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Hi, all. I'm leaving on July 1st for a business trip to the UK (July 2nd-9th), then France (July 10th-16th). I will be bringing one credit card with me (Capital One Visa) and probably my bank's debit card (the bank is TD Bank, which is based in Toronto).
Note, most of my expenses (hotels and some meals in the UK, plus the train to Paris, plus hotel/most meals in France) have been paid in advance, so I don't need a lot of cash -- just enough for buses/trains within the UK (from London to Derby, from Derby to Hull, from Hull back to London) and food (which will be simple fare most of the time).
I've read from many sources that getting foreign money from your bank in advance is much more expensive than getting the money when you get to your destination(s). So, should I get pounds at the airport when I arrive in London, then Euros once I get to France? And if so, should I use the Capital One Visa card or my debit card when I get cash?
I haven't been abroad since 2010 and I just don't remember what I did back then -- I THINK I got pounds in advance at my bank, but I pre-paid most items back then as well.
Best is to get cash at the ATM of a major local bank when you arrive.
I take multiple cards in case something goes wrong with one of them. I like to have a couple hundred in US cash that I can use in the worst case. I say worst case because exchange rates for cash at airport kiosks can be rotten.
Best is to get cash at the ATM of a major local bank when you arrive.
Using the Visa card or my bank's debit card? I'd rather use the Visa but I don't know how widely they are accepted in the UK/France? But hmmm, they also charge large cash-advance fees. So maybe the debit card would be better ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by rational1
I take multiple cards in case something goes wrong with one of them. I like to have a couple hundred in US cash that I can use in the worst case. I say worst case because exchange rates for cash at airport kiosks can be rotten.
I was hoping to take only the 2 cards. You are right, it would be good to take some US cash as well (honestly, typically I have $20-30 on me at the most -- I rarely use cash for anything!). Thanks for replying so quickly!
Check with your bank and see what networks the debit card works on. If it's a Visa debit card, it should be on Visa's Plus network; if it's Master Card-branded, it should be on MC's Maestro or Cirrus network. Then when you see an ATM in Europe, look for the relevant Plus or Maestro/Cirrus on it or the first screen, which is about 99% of the ATMs you'll find there.
(And remember to select the Union Jack icon if you want an English language menu option in France)
After I got the first reply, I checked with my bank -- their instructions say that if it's an ATM with a Visa or Plus logo, it will work fine with my debit card. So I think I will use that to get cash when I land in London, then again when I arrive in France.
It depends on what kind of Capital One checking one has whether the debit card charges a fee or not. But in general debit cards with visa or mastercard logos are best for getting foreign currrency out of foreign ATM/cash machines.
For your travel to Derby/Hull/London, go by train. It's usually cheaper to buy rail tickets online; if it's not possible to buy them online from the US, get them as soon as you can once you've arrived in the UK. Leaving online purchases until the day before travel can mean higher prices. And buying online often means you have the option of reserving a seat, otherwise you might have to stand for at least part of the journey.
I'm not sure if that link works outside the UK. If it does, try checking the prices.
Alternatively, you can buy a pass for 3,4 or 8 non-consecutive days UK rail travel inside one month, if you think that would be your best option. I'm not sure if this enables you to reserve a seat though. However, as a physical ticket has to be mailed to your home address, it may be too late for this option. https://www.visitbritainshop.com/wor...trail-gb-pass/
Trains from London for Derby depart from either Euston or St. Pancras stations.
Definitely use the debit card to get cash from an ATM -- much cheaper than getting a cash advance from the credit card. When I travel to Europe, I like to get $100 worth of pounds or Euros (depending on where I'm going) before I go, as I'm a "just in case" sort of person.
Be sure to notify both Capital One Visa and TD bank of your travel plans before you go.
My daughter and I traveled in England and Scotland last year by train (interestingly, OP, our first stop was Derby, like yours!). I got all the train reservations online before we went. If you book in advance you can get some very reasonable fares. I hope you won't have a lot of luggage, because you have to carry your own up into the train and back off the train, and the stations often have a lot of stairs. Yes, there were elevators, but sometimes we didn't have enough time in between trains to wait for them.
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