# where's the best place to buy euros in usa



## JPETERS

I will be traveling to France in the fall and would like to purchase Euro's before I leave. Any suggestions as to where I may buy euro's in the states?
The 2 banks I checked with seem to be giving me less for my dollar. Thanks.


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## x3 skier

*Use a ATM*

I would wait to get there and use an ATM. Buying Euros is usually more expensive. Check for those who have a relationship with your bank or use a Credit Union which seldom charge any fees.

Cheers


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## Passepartout

You will indeed pay more for Euros in the US. I wouldn't exchange more than $10-20 worth for incidentals until you get to an ATM. There will be bank rate ATMs at the destination airport. European ATMs are multi-lingual. Use a debit card- not credit card- as cash withdrawals from CC are charged the max % rate. Make sure your PIN # is 4 digits. Many ATMs won't take more. Get enough Euros to last you a couple of days at a time or the fees will add up (same 2-3 euro fee to withdraw 200 euros as 20). 

Mostly, have fun. I saw that you were going to S. France. Lots of Brits holiday there, so you'll have no trouble using English- even if the French may say otherwise. A 'bonjour' or 'merci' will go a long way with the locals.

Look through a couple of tour guides for suggestions of stuff to see.

Jim Ricks


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## Carolinian

ATM's over there are indeed your best bet in France for €.  I would never exchange in the US. You need to watch fees on the ATM over there, as well as from your US bank.  Many charge 3% plus $2-5.  If you have CapOne, they have no fees.  Most credit unions are 1% plus 50-75 cents.

For some countries, one can use local exchange houses at a good rate, but that went out the window in France when they went from the franc to the €. Where I am at, for example, I frequently put my $ that I get paid in to € using local exchange houses.  Even doing a three currency transaction by way of local currency ($ to local currency to €), my exchange loss in such a conversion is usually under 1% all-in for both exchanges combined.


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## pedro47

Please learn what each euros coin stands for in spending power.


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## JPETERS

*thanks*

Thanks to all for your input.  I will bite the bullet, pay the high cost for a little pocket money till we arrive at the airport.  I knew my fellow Tuggers would know the answers to my travel questions.


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## Carolinian

JPETERS said:


> Thanks to all for your input.  I will bite the bullet, pay the high cost for a little pocket money till we arrive at the airport.  I knew my fellow Tuggers would know the answers to my travel questions.



Most places, pocket money at the airport is simply not necessary.  You can usually get into town with plastic on a train or airport van.  If you need some, most airport vendors will take dollars and give you change in local currency, usually at no commission and at a rate that is not that bad although not the best.  Don't use airport exchange houses which are ripoffs most places (Zurich, Mexico City, and Chisinau are exceptions that come to mind), use airport vendors.  A newspaper at a newstand or a coffee or coke at McDonalds will give you pocket money when you get your change.


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## x3 skier

Carolinian said:


> Most places, pocket money at the airport is simply not necessary.  You can usually get into town with plastic on a train or airport van.  If you need some, most airport vendors will take dollars and give you change in local currency, usually at no commission and at a rate that is not that bad although not the best.  Don't use airport exchange houses which are ripoffs most places (Zurich, Mexico City, and Chisinau are exceptions that come to mind), use airport vendors.  A newspaper at a newstand or a coffee or coke at McDonalds will give you pocket money when you get your change.



Totally agree! why go through the hassle of getting Euros in the States when it is not necessary. You should also hang on to some change from the trip to use next time so you can avoid all the unnecessary worry.

Cheers


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## Carlsbadguy

Are there ATMs at the terminals in Heathrow airport to get money?  Flying Continental next month.  FIrst trip to London then on to PAris.


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## Passepartout

Carlsbadguy said:


> Are there ATMs at the terminals in Heathrow airport to get money?  Flying Continental next month.  FIrst trip to London then on to PAris.



I would imagine there are. It's been a long time since I've seen an airport without ATM's. You'll just want to see that the ATM is a bankATM, the private ones charge waay too much. And, of course Great Britain uses pounds, not Euros, so you will need both currencies, unless you are just passing through Heathrow on the way to France.

Jim Ricks


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## x3 skier

Carlsbadguy said:


> Are there ATMs at the terminals in Heathrow airport to get money?  Flying Continental next month.  FIrst trip to London then on to PAris.



I am sure there are but if you do not find one being in fog from jet lag, just take the Train/Tube into London using a credit card and there are plenty in the Train Station(s) or right outside thge Tube Station(s).

Cheers


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## ScoopKona

I avoid money changing in airports. The fees are usually higher at the ATMs. The card you use makes a difference. My credit card does not charge a 1% surcharge when making cash advances at ATMs. Between that and my bank card, all is good when I land in Europe.

If Europe is going to be a regular thing for you, open a bank account there. Buy a bunch of euros when the rates are good and stash them in your account, earning a little interest. You can do the leg work via computer (comparing fees/wire costs/atm charges/etc), then open an account there (or here, if they have a branch in your area).

Besides, nothing like telling the person in the airplane seat next to you, "Euros? I'll just withdraw them from my bank in Florence." (Although Deutsche Bank has more branches, and are generally easier for people who go to lots of different countries.)

It's getting to the point where it really makes no difference where your money is stashed. But I like having a few Euros parked across the pond, at a small bank where people know my name. It also gives me a "go-to" vacation. Someday I'll return to Florence to spend the last of my Euros. That's cool.


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## jeg

Do you belong to AAA? They do not charge a fee and we were able to get euros by the next day.


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## Carolinian

jeg said:


> Do you belong to AAA? They do not charge a fee and we were able to get euros by the next day.



They may not charge a commission, but you had better check the exchange rate.  I am a member of AAA, and the last time I checked, their exchange rate was awful.  They also sell travellers checks denominated in foreign currencies, and many years ago when they were in marks, guilders, and francs and such offered good rates and no fees for them, but as soon as the euro came in, their exchange rate became awful.  Travellers checks are hard to use in Europe, and generally not a good idea.  I did it when the dollar was falling against those currencies and I had some trips planned, but generally had to find the local AmEx office to trade them in for folding money, so few merchants in Europe would take them.


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## Carlsbadguy

JUst compared my local AAA rates with Wells Fargo banka nd Wells Fargo offered much better rates.


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## Carolinian

x3 skier said:


> I am sure there are but if you do not find one being in fog from jet lag, just take the Train/Tube into London using a credit card and there are plenty in the Train Station(s) or right outside thge Tube Station(s).
> 
> Cheers



In the UK, many of the ATM's attached to banks do not charge any local fee for use, so those are the ones you want to find.  They often tell you right on the screen that they do not charge you a fee.  Some of those in train stations are private ATM's that do pop you for a signifiacant fee, as are those at motorway rest stops.  Always try to find one attached to a bank.

There are also some good exchange houses just outside of Victoria Station if you are coming from London's best airport, Gatwick, but avoid those inside the station which have high commissioners, bad rates, or both.  I wish more countries would be like Bulgaria and simply outlaw exchange houses charging commissions.  The differntial between buying and selling rates is enough to make a profit without adding in confusing commmissions that make it difficult to compare between exchange houses.


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## gresmi

We're heading to Greece in May and are also curious where to buy Euros. We're landing in Athens, then on to Crete or Santorini. We've bought from AAA and Wachovia in the US in the past.

Anybody have any suggestions?


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## Talent312

Here's my favorite source for a starter package...
https://www.wellsfargo.com/foreignexchange/
Then locate an in-country ATM and use a debit (not credit) card.


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## Carolinian

gresmi said:


> We're heading to Greece in May and are also curious where to buy Euros. We're landing in Athens, then on to Crete or Santorini. We've bought from AAA and Wachovia in the US in the past.
> 
> Anybody have any suggestions?



All ATM's in Greece charge a local fee for their use, something you avoid in some other European countries like the UK.  The last time I traveled to Greece from the US, I found one of the travel guidebooks (I think it was ''Let's Go'') gave the ATM fee for each of the major banks in Greece, so I was able to use the one with the lowest fee.

Neither AAA nor Wachovia have been good about foreign exchange rates in the past.  Maybe that has changed at Wachovia since their takeover by Wells Fargo.


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## gresmi

[Rude remark deleted - please review the TUG posting rules regarding courtesy. - DeniseM Moderator]


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## gresmi

Carolinian, thanks. I will check with Wachovia today. I just checked the xe.com exchange rate. We should have bought 4 times what we needed for our trip on 2008.


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## riperoo

ATM's all the way, one word of advise, particularly if you are using a bank debit card, call first and make sure you can use it over seas. Alot of them lately are limiting where you use, no biggie, just tell them what dates you are traveling and the open it up for that period. Nothing worse than getting over there and not being able to use and not being able to get a hold of your bank till the next day. Do the same for your phone also, yes, if you have a world phone you can use it, but they will ding some astronomical charge, AT&t for example, you call them, tell them where you are traveling and they will charge a small fee, something like $5 bucks a month, that will give you a greatly reduced rate, and you can cancel it when you get back. One phone call and it will pay for it self. I travel to Italy a lot and have learned the hard way to do this.


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## riperoo

Also keep in mind, that if you are just worrying about Money in the airports, a lot of the places take the USD as well as the Euro. It is just when you actually walk out of the airport that it becomes the issue. And also, I want to stress, not all places in airports take both, just some.


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## falmouth3

And make sure that you know what your password is in numbers because many, if not most, of the keypads at ATMs in Europe do not have letters on them.

Sue


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## x3 skier

riperoo said:


> Do the same for your phone also, yes, if you have a world phone you can use it, but they will ding some astronomical charge, AT&t for example, you call them, tell them where you are traveling and they will charge a small fee, something like $5 bucks a month, that will give you a greatly reduced rate, and you can cancel it when you get back. One phone call and it will pay for it self. I travel to Italy a lot and have learned the hard way to do this.



Cheapest is to get a SIM Card to use in an Unlocked phone (GSM Quad Band) or buy a PAYG Phone from a local provider. Another alternative is a calling card.

Cheers


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## Carolinian

riperoo said:


> Also keep in mind, that if you are just worrying about Money in the airports, a lot of the places take the USD as well as the Euro. It is just when you actually walk out of the airport that it becomes the issue. And also, I want to stress, not all places in airports take both, just some.



This is also often a good way to get local money in small amounts to get into town.  Buy a newspaper or coffee and give them a US$20 and they will give you change in foreign currency.  Not at a great rate, but you avoid the minimum commission of the exchange houses.  Be careful of airport ATM's.  Some pop you with a significant extra fee, although some are okay.  Same with railway station ATM's and most especially highway rest area ATM's.


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## rosebud5

*The Sticky Wicket*

Everyone is kinda right in a way. Look at it like this. Your going to a far off place where you are going to spend a lot of money and hopefully enjoy yourself. Do the smart thing and buy $50 worth of Euro's at the airport. Yes, it may cost you $10 or so, but what's more important.. a good time or some unforseen circumstance or hassle that could be avoided if you have some local currency in your pocket.


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## radmoo

In all our oversees travel, we've not yet encountered an aiport sans ATM.  Last year in the Irish countryside, we did have to drive approx 25 kms to locate an atm but that was the only time.  They are everywhere.  Four years ago when we landed at Ben Gurion airport in Israel w/out Shekel to our names, I was able to use credit card in the vending machines!! Seriously, when it comes to $$$, the world has become much smaller.


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## Talent312

I've easily found + used ATM's in small+large cities, just about everywhere I've gone, including... 
Annecy, France; Bernkastel, Germany; Bonaire (Carribean); Salzburg, Austria; San Gimignano, Italy; Santorini, Greece;
... and yet, my preference is to hit the ground running and not use vacation time for such a mundane task. So, I'll spend a little extra to have Wells Fargo deliver enuff to get me thru 4 -5 days. It costs a little extra, but IMHO, not having to take the time to deal with it is worth the price.


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## Carolinian

I have to admit that I am a bit spoiled living in a country where there are many independent exchange houses and banks with exchange counters on the walk between my house and my office.  Given the competition, spreads are low and commissions non-existant.  I can often do a double transaction (dollars to local currency to desired currency) with a total exchange loss of around 1%, sometimes even less.  I have even had weird situations where, based on the prevailing international interbank rates I even had an exchange gain.

But when I was travelling to Europe from the US, I knew the best deal in the places I travelled to regularly and would never have thought of spending extra money to exchange while still in the US.  For example, flying into Gatwick, I used plastic for a ticket on the Gatwick Express to Victoria Station, then walked across the street from Victoria Station to an exchange house I knew always had a low spread and no commission and got a supply of pounds there.  There were plenty of exchange counters within Victoria Station but they all had high spread or high commission or both, so I kept walking outside and across the street and got a good deal.


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## Carolinian

One thing to be aware of with ATM's is that they don't always give you the Interbank Mid-market exchange rate.  Most do in western Europe, but other countries may be a different story.  In the country where I work, all of the ATM's use the official exchange rate of its National Bank, which is usually not the same at any commercial rate such as the Interbank Mid-market rate.  It is usually somewhat less favorable, but you have to watch as sometimes it can be signifcantly less favorable, and on rare occaisions actually more favorable.

Then too, there are the rare airports where you get good exchange rates.  Zurich is one of those (although the bank run exchange counter in one terminal charges a smallish commission while the counter run by a different bank in the other terminal does not) and Mexico was as well, at least some years ago the last time I was through there.  Chisinau, Moldova is another one with decent airport exchange rates and no commission.


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## Talent312

Carolinian said:


> ... [At Zurich's airport]...the bank run exchange counter in one terminal charges a smallish commission while the counter run by a different bank in the other terminal does not...



Once, we missed our exit on a British motorway and pulled into the next service plaza. I was about to put my card into an ATM, when a nearby bloke spoke up. "Hold on," he said. "The ATM back by the restrooms is better. No service charge!" Naturally, I scurried to the restrooms, and golly, he was right.

A few minutes later, an employee told us about an "authorized persons" only way to exit the motorway (behind the bins).


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## Carolinian

Talent312 said:


> Once, we missed our exit on a British motorway and pulled into the next service plaza. I was about to put my card into an ATM, when a nearby bloke spoke up. "Hold on," he said. "The ATM back by the restrooms is better. No service charge!" Naturally, I scurried to the restrooms, and golly, he was right.
> 
> A few minutes later, an employee told us about an "authorized persons" only way to exit the motorway (behind the bins).



I always avoid motorway ATM's both in the UK and on the continent for just that reason, the liklihood of big service charges.  Railway station ATM's also are prone to that problem.  It the UK, I look for an ATM attached to a bank.


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## x3 skier

Carolinian said:


> I always avoid motorway ATM's both in the UK and on the continent for just that reason, the liklihood of big service charges.  Railway station ATM's also are prone to that problem.  It the UK, I look for an ATM attached to a bank.



Unless it is an emergency, I would never use an ATM not connected to a bank and try and find one affiliated with one of my home banks. That and using a Credit Union Card helps avoid most if not all fees.

Cheers


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## airportparking

Nice post...Thank you very much!!......


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## sailingman22

We just went to the bank and ordered Euros that we thought we would need for taxis, dinners, and misc. We will use the ATM for emergency money only.


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## hibbeln

I usually just get some from my bank before leaving.  Choke down the exchange rate and buy about $100.  That lets me get a coffee and pops or whatever we desperately need in the airport when we land.   AND if we have a connection somewhere (without time to look for an ATM) we can purchase something there.

The Athens airport has plentiful ATM's, so I wouldn't worry too much about having lots of money to arrive.

If you're connecting through another airport (like Amsterdam) you can also look at those airports.

PARIS AIRPORT ATM'S:   This airport is notorious for having about 2 ATM's that are hidden away and always seem to be empty of Euros.  If you're landing in Paris, I would definitely buy enough Euros to get you going before leaving.


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## Carolinian

sailingman22 said:


> We just went to the bank and ordered Euros that we thought we would need for taxis, dinners, and misc. We will use the ATM for emergency money only.



With most banks, you will pay a lot more for getting foreign exchange in the US than you would using the ATM overseas.


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## Carolinian

Most airport shops in most countries will take many currencies, including dollars, and give you change in local currency.  That is one place that you do not need to have local currency with you.  Indeed, there are some places that applies even outside airports, although it is rare.  In the days Luxembourg had its own currency, the best deal to get Luxembourg francs was to walk into McDonalds there, order a drink and give them a US $50 or $100.




hibbeln said:


> I usually just get some from my bank before leaving.  Choke down the exchange rate and buy about $100.  That lets me get a coffee and pops or whatever we desperately need in the airport when we land.   AND if we have a connection somewhere (without time to look for an ATM) we can purchase something there.
> 
> The Athens airport has plentiful ATM's, so I wouldn't worry too much about having lots of money to arrive.
> 
> If you're connecting through another airport (like Amsterdam) you can also look at those airports.
> 
> PARIS AIRPORT ATM'S:   This airport is notorious for having about 2 ATM's that are hidden away and always seem to be empty of Euros.  If you're landing in Paris, I would definitely buy enough Euros to get you going before leaving.


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## gresmi

First... Much good advice posted prior. From personal experience after purchasing Euros a few times from local/home bank and AAA, have found that foreign ATM's for the most part offer a better deal... if you use a bank ATM.

Second... also from personal experience...   on a recent trip to Greece A US carrier with initials AA put us on a plane supposedly bound for Madrid, where we would catch our connecting flight to Athens. Once aboard the AA plane and on the tarmac (with the doors closed, of course), the route posted on the overhead projector suddenly changed from a somewhat arcing direct route to Madrid to one that included an entire over-ocean tour of the US eastern seaboard, skirting Iceland close enough to throw flyers over Reykjavik, a brush of Norway, and then directly overflying London before landing in Madrid.

We arrived in Madrid just in time to sprint to the gate of our connecting flight to Athens, only to be restricted from boarding because our US carrier with the initials AA had neglected to issue us our boarding passed for that leg of the flight. We then spent the next 3 hours on a very interesting tour of the Madrid airport while we waited to catch the only plane leaving for London in the next 24 hours (Thank you BA) where we could catch the only plane leaving for Athens in that 24 hour period. A wonderful $175 dinner at Gordon Ramsey's London Heathrow Plane Food followed by 5 hours of head bobbing against our carry-ons substituted for what would have been a pleasant flight from Madrid to Athens and a fun night in the Plaka, Athens.

Of course, our ferry tickets for the Greek interisland hops were at our hotel in the Plaka, Athens. After a rollicking high-speed 40 min. 4 a.m. bus ride to Syntagma Square with a final short taxi ride to the hotel for the ferry tickets put us back in the taxi, back on the accordian bus, back to the airport... to wonder why everyone else there was drinking coffee??

We caught up with our original hopper flight to Chania, Crete the next morning.

Long story? Yes. Sorry. Message.. take a hundred Euros *or two* with you.

Have fun out there.


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## gresmi

First... Much good advice posted prior. From personal experience after purchasing Euros a few times from local/home bank and AAA, have found that foreign ATM's for the most part offer a better deal... if you use a bank ATM.

Second... also from personal experience...   on a recent trip to Greece A US carrier with initials AA put us on a plane supposedly bound for Madrid, where we would catch our connecting flight to Athens. Once aboard the AA plane and on the tarmac (with the doors closed, of course), the route posted on the overhead projector suddenly changed from a somewhat arcing direct route to Madrid to one that included an entire over-ocean tour of the US eastern seaboard, skirting Iceland close enough to throw flyers over Reykjavik, a brush of Norway, and then directly overflying London before landing in Madrid.

We arrived in Madrid just in time to sprint to the gate of our connecting flight to Athens, only to be restricted from boarding because our US carrier with the initials AA had neglected to issue us our boarding passed for that leg of the flight. We then spent the next 3 hours on a very interesting tour of the Madrid airport while we waited to catch the only plane leaving for London in the next 24 hours (Thank you BA) where we could catch the only plane leaving for Athens in that 24 hour period. A wonderful $175 dinner at Gordon Ramsey's London Heathrow Plane Food followed by 5 hours of head bobbing against our carry-ons substituted for what would have been a pleasant flight from Madrid to Athens and a fun night in the Plaka, Athens.

Of course, our ferry tickets for the Greek interisland hops were at our hotel in the Plaka, Athens. A a rollicking high-speed 40 min. 4 a.m. bus ride to Syntagma Square with a final short taxi ride to the hotel for the ferry tickets put us back in the taxi, back on the accordian bus, back to the airport... to wonder why everyone else there was drinking coffee??

We caught up with our original hopper flight to Chania, Crete the next morning.

Long story? Yes. Sorry. Message.. take a hundred Euros *or two* with you.

Have fun out there.


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## Marie17777

Hello everyone.  I'll be spending some time in Saarland, Germany.  I'll be landing in Frankfurt airport in a few days.  Can anyone give me any advice on how to go about getting a good exchange rate there?  Thank you!


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## falmouth3

The advice hasn't changed since this post was first written.  Use your ATM card.


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