Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
Jun 16th 2003, 10:11 am
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> LivinInAustin wrote:
> >
> > Hi:
> >
> > I am traveling to the UK next month. Where would you recommend I buy
> > GB pounds? At the airport of departure (in the US), at heathrow
> > airport in London or should I use ATMs in London?
> The latter, of course! There has certainly been enough discussion of
> the subject, over the three years or so I've been posting here! Isn't
> there any way of accessing the archives before asking the same question
> over and over? (Questions regarding hotel recommendations, etc. are a
> bit different, since conditions can change, and/or hotels change
> ownership.) Unless you'll be arriving VERY late at night, with no time
> to access an ATM at LHR, currency costs a lot less at an ATM than
> "buying" it ANYWHERE!
Possibly your best advice would have been to tell the individual to access
the Frequently Asked Questions for this News Group, where their question and
many others would be answered.
Archive-Name: travel/europe/faq
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Last-Modified: 2002-10-06
URL: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/travel/europe/faq
Colin has good advice on suggesting you have some local currency when you
arrive. I usually have around 100 USD exchanged at the airport when leaving
the US, just in case. The cost is a small amount to pay.
Joe Pessarra in Georgetown, Texas
news:[email protected]...
> LivinInAustin wrote:
> >
> > Hi:
> >
> > I am traveling to the UK next month. Where would you recommend I buy
> > GB pounds? At the airport of departure (in the US), at heathrow
> > airport in London or should I use ATMs in London?
> The latter, of course! There has certainly been enough discussion of
> the subject, over the three years or so I've been posting here! Isn't
> there any way of accessing the archives before asking the same question
> over and over? (Questions regarding hotel recommendations, etc. are a
> bit different, since conditions can change, and/or hotels change
> ownership.) Unless you'll be arriving VERY late at night, with no time
> to access an ATM at LHR, currency costs a lot less at an ATM than
> "buying" it ANYWHERE!
Possibly your best advice would have been to tell the individual to access
the Frequently Asked Questions for this News Group, where their question and
many others would be answered.
Archive-Name: travel/europe/faq
Posting-Frequency: Monthly
Last-Modified: 2002-10-06
URL: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/travel/europe/faq
Colin has good advice on suggesting you have some local currency when you
arrive. I usually have around 100 USD exchanged at the airport when leaving
the US, just in case. The cost is a small amount to pay.
Joe Pessarra in Georgetown, Texas
Jun 16th 2003, 11:22 am
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
Colin wrote:
> Hatunen wrote:
>> So long as one is arriving at a major airport or train station there will
>> be a currency exchange booth should one be unable to find an ATM and its
>> rates will unlikely be much different from the exchange rate in one's
>> home country. But it is highly unlikely one will not be able to find an
>> ATM/cashpoint/hole-in-the-wall in any case.
> Murphy's law dictates that there will come the day when there is only one
> and it is out of order.
So claims Murphy, but after hundreds of airports it hasn't happened to me
yet.
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Maldives, Dubai and Vietnam
> Hatunen wrote:
>> So long as one is arriving at a major airport or train station there will
>> be a currency exchange booth should one be unable to find an ATM and its
>> rates will unlikely be much different from the exchange rate in one's
>> home country. But it is highly unlikely one will not be able to find an
>> ATM/cashpoint/hole-in-the-wall in any case.
> Murphy's law dictates that there will come the day when there is only one
> and it is out of order.
So claims Murphy, but after hundreds of airports it hasn't happened to me
yet.
miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Latest photos: Maldives, Dubai and Vietnam
Jun 16th 2003, 8:45 pm
#18
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Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> However, I have arrived at supposedly
> major airports where there were few facilities, what facilities did exist
> were shut and the only way off the airport required cash. I've never
thought
> the risk worth saving a few percent on the exchange rate. Cash will always
> work.
Name names... I'd be curious to know which airports these were!
news:[email protected]...
> However, I have arrived at supposedly
> major airports where there were few facilities, what facilities did exist
> were shut and the only way off the airport required cash. I've never
thought
> the risk worth saving a few percent on the exchange rate. Cash will always
> work.
Name names... I'd be curious to know which airports these were!
Jun 16th 2003, 8:47 pm
#19
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
"Joe Pessarra" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Colin has good advice on suggesting you have some local currency when you
> arrive. I usually have around 100 USD exchanged at the airport when
leaving
> the US, just in case. The cost is a small amount to pay.
If arriving anywhere BUT London Heathrow or Gatwick, perhaps. I've NEVER
not been able to change money on arrival at LHR or LGW - usually before I
clear customs! (They have exchange booths between the gate and the baggage
hall in most terminals...)
news:[email protected]...
> Colin has good advice on suggesting you have some local currency when you
> arrive. I usually have around 100 USD exchanged at the airport when
leaving
> the US, just in case. The cost is a small amount to pay.
If arriving anywhere BUT London Heathrow or Gatwick, perhaps. I've NEVER
not been able to change money on arrival at LHR or LGW - usually before I
clear customs! (They have exchange booths between the gate and the baggage
hall in most terminals...)
Jun 16th 2003, 8:50 pm
#20
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Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
"greg byshenk" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Miss L.Toe wrote:
> > "Miguel Cruz" wrote in message
> > > LivinInAustin wrote:
> > > > I am traveling to the UK next month. Where would you recommend I buy
> > > > GB pounds? At the airport of departure (in the US), at heathrow
> > > > airport in London or should I use ATMs in London?
> > > The cheapest and most convenient way would be to use ATMs in London
(with an
> > > ATM card, not a credit card). If your bank charges you fees for
foreign
> > > withdrawals, then (A) make smaller numbers of large transactions, and
(B)
> > > change banks when you get the chance.
> [...]
> > I went to some remote Ryanair airport recently and there were two
people
> > waiting to get on the bus neither of whom had any Euros only GBP, the
bank
> > was shut, and the one who had a card had forgotten his number. I made a
few
> > Euros profit (and two VERY grateful friends) by changing some cash for
them.
> > PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take some local currency with you.
> > (or learn how to beg)
> Or, alternatively, don't bother with carrying local currency, and learn
> your PIN.
And if the only cash machine in that airport was out of order ?
news:[email protected]...
> Miss L.Toe wrote:
> > "Miguel Cruz" wrote in message
> > > LivinInAustin wrote:
> > > > I am traveling to the UK next month. Where would you recommend I buy
> > > > GB pounds? At the airport of departure (in the US), at heathrow
> > > > airport in London or should I use ATMs in London?
> > > The cheapest and most convenient way would be to use ATMs in London
(with an
> > > ATM card, not a credit card). If your bank charges you fees for
foreign
> > > withdrawals, then (A) make smaller numbers of large transactions, and
(B)
> > > change banks when you get the chance.
> [...]
> > I went to some remote Ryanair airport recently and there were two
people
> > waiting to get on the bus neither of whom had any Euros only GBP, the
bank
> > was shut, and the one who had a card had forgotten his number. I made a
few
> > Euros profit (and two VERY grateful friends) by changing some cash for
them.
> > PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take some local currency with you.
> > (or learn how to beg)
> Or, alternatively, don't bother with carrying local currency, and learn
> your PIN.
And if the only cash machine in that airport was out of order ?
Jun 16th 2003, 9:23 pm
#21
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
"Miss L.Toe" wrote:
>> > PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take some local currency with you.
>> > (or learn how to beg)
>> Or, alternatively, don't bother with carrying local currency, and learn
>> your PIN.
>And if the only cash machine in that airport was out of order ?
------------->
I´ve often seen ATM `s out of cash late sunday or early monday
morning , before they can get refilled.
Kristian
>> > PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take some local currency with you.
>> > (or learn how to beg)
>> Or, alternatively, don't bother with carrying local currency, and learn
>> your PIN.
>And if the only cash machine in that airport was out of order ?
------------->
I´ve often seen ATM `s out of cash late sunday or early monday
morning , before they can get refilled.
Kristian
Jun 16th 2003, 11:13 pm
#22
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
On 17/6/03 09:50, in article
[email protected], "Miss L.Toe"
wrote:
>
> And if the only cash machine in that airport was out of order ?
In the UK? At a UK international airport? One cash machine?
[email protected], "Miss L.Toe"
wrote:
>
> And if the only cash machine in that airport was out of order ?
In the UK? At a UK international airport? One cash machine?
Jun 16th 2003, 11:32 pm
#23
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
On Mon, 16 Jun 2003 23:22:33 GMT, [email protected] (Miguel Cruz) wrote:
>Colin wrote:
>> Hatunen wrote:
>>> So long as one is arriving at a major airport or train station there will
>>> be a currency exchange booth should one be unable to find an ATM and its
>>> rates will unlikely be much different from the exchange rate in one's
>>> home country. But it is highly unlikely one will not be able to find an
>>> ATM/cashpoint/hole-in-the-wall in any case.
>> Murphy's law dictates that there will come the day when there is only one
>> and it is out of order.
>So claims Murphy, but after hundreds of airports it hasn't happened to me
>yet.
It's happened to me, I arrived in Genoa, one cash machine, was out of
order, it was hardly a disaster, I hitched along the road into town
where the nearest one was, or I could've changed the 10UKP note I had.
or I could've got an advance on my Visa or other card from the bureau
de change. There were so many options, that the ATM being down simply
wasn't something that hurt.
Jim.
>Colin wrote:
>> Hatunen wrote:
>>> So long as one is arriving at a major airport or train station there will
>>> be a currency exchange booth should one be unable to find an ATM and its
>>> rates will unlikely be much different from the exchange rate in one's
>>> home country. But it is highly unlikely one will not be able to find an
>>> ATM/cashpoint/hole-in-the-wall in any case.
>> Murphy's law dictates that there will come the day when there is only one
>> and it is out of order.
>So claims Murphy, but after hundreds of airports it hasn't happened to me
>yet.
It's happened to me, I arrived in Genoa, one cash machine, was out of
order, it was hardly a disaster, I hitched along the road into town
where the nearest one was, or I could've changed the 10UKP note I had.
or I could've got an advance on my Visa or other card from the bureau
de change. There were so many options, that the ATM being down simply
wasn't something that hurt.
Jim.
Jun 17th 2003, 12:05 am
#24
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
Probably off topic. But I just went to buy my US Dollars from Lunn Polly on
the high street (Newcastle, England)
Got a rate of US$1.633 - UK£1.00.
I tried to pay for it using my debit card, but they said I couldn't do that
unless I showed them my passport or other photo ID.. strange, I don't need a
photo ID to use my card to buy e.g. a laptop computer, worth considerably
more than the $200 in cash I was asking for.
Short trip to the cash point sorted out my problem.. just thought it was
curious.
the high street (Newcastle, England)
Got a rate of US$1.633 - UK£1.00.
I tried to pay for it using my debit card, but they said I couldn't do that
unless I showed them my passport or other photo ID.. strange, I don't need a
photo ID to use my card to buy e.g. a laptop computer, worth considerably
more than the $200 in cash I was asking for.
Short trip to the cash point sorted out my problem.. just thought it was
curious.
Jun 17th 2003, 1:06 am
#25
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
"Axqi Rqvst" wrote
| > And if the only cash machine in that airport was out of order ?
| In the UK? At a UK international airport? One cash machine?
It is not unknown for cash machine networks to go down. If one network has
the concession for all the machines in the airport, you can be stuck.
Halifax / Bank of Scotland took their network down for a couple of hours
this weekend, I think, for software updating.
Also, even if you expect to arrive at a reasonable hour at a major airport,
planes can get delayed and diverted and arrive unexpectedly late at less
well-equipped airports.
Having about GBP / USD / EUR 100 in cash ready for arrival is never a bad
idea, and even if you lose 10% in commission getting it at home, I'd think
it was worth it for peace of mind. (Also useful to get some coin, especially
if you are visiting a country that uses coin payphones and don't have the
language to ask for change for the phone.)
Owain
| > And if the only cash machine in that airport was out of order ?
| In the UK? At a UK international airport? One cash machine?
It is not unknown for cash machine networks to go down. If one network has
the concession for all the machines in the airport, you can be stuck.
Halifax / Bank of Scotland took their network down for a couple of hours
this weekend, I think, for software updating.
Also, even if you expect to arrive at a reasonable hour at a major airport,
planes can get delayed and diverted and arrive unexpectedly late at less
well-equipped airports.
Having about GBP / USD / EUR 100 in cash ready for arrival is never a bad
idea, and even if you lose 10% in commission getting it at home, I'd think
it was worth it for peace of mind. (Also useful to get some coin, especially
if you are visiting a country that uses coin payphones and don't have the
language to ask for change for the phone.)
Owain
Jun 17th 2003, 2:50 am
#26
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
"Traveller" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > However, I have arrived at supposedly
> > major airports where there were few facilities, what facilities did
exist
> > were shut and the only way off the airport required cash. I've never
> thought
> > the risk worth saving a few percent on the exchange rate. Cash will
always
> > work.
> >
> Name names... I'd be curious to know which airports these were!
Apart from a few I use regularly, like Gatwick, Southampton and Toulouse, I
don't find airports so memorable that I could place a particular memory at a
particular airport.
Colin Bignell
news:[email protected]...
> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > However, I have arrived at supposedly
> > major airports where there were few facilities, what facilities did
exist
> > were shut and the only way off the airport required cash. I've never
> thought
> > the risk worth saving a few percent on the exchange rate. Cash will
always
> > work.
> >
> Name names... I'd be curious to know which airports these were!
Apart from a few I use regularly, like Gatwick, Southampton and Toulouse, I
don't find airports so memorable that I could place a particular memory at a
particular airport.
Colin Bignell
Jun 17th 2003, 2:55 am
#27
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Apart from a few I use regularly, like Gatwick, Southampton and Toulouse,
I
> don't find airports so memorable that I could place a particular memory at
a
> particular airport.
I fly very rarely. But I still get IAD and ORD mixed up in my mind. And I've
only visited each once.
news:[email protected]...
> Apart from a few I use regularly, like Gatwick, Southampton and Toulouse,
I
> don't find airports so memorable that I could place a particular memory at
a
> particular airport.
I fly very rarely. But I still get IAD and ORD mixed up in my mind. And I've
only visited each once.
Jun 17th 2003, 2:57 am
#28
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 14:06:37 +0100, "Owain"
wrote:
>Having about GBP / USD / EUR 100 in cash ready for arrival is never a bad
>idea, and even if you lose 10% in commission getting it at home, I'd think
>it was worth it for peace of mind.
Surely you might aswell just have your own currency, as changing money
is generally simple but expensive in airports, then you only spend the
commission if you actually need it.
Jim.
wrote:
>Having about GBP / USD / EUR 100 in cash ready for arrival is never a bad
>idea, and even if you lose 10% in commission getting it at home, I'd think
>it was worth it for peace of mind.
Surely you might aswell just have your own currency, as changing money
is generally simple but expensive in airports, then you only spend the
commission if you actually need it.
Jim.
Jun 17th 2003, 3:03 am
#29
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
"Jim Ley" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 14:06:37 +0100, "Owain"
> wrote:
> >Having about GBP / USD / EUR 100 in cash ready for arrival is never a bad
> >idea, and even if you lose 10% in commission getting it at home, I'd
think
> >it was worth it for peace of mind.
> Surely you might aswell just have your own currency, as changing money
> is generally simple but expensive in airports, then you only spend the
> commission if you actually need it.
> Jim.
In theory maybe, but banks and exchnage bureau are not always open 24 hours
especially in the smaller airports. But you may get lucky and find a fellow
PAX willing to change some for you.
news:[email protected]...
> On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 14:06:37 +0100, "Owain"
> wrote:
> >Having about GBP / USD / EUR 100 in cash ready for arrival is never a bad
> >idea, and even if you lose 10% in commission getting it at home, I'd
think
> >it was worth it for peace of mind.
> Surely you might aswell just have your own currency, as changing money
> is generally simple but expensive in airports, then you only spend the
> commission if you actually need it.
> Jim.
In theory maybe, but banks and exchnage bureau are not always open 24 hours
especially in the smaller airports. But you may get lucky and find a fellow
PAX willing to change some for you.
Jun 17th 2003, 3:08 am
#30
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Best Place to buy Foreign Currency
On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 16:03:16 +0100, "Miss L.Toe" wrote:
>"Jim Ley" wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 14:06:37 +0100, "Owain"
>> wrote:
>> >Having about GBP / USD / EUR 100 in cash ready for arrival is never a bad
>> >idea, and even if you lose 10% in commission getting it at home, I'd
>think
>> >it was worth it for peace of mind.
>> Surely you might aswell just have your own currency, as changing money
>> is generally simple but expensive in airports, then you only spend the
>> commission if you actually need it.
>In theory maybe, but banks and exchnage bureau are not always open 24 hours
>especially in the smaller airports. But you may get lucky and find a fellow
>PAX willing to change some for you.
Or a lift to the nearest ATM that does work or Bureau de Change (even
a taxi driver would probably be okay with it), or ... there's so many
options if the ATM doesn't work, I don't see the point in making
expensive contingency plans.
Jim.
>"Jim Ley" wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 14:06:37 +0100, "Owain"
>> wrote:
>> >Having about GBP / USD / EUR 100 in cash ready for arrival is never a bad
>> >idea, and even if you lose 10% in commission getting it at home, I'd
>think
>> >it was worth it for peace of mind.
>> Surely you might aswell just have your own currency, as changing money
>> is generally simple but expensive in airports, then you only spend the
>> commission if you actually need it.
>In theory maybe, but banks and exchnage bureau are not always open 24 hours
>especially in the smaller airports. But you may get lucky and find a fellow
>PAX willing to change some for you.
Or a lift to the nearest ATM that does work or Bureau de Change (even
a taxi driver would probably be okay with it), or ... there's so many
options if the ATM doesn't work, I don't see the point in making
expensive contingency plans.
Jim.
