Currency for Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague

HuntNfun

Because this tour of Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague involves four countries and each requires a different currency, I would like to know if others who have been on this tour waited til they got to each city on the tour and then got currency there. Or would you recommend getting some currency for each country ahead of time?

My husband and I will be on the August 18th tour. Looking forward to it very much and would like to connect with others who will be on the same tour.

Ruby and Edd

BKMD

I was on this trip last year. I didn't convert any currency. I used a credit card everywhere, even in taxis (ask first to be sure). I did have some Euros with me that I had from a prior trip, but don't recall using them. Assuming the trip hasn't changed (I haven't looked at the itinerary), you'll also be in Bratislava for half a day. They are on the Euro, as is Vienna.

AshvEd

We generally carry a small amount of local currency with us and have both purchased it ahead of the trip and upon arrival. It's good to have if you want to grab a bottle of water or ice cream while walking around.

tomh

Before I went on the tour a few years ago, I purchased a little currency for each of those countries in advance for occasional street purchases I might make, etc. At the end of the tour, whatever currency I had left over, I gave to our TD and bus driver for their tips supplemented with some U.S. dollars. I am sure that both of them would be on future trips/tours to those countries in the future.

AlanS

We shoot for convenience and never get money ahead of time. First it is a pain to carry multiple currencies and depending on your bank the service fee and/or exchange rate may not be good. You can never predict the exchange rate, but if you are only planning to get small amounts of money the difference in exchange rates is budget dust. We take a look at what our needs will be like for the first few days, then get currency upon arrival at an airport ATM. If your card charges international or ATM fees, they are budget dust compared to the cost of the tour. Like tomh we use plastic whenever possible and dispose of any leftover foreign currency via Tauck tips.

PF606590

I second Alan's comments, basically you might need a little local currency when you are out on your own for things like coffee, a glass of wine and souvenirs. In almost all places, when you have to pay for lunch or dinner, the establishment will take plastic.


At the airport, make sure you use an ATM, do not use the manned booth, they charge extra fees.

judy05

We do the same as Alan. Other than our first trip when we didn't know any better -- we never get foreign currency before we leave the U.S. We took this trip years ago and it was never a problem. We get currency for the first country when we arrive at the airport and then use just ATMs along the way. Never an issue in any country we have ever visited.

tomh

Everyone is different, but I will avoid using an ATM machine overseas. I will use a credit card for the major hotels and/or at the nicer restaurants while I am overseas. I have been on many trips with Tauck overseas and ATMs made me worry. I remember one Tauck tour/trip, I believe it was somewhere in Italy, where two couples used one of the ATM machines in a town that our local guide believed was "safe" based on her previous experience(s) there (I do not remember the town or the name of our local guide). When the two couples returned home to the U.S.A., they learned that the particular ATM Machine had been hit/comprimised and that their debit card accounts had lost money. Sigh. I do not know if their banks in the U.S.A. made them "whole" again or not. I know that with my credit card there is a limit to what I could lose. Anyway, as I said everyone is different, but I have always done well carrying some cash/foreign currency and my credit card when traveling.

judy05

tom h....... Interesting perspective and you're right -- everyone is different. We have had no issues using our ATM or credit cards all over Europe -- Asia -- South America -- Russia. We have -- however -- had our credit card number stolen 3 times in the US -- and each time we had the card in our possession. We have a good friend who had a similar ATM experience to the one you described in Italy in the U.S. At this point -- we see it as somewhat of a crap shoot wherever you are. I should add that other than in rare instances -- we only use ATMs that are associated with or at a bank. That said -- the few times we have done otherwise -- we had no problems.

British

We took this tour last year,. We also very rarely use ATMs while abroad but did this time, thinking any remaining we could give as tips or parts of tips. And to our surprise the tour director was telling us which currency each bus driver preferred to get his tip in. Regarding ATMs in Italy, our daughter in law had her bank account emptied as a result of using an ATM there. We found little opportunity to use the money we did change. We should not have bothered.

BSP51

Most major USA banks have partnerships or reciprocal agreements with banks in European countries. Check your bank’s website and you should be able to find a partner bank in each country you are visiting. Usually there is no service charge to use a partner bank and we have always found these to be the safest atm’s to use. As in the U.S., avoid free standing atm’s such as those in stores or restaurants. Even if they are safe, the service charges are much higher than major bank atm’s.

AlanS

British wrote:

We took this tour last year,. We also very rarely use ATMs while abroad but did this time, thinking any remaining we could give as tips or parts of tips. And to our surprise the tour director was telling us which currency each bus driver preferred to get his tip in. Regarding ATMs in Italy, our daughter in law had her bank account emptied as a result of using an ATM there. We found little opportunity to use the money we did change. We should not have bothered.

Whoa! DIL's bank allowed her account to be emptied? Was there much in it? Most banks will not allow such transactions, in fact, many err on the side of caution and freeze the account automatically (using a computer algorithm that relies on time, place, amount, history, etc.) if there is suspicious activity or a large withdrawal, especially if the bank is given a travel notification. We also get near-instantaneous text messages each time our card is used. We do not use debit cards, and only use machines in the hotel lobby, bank, or the airport- places that are under almost continuous observation. Like BSP51 we avoid free-standing machines in places where a skimmer can be installed easily.

I'm sure all drivers have a "preferred" currency, but given the choice of another currency or nothing, I know what they would "prefer." I would prefer they have this money rather than me paying to exchange it back to USD or for it to sit in a cooking jar back home with other unspent foreign currency.