Withdrawing euros in London/LHR - banking crisis in Greece

[Kangol]

I'm going to Greece in two weeks and with the whole financial crisis and whatnot, I have to come up with a new option to get some Euros in cash.

My previous plan was to bring my Citibank Plus debit card and withdraw over there (no transaction fee and a good rate). I'm not expecting their ATMs to stock up any time soon, so is there an option to withdraw Euros from an ATM anywhere in London? I have a couple of days there before I go to ATH and then the Greek Islands.

Or should I suck it up, pay the outrageous conversion fees and get some notes in Australia before I leave?

 

[amaroo]

I'm going to Greece in two weeks and with the whole financial crisis and whatnot, I have to come up with a new option to get some Euros in cash.

My previous plan was to bring my Citibank Plus debit card and withdraw over there (no transaction fee and a good rate). I'm not expecting their ATMs to stock up any time soon, so is there an option to withdraw Euros from an ATM anywhere in London? I have a couple of days there before I go to ATH and then the Greek Islands.

Or should I suck it up, pay the outrageous conversion fees and get some notes in Australia before I leave?

No brainer IMHO.

 

[robd]

I'd be converting some cash into EUR before leaving Aus if it were me.

 

[Kangol]

It just so happens I will be in Sydney on Thursday. I'm guessing KVB Kunlun is the best to exchange small amounts of cash in the CBD? I used to go to the one in Melb often.. before I got a Citibank card.

 

[Gabriel]

I'm in Greece at the moment on the islands (Mykonos). Cash machines at central places are dry (bus terminals, main squares) but plenty of other machines dont seem to have a problem. No ques like on the mainland. Foreign cards dont have a limit like Greek cards. Places are also still accepting card payments. This could change in two weeks but I think its too volatile to predict at the moment.

 

[amaroo]

I'm in Greece at the moment on the islands (Mykonos). Cash machines at central places are dry (bus terminals, main squares) but plenty of other machines dont seem to have a problem. No ques like on the mainland. Foreign cards dont have a limit like Greek cards. Places are also still accepting card payments. This could change in two weeks but I think its too volatile to predict at the moment.

I'd stay away from ATM's ... won't take long for the locals to work out who can withdraw money/who has money...

 

[NM]

Not sure about withdrawing Euros via an ATM in London. But you will certainly find foreign exchange services in London that will exchange Pounds, US$ or AU$ into Euros for you. I don't know what the exchange rates will be like, but unlikely they will be worse than in Australia. Best place to try may be at the airport or St Pancras station (EuroStar terminal). You could always buy a cheap Ryanair or EasyJet flight to a Euro country and "pop" over to use an ATM. Depending on the amount you wish to obtain you may save the cost of the air fare in foreign exchange fee savings

 

[Febs]

Mal (not sure if he's still a member around here) posted the other day that there are EUR-dispensing ATMs in the London Underground. Rates are reasonable...nothing mind-blowing but not Airport FX bad either.

For me, I'm lucky to have an EUR-dispensing ATM right under my office (in HKG), which provides excellent rates, so I'm going to withdraw from there ahead of a trip to Greece soon. Would prefer not to carry that much EUR (especially because I'm going to withdraw enough to cover the part of the accommodation that's not pre-paid), but I'd hate to get to our hotel in Santorini, and find out they won't accept CC and won't check us in (unlikely, but hey it's a volatile situation at the moment).

Good luck.

Cheers,
Febs.

 

[samh004]

Mal (not sure if he's still a member around here) posted the other day that there are EUR-dispensing ATMs in the London Underground. Rates are reasonable...nothing mind-blowing but not Airport FX bad either.

For me, I'm lucky to have an EUR-dispensing ATM right under my office (in HKG), which provides excellent rates, so I'm going to withdraw from there ahead of a trip to Greece soon. Would prefer not to carry that much EUR (especially because I'm going to withdraw enough to cover the part of the accommodation that's not pre-paid), but I'd hate to get to our hotel in Santorini, and find out they won't accept CC and won't check us in (unlikely, but hey it's a volatile situation at the moment).

Good luck.

Cheers,
Febs.

The hotel in Santorini will probably provide a discount for a cash payment, they did when I was there last year!

As for the Euro-dispensing ATM in HKG, I wouldn't mind getting the location to pass along to my mum for future EU-trips. If you don't want to divulge as it'll expose where you work I'll understand

 

[opusman]

I'd stay away from ATM's ... won't take long for the locals to work out who can withdraw money/who has money...

You have a high opinion of the Greek people I see

 

[amaroo]

You have a high opinion of the Greek people I see

Not so much the Greeks, more the need to eat/survive ... human nature I'm afraid.

 

[juddles]

...... Foreign cards dont have a limit like Greek cards.......

As per Gabriel, you can still use your card freely. The 60 euro limit only applies to local cards.

 

[Pushka]

Mal (not sure if he's still a member around here) posted the other day that there are EUR-dispensing ATMs in the London Underground. Rates are reasonable...nothing mind-blowing but not Airport FX bad either.

For me, I'm lucky to have an EUR-dispensing ATM right under my office (in HKG), which provides excellent rates, so I'm going to withdraw from there ahead of a trip to Greece soon. Would prefer not to carry that much EUR (especially because I'm going to withdraw enough to cover the part of the accommodation that's not pre-paid), but I'd hate to get to our hotel in Santorini, and find out they won't accept CC and won't check us in (unlikely, but hey it's a volatile situation at the moment).

Good luck.

Cheers,
Febs.

Ok. I need details please - will be in Hong Kong in a couple of weeks and going to Greece.

Loved Santorini - as good as the photos!

 

[Kangol]

Thanks everyone. I'll get some Euros before I leave and bring my card anyway.
Do all London underground stations have EU-dispensing ATMs? Or just a select few?

 

[amaroo]

Sensible request...IMO

On the second day of capital controls, the stress is beginning to show among Greeks, who are limited to €60 ($87) a day of withdrawals.

The union for National Bank of Greece workers appealed for a police presence in the next three days at branches open for the payment of pensions.

Greek debt crisis: IMF confirms Greece misses deadline

Meanwhile, Greeks are feeling the pain of capital controls, with hospitals scrambling to find food for patients and pensioners struggling to access their money.

A dozen ambulances were stranded in the Thessaly region of central Greece after running out of petrol, with some reportedly turned away from garages refusing to take credit cards. The health ministry said that it had sent cash to keep ambulances operating.

In Keratea, 40km southeast of Athens, a 69-year-old retired police officer was ambushed as he returned home from a bank, in the first such crime reported since capital controls came in on Monday. He chased the robber, who stole his wallet containing €360.

 

[sergeyvzn]

Thanks everyone. I'll get some Euros before I leave and bring my card anyway.
Do all London underground stations have EU-dispensing ATMs? Or just a select few?

Not sure about all but the Embankment tube station had one a month ago, I withdrew euros there

 

[cove]

You can get Euros out of Citibank ATM at Canary Wharf . It is on the Jubilee line.

 

[Awesom Andy]

I don't think the HKG ATMs can dispense non-HKD cash for overseas debit cards.

 

[Mattg]

You have a high opinion of the Greek people I see

A mate and I got followed on the streets of Athens by a group of teenagers last year after we inadvertently discussed the fact that we had cash on us in public. Was quite a scary experience and took nearly an hour to get rid of them, while all the while ensuring we stayed in crowded places. (In hindisght, I should have thought before opening my mouth... I usually do.)

My point is, if that happened last year, I'd hate to think what might happen to tourists now that the local people are no doubt getting more desperate.

 

[Isochronous]

Have seen plenty of dual EUR/local currency ATMs in Denmark and Sweden as well.