Withdrawing cash in Portugal?

Voyager2002

So there has been lots of discussion about high ATM fees in Spain. I shall be in Spain for a month, but will arrive at Faro airport in Portugal. Is there a cost-effective way to withdraw Euros there (or in town) before taking the bus to Spain? Or perhaps the banks in Portugal follow the lead set by their Spanish colleagues.

jimi_man

If you bank with Barclays then find a Global Alliance ATM which should cut the fees dramatically. 

TadleyBaggie

I was recently in Portugal and found a Santander bank with an ATM that did not charge. All the other hole in the wall ATMs changed a fixed fee. 

daveyjp

Depends who you bank with.  I was in Faro for a few days last month and there is a Santander branch in the old centre, just off the harbour.

Doshwaster

I was in Lisbon recently and almost everything was contactless. I spent less than 20 Euro over a long weekend and that is just what I had in my wallet from a previous trip to Euroland so I didn't have to withdraw anything.

Nebulous2

There are banks in Spain that don't charge.

I've made cash withdrawals on a credit card from both Deutsche Bank and Banca March, without being charged. 

I've never tried it, but as I understand it if you have a Santander debit card they don't charge for withdrawing cash from a Santander ATM either. 

mramra

In Portugal, make sure you use Multibanco cashpoints, they have no fees. They can be found in all towns and cities, shopping centres etc. Avoid Euronet cashpoints, they charge astronomical fees.

NoodleDoodleMan

Nebulous2 said:

There are banks in Spain that don't charge.

I've made cash withdrawals on a credit card from both Deutsche Bank and Banca March, without being charged. 

I've never tried it, but as I understand it if you have a Santander debit card they don't charge for withdrawing cash from a Santander ATM either. 

The two named are the only ones in Spain and Canaries that are still fee free as far as I can determine - Banca March I can confirm from very recent experience.

Ref. a Santander UK debit card - it must be used a fully branded Banco Santander ATM - and not one of the Euro Automatic Cash network which only allows fee free withdrawals for domestic Spanish clients of Banco Santander.

If in doubt use a Santander branch if one is convenient.