Got overseas credit card - but how much cash to take?

DragonQ

I'm going to Austria for 7 days but it's for a conference so for most days all meals will be included. I have an overseas credit card that I plan to use to pay for the hotel and as many other things as possible but there will surely be situations where I can't pay by credit card - the taxi to/from the airport, for example.

I've never been abroad by myself before so I have no idea how much cash to take. Is €250 likely to be enough?

Thanks for any advice.

Voyager2002

For a start, airport taxis are expensive (if it is along distance that alone could use up your 250 Euro). Ask the conference organisers about public transport links (for example, the main airport in Vienna has its own main line railway station).

Last time I was in Vienna for a conference, there were so many delightful things to see and do that I could probably have spent almost any amount of money. Decide how much you are willing to spend, and budget accordingly. Keep at least half of your spending money in sterling: you might not want to spend it all, and you might find better exchange rates there than here.

DragonQ

Thanks for the advice. I'll look at getting the train instead and take €300 plus some in sterling.

I was going to use the HSBC online travel money ordering form but it always gets to the final step and just says "Sorry, we can't complete your order." I called them up because it says non-customers can just go into a branch but I was told that the call centre can't route calls to branches on weekends, and that non-HSBC customers can't get money exchanged anyway. :undecided

zagfles

Which card is it? If it's (eg) the Clarity it'll be far cheaper to withdraw cash with it at an airport ATM when you arrive than change cash in the UK before you go. In fact a lot of cards will be better value than changing cash, even perhaps your normal bank debit card.

AlexMac

£250 sounds fine. You could probably manage with less, as long as you have a viable debit card. Debit card ATM withdrawals at your destination always beat the rate you'll get in most UK banks and bureaux in my experience of many EU trips. Cards differ- look here on http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

And even in the Uk, rates vary- look here at http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/ and you'll see you can save ten quid on worst high street walk in rates by pre-ordering online

I'm also impressed by my Nationwide credit card excahnge rate on overseas purchases, but never withdraw cash on a CC. And if a trader of bank ATM screen asks if you want to pay in sterling- ie for them to convert at their rate - say no. paying in Euros is cheaper

DragonQ

My credit card is Aqua Reward (no fees or exchange rate load for transactions).

As for debit cards, I have Lloyds TSB and Nationwide VISAs. It seems that out of the two, the Nationwide one will be better for cash withdrawals - £1 fee plus 2% exchange load. This'd mean taking out €250-300 whilst I'm abroad will cost about the same as exchanging them at my local HSBC branch (cheapest according to the comparison tool).

So is there any advantage to exchanging here rather than just using a cash machine at Vienna airport?

zagfles

DragonQ wrote: »

My credit card is Aqua Reward (no fees or exchange rate load for transactions).

As for debit cards, I have Lloyds TSB and Nationwide VISAs. It seems that out of the two, the Nationwide one will be better for cash withdrawals - £1 fee plus 2% exchange load. This'd mean taking out €250-300 whilst I'm abroad will cost about the same as exchanging them at my local HSBC branch (cheapest according to the comparison tool).

So is there any advantage to exchanging here rather than just using a cash machine at Vienna airport?

Not really. Some people worry about all the ATMs being broken, or all their cards not working, I think losing cash is a bigger risk. Whatever's most convenient. If you use ATMs just make sure you don't let the ATM convert the currency (take the "pay in EUR" option if you're asked).

DragonQ

Fair enough. This might sound like a naive question but will cash machines there have English language as an option?

zagfles

DragonQ wrote: »

Fair enough. This might sound like a naive question but will cash machines there have English language as an option?

Yes, in the last 10-15 years I've never known a cash machine not to have an English option. I think the last foreign ATM I used which didn't have an English option was one in Sweden about 20 years ago!

DragonQ

Thanks for the advice, took out some money yesterday and judging by the amount available in my current account, it looks like I only paid 50p more than the exchange rate quoted by Google, which means Nationwide's exchange rate must be very favourable.

zagfles

DragonQ wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, took out some money yesterday and judging by the amount available in my current account, it looks like I only paid 50p more than the exchange rate quoted by Google, which means Nationwide's exchange rate must be very favourable.

Yes, they use the VISA rate which is pretty close to the interbank rate (in Europe at least).

http://www.visaeurope.com/en/cardholders/exchange_rates.aspx