Czech
Republic, mind, and in no case were charges particularly excessive.

I've used them in the USA and had no problem. Bank debit cards that can
be read at home are probably the easiest - I've used these in the USA,
Switzerland, France, Germany, Belgium and other European countries, both
pre- and post- the introduction of the Euro.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 3 April 2005

Tony Bryer typed


In article , G.Mizer
wrote:
I am traveling to London tomorrow for the USA
and was wondering what your thoughts are on where the best
place to exchange money is.

If you are going from here to foreign parts you tend to get a pretty
fair rate by using your ATM card if you have a suitable one. Airport
kiosks are IME less than competitive.


That was not my experience when I went to Italy last year and used my
card at an ATM. I withdrew 240-250 Euro (maxima varied) and found I was
paying about £8 in transaction charges each time.

Post Office and Travelex seemed better value...

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

In message , Helen Deborah
Vecht writes

That was not my experience when I went to Italy last year and used my
card at an ATM. I withdrew 240-250 Euro (maxima varied) and found I was
paying about £8 in transaction charges each time.

The charge (if there is one) varies enormously according to who you bank
with.

I am charged around £8 by Barclaycard for each such transaction I make,
while my partner (using the same machine in Venice - usually the one up
near Santa Lucia) is charged nothing at all on a Nationwide account. We
now operate an agreement which is not in Barclaycard's interest

I find it impossible to answer the OP's question - finding the best deal
for changing money depends on many variables, including fluctuating
exchange ranges. Some days it is better to do it before leaving, other
days it is not. I can't possibly comment on the situation in the US -
here in the UK, I often find that changing pounds for euros at the local
Post Office is by far the cheapest and most efficient choice.

--
Paul Terry