Turkish Lira Shortage

Kernow666

Anyone going to turkey soon you might have trouble getting Lira

i work for travelex and we cannot order it and are running out in the bureaus , we also supply sainsburys / tesco / asda / M&S so they might be out of stock and not be able to order

we have been advised that its a problem with the turkish govenment that is restricting the supply of currency

~Chameleon~

I've always been able to use English currency in Turkey and they also accept Euro and Dollar so not a disaster. A decent credit card (Halifax Clarity or similar) is useful too. Can be used to withdraw free currency in ATMs over there.

Last time I went to Turkey I only exchanged enough to buy my Visa and tip the coach driver.

zagfles

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I've always been able to use English currency in Turkey and they also accept Euro and Dollar so not a disaster. A decent credit card (Halifax Clarity or similar) is useful too. Can be used to withdraw free currency in ATMs over there.

Last time I went to Turkey I only exchanged enough to buy my Visa and tip the coach driver.

You can pay for the VISA in GBP or get a e-VISA in advance.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/entry-requirements

Or is it cheaper to pay in Lira? Last time I went I don't think it was even possible to pay in Lira!

Also they were quite happy to take tips in GBP. We had no reason to buy Lira in advance at the rip-off rates UK travel agents/banks were selling them at.

twinboysmum

I believe you can no longer pay for your visa upon arrival and must get an e-visa before you go. Cost is 20 US dollars on the official website

NFH

Kernow666 wrote: »

Anyone going to turkey soon you might have trouble getting Lira

There is plenty of lira in Turkey. Just wait until you get there where you won't be ripped off as much as you would be in the UK. Alternatively use cash machines as you would in the UK, provided that you have a suitable card.

PompeyPete

Me and the cook are off to Bodrum tomorrow.
I got £50 worth of TL to get us going from TC last Friday.
Roe was 3.1605, so I'll be hoping from better when we arrive.

Kernow666

NFH wrote: »

There is plenty of lira in Turkey. Just wait until you get there where you won't be ripped off as much as you would be in the UK. Alternatively use cash machines as you would in the UK, provided that you have a suitable card.

yes i know that sherlock

i was just saying , some people like to have everything sorted before they go and would probably panic if they went to buy some from the post office or similar and found they couldnt get it

geez whats wrong with people on here :rotfl:

NFH

Kernow666 wrote: »

i was just saying , some people like to have everything sorted before they go and would probably panic if they went to buy some from the post office or similar and found they couldnt get it

I never obtain currency of the destination country before travelling. I don't understand why some people are obsessed with this unnecessary and very costly practice.

benjus

NFH wrote: »

I never obtain currency of the destination country before travelling. I don't understand why some people are obsessed with this unnecessary and very costly practice.

Because some people just do what they've done for years without stopping to think if there's a better way to do it in the modern world.

Also, it's complicated - using a card in an ATM isn't the cheapest way to go in all countries, and you have to have a suitable card to make it cost-effective.

Changing cash in the most common currencies (EUR/USD) can involve as little as ~0.7% spread on the mid-market exchange rate at one of the cheapest exchange houses. Using a card to withdraw at an ATM will only be cheaper than this if it's one of the fee-free cards, and the ATM doesn't levy a charge of its own (which is the norm in most countries, but in places like the USA or Thailand it can be hard to find one).

NFH

benjus wrote: »

Also, it's complicated - using a card in an ATM isn't the cheapest way to go in all countries, and you have to have a suitable card to make it cost-effective.

Very true, but it's nearly always cheaper to change cash abroad than in the UK, particularly in Turkey.

photome

benjus wrote: »

Because some people just do what they've done for years without stopping to think if there's a better way to do it in the modern world.

Also, it's complicated - using a card in an ATM isn't the cheapest way to go in all countries, and you have to have a suitable card to make it cost-effective.

Changing cash in the most common currencies (EUR/USD) can involve as little as ~0.7% spread on the mid-market exchange rate at one of the cheapest exchange houses. Using a card to withdraw at an ATM will only be cheaper than this if it's one of the fee-free cards, and the ATM doesn't levy a charge of its own (which is the norm in most countries, but in places like the USA or Thailand it can be hard to find one).

Agreed but the most expensive way to get currency is by buying it in the UK