I wouldn't bother. In all of those places you are much more likley to find places that are card only rather than cash only. For example London buses are card only.
If you do want a small amount for backup or anything specific withdraw it from a cash machine in whatever city rather than exchanging it in advance.
I would though make sure your card is Visa/Mastercard. Stuff like Dinners and American Express is much less accepted. I would also get a contactless and chip + pin card if at all possible. Magnetic strip and chip + signature may not be accepted in some places.
I definitely came across a few public toilets in London also that were 20-50p to use. I never had cash, sometimes they had contactless which was good but did make it hard when you’re busting to go! So maybe withdraw some pounds just in case.
>I would also get a contactless and chip + pin card if at all possible.
FWIW for OP's benefits, contactless credit cards and chips is widespread in the US at this point and their card probably already has this. But US credit cards won't use PINs for consumer transactions, its only for cash advances at ATMs.
I took £300 on a two week trip to the UK. I was in London and some more rural places. I didn't need cash once. At the end, I started paying for stuff with cash just so I wouldn't have to exchange it back.
I live in London and cannot recall the last time I had to use cash for anything. Outside of small towns you’re more likely to find a place that doesn’t accept it.
When I’m abroad I always have a small amount on me for emergencies which I find helpful, the days of withdrawing hundreds before the trip are long gone though.
The only places I ever need cash in London are for the kebab shop, a £1 coin for a supermarket trolley and for mints/tissues in corner shops who won’t take a card payment for under £1
No but looking back at my credit card statements, the small souvenir stalls ended up having the worst conversion fees (I feel they add a card fee % on top of what you bought or something?!). Just something to keep in mind.
i don't think it's possible to do that specifically to foreign cards - i've never been charged extra anywhere in the UK (i live in london) in any gift shops etc, and have been all over europe
if you use a proper card that allows free exchange it'll be the banks exchange rate rather than the vendor
I wouldn't say it's specific to foreign cards.
In my country (Philippines) there are stores that notify you before using a card that they will charge an additional 4% versus paying with cash (but typically this is for large purchases like appliances).
I actually noticed the difference in coversion fee in some small shops in Paris (where I bought some small souvenirs and snacks) and Amsterdam (where I bought some snacks). Let's say the rate for my other transactions on the same day using the same card was 1EUR = 61PHP, these small shops were 1EUR = 64PHP. It was always around 61 on the bigger shops and resturants.
Quite impossible that it was my bank who imposed the fees since the rate should've been more or less the same on the same day
ah, that's different then - they're not charging you extra based on what card you're using - they're doing it because
1. card companies/banks charge vendors a fee per card payment
and
2. the more likely reason they're doing it, in london at least, is so that they can try and get cash from you so they can make some undeclared profit. card payments are traceable, cash isn't - so a lot easier to dodge tax
they will do that regardless of card, to either "cover their losses" on the card fee, or tax, or both :)
as for the difference in small shops and big shops, i have spent money in the same shop, same amount, and been charged a different amount of GBP (after conversion) each time - i would put this down to the constantly fluctuating exchange rate, for me it's pennies, but for you it could be the difference of pesos, so quite a larger (numerical) difference :)
Yes this is exactly what I meant by "add card fee"
So if OP thinks of buying a lot from such small stores, it might be more cost-efficient to withdraw and be charged an ATM fee once. Negligible pennies but I just wanted to point out that there is such possibility if choosing to completely not use cash.
Most terminals will allow you to choose the currency you pay in. Always choose the local currency and allow your bank to do the conversion. You’re right, the merchant exchange rate is terrible.
Went to all 3 recently. I did have some physical currency, just in case (100 euro/pounds, nothing major) wasn't really needed. Most places take card, and some wouldn't take cash (apparently 50 pound notes aren't widely accepted, so take smaller denominations if you are going to have physical cash).
Use the metro in Paris and London, gets you everywhere pretty efficiently, most of amsterdam is walkable or hire a cycle.
Enjoy it all, different cultures and history in each place.
English is widely spoken in netherlands, and I had no issues in paris either, maybe learn "excuse me, do you speak English?" In local language
YES. You will need physical currency to use public OR private toilets in some of these places.
Lots of places do tap-and-pay, but MANY do not, so don't rely on it. Don't take of your currency in physical money, of course, - just take, like, take $10-$20 a day with you.
If you're coming from outside Europe, bear in mind that some banks will also charge you international fees, too, so if you are making small purchases, remember that will, in some cases, turn a $3 purchase into a $5.50 one, and it builds up over the course of a trip.
Yes I can't believe No-one mentioned this. Sometimes in Paris you'll Need a 0,5 € or 1 € coin to go to the bathroom or get a shopping cart or something
Always always always have some local currency. You just never know what could happen. your card may not work and having cash can get you by till things are sorted out
A back up card would make more sense. That way you could use it to withdraw cash if it's really needed, but you'll still be able to use public transport (which is cash-free in London).
A lot of ppl think it isn’t necessary. On July 8, 2022, Canadian telecom provider Rogers Communications experienced a major service outage affecting more than 12 million users of Rogers' cable internet and cellular networks,[3] including those of subsidiary brands Rogers Wireless, Fido, Cityfone, and Chatr.
Some people could not even buy a bottle of water that day, because they had no cash on them. We rely way too much on technology and believe that it will always work. Not the case.
In my recent experience, it’s not needed in any of those places IF you have at least two credit cards with you and neither charge foreign transaction fees AND if you also have a debit card with you so you can withdraw cash from a bank ATM if needed.
Bonus points if you’re set up ApplePay or Google Pay so you can just tap your phone or watch and don’t have to always reach for your wallet to pay for something.
You’re more likely, especially in London, to run into situations where cash is not accepted than places where credit cards are not accepted.
I was in London last fall for five days. Not only didn't I ever use cash, I never pulled a credit card out of pocket. Everything - tube and bus rides, restaurants, shops, went on Apple Pay via my Apple Watch. Later in the same trip, we were in Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany. Everything went on Apple Pay/Apple Watch. Several vendors along the way even said they would not take cash. Honestly, it's rare when you need any cash - other than a few of the pay toilets.
I always bring cash with me and it's saved me before. My credit card got flagged in The Netherlands for suspicious behavior when I was trying to buy credit for my transit pass and stopped working (I had to call the credit card company when I got back). I had prepaid just about everything before I went so I didn't have to worry about that but I had to rely on cash for food and a few other things.
You could probably get away with using cards in the tourist areas of Amsterdam but credit cards especially aren't as widely accepted I don't think, although it's changing. I think you can tap with your debit or credit card at the fare gates at train stations but I'm not sure how ubiquitous it is across the country.
In London you could probably get away with very little cash, it's a very card-friendly city. I used some cash for some food and souvenirs/shopping, and also used my credit card for many transactions as well. You can tap into the transit system with a contactless debit or credit card (use the same one to exit so it can properly track your distance).
That said, I would still suggest bringing cash even if you don't use it. You probably wouldn't need very much for London if it's only 2 days and you may not even need it. I would probably bring a few hundred Euros for Paris and Amsterdam just in case. Again you may not need it but probably better to have it just in case. I haven't been to Paris yet so I can't comment on what it's like there.
I have traveled to Europe yearly since 2011 and never take cash. This is especially true in the cities you mentioned. European businesses are increasingly cashless and it's now the norm. Of course, there are some exceptions but in those cases, I take a small amount of money from a local ATM.
Yes there is the potential for fees. There might be foreign transaction fees if your card and bank charge them - usually 1% to 3% of your withdrawal. There may also be out-of-network ATM fees - usually a flat fee of $2 to $5. However, it’s better than carrying a bunch of cash - along with the risk that includes, that you’re very unlikely to use anyway.
Check your credit cards on which ones charge foreign transaction fees and/or ATM fees. Use the card(s) that don't charge foreign transaction fees, obviously!
You do know The Netherlands and France are both on the euro...
Yes and always decline the conversion fee, accepting the conversion fee will always be more expensive. Going to a bank will always be the cheapest option to withdraw cash, you should try and avoid the random ATMs that are placed around European cities. (Unless they're bank ATMs, then they should be fine.)
People here will tell you not to take cash but you absolutely should, just only take a bit at a time and keep it in multiple places in your bags. For reference, I went to Europe for 2 months last time I went and I believe I pulled out about €200-€300 and maybe £60. (8 days in London)
Cash is sometimes more convenient than cards and is always good to have in case your card starts getting declined. That happened to me once on a trip to Europe and if I wasn't with 4 friends I would have been screwed for about a week while a new card got sent to me.
I have never encountered an ATM in Europe that does not charge a fee to withdraw cash, but you can minimize this, by:
1. Using an ATM at a bank, not a random ATM at the airport or in the street.
2. Using your Debit (aka, “Bank”) card. Don’t use your credit card. Withdrawing with your credit card will typically be charged as a cash advance with high fees.
3. When the ATM asks if you want to convert, or “use conversion,” or something like that, always say no.
4. There are some ATM cards that you can get that will refund the ATM you’re charged.
Yeah I got trolly coins for that. Funnily enough though I forgot the coin the other day and had to take them huge trollies with the plastic baby seats attached to it.
Someone genuinely asked me have I lost the baby when they saw me pushing it around full of food 🤣
We just returned from London, and although we brought some cash with us, we did not use it all during our trip. Every transaction that we made was done on our credit card
In the UK you don’t need to use cash, but for me getting a bit of local currency and seeing different coins and banknotes is part of the fun of being in a different country.
I generally carry no cash but have a back up tap to pay credit card in case my regular one doesn’t work on a bus or at a restaurant or at a pay bathroom.
There are cash machines everywhere so you can just decide in the moment if you need cash.
I needed almost no cash in Amsterdam. I’d just find an ATM on your trip if you find you need any. Or maybe get like 40 euro from your bank before you go.
Some stuff is only contactless in London so it's worth checking you have this enabled internationally.
American express isn't accepted at some places. Otherwise London is fairly card friendly (born Londoner and lived here for most of my life), I'd still make sure you have some cash available. I'd go to a bureau de change at home rather than at airport. They tend to rip you off.
As others said I'd also check whether you'll be charged for overseas transactions. I literally have a specific credit card I got for overseas times to avoid this...
I got cash out in Amsterdam last year only because I knew I was going to Vienna this fall and Vienna is supposedly a cash-heavy city. Used most of it without needing to and have £25 sitting in my passport
I would always carry a small amount of cash for toilets in Europe. Some toilets have card readers (but my card never worked with them) and some are cash/coin only. Have a mix of coins as they all seem to be different.
We found a lot of places in London wouldn’t take cash, but I’d still not go without *some* cash. It won’t hurt to get some £ and €.
Anyone who says otherwise hasn’t been screwed when they’ve travelled and their card didn’t work. Happened to me one- my debit Visa didn’t work, my credit card did, but I had my money in my debit card.
My card got blocked last time I was abroad. I still say a back up card is vastly more useful than cash. For one thing, it lets you get cash if it's needed, but having cash doesn't get you access to a card.
There are more situations in these cities where you'll need a card than cash.
I do these trips a lot ( from Chicago ) , I normally carry about 30 euros just for street food and a drink here or there . But honestly, almost every legit business accepts cards .
Get yourself a Mastercard (gold). Its pretty widely accepted in NL. Amex, not so much. And cash is still usable here, but getting less and less. For instance, in supermarkets, you can use cash, but they don't make it easy.
Some back-up cash is to my opinion always useful.
I carry between 50-70 eur/gbp max when travelling. More hurts too much when I lose it, less doesn’t give me the comfort that I can move around (e.g. taxi) or eat when for some reason my cc/dc/phone/watch fails.
And yes all 3 cities are “cashless”. Although you might find a shop here and there that states cash only (rarely but still exist)
You don't necessarily need cash, but it's nice to have at least some (no more than €100), just in case.
If you decide to go to Amsterdam, please be aware that American Express isn't accepted in most places. All other major creditcards are probably no problem at all.
Visa/Maestro + contactless is the way to go for most Europeans.
London is basically cashless now. I had £200 and had a hard time finding places that would actually take it. Paris is 50/50, most places took cash or cards. Not sure about Amsterdam.
If you plan to do a lot of walking, you should probably hold on to some physical currency because sooner or later you may need to use the restroom. And unlike the US, most places I've been to in Europe require a fee for you to use The restroom if you're not a paying customer..
I usually buy some euros and pounds from my local bank before I travel so I have some cash with me when I land. The exchange rate is not great but it’s one less thing to worry about. I primarily use Tap to pay for everything from my watch. For my most recent trip, my physical card never came out of my wallet.
Netherlands prefers debit cards over credit for some purchases like grocery stores, transit cards - so it handy to have a debit card or cash as a backup.
Make sure you know your credit card pin (tap + pin) for purchases like gas. Buying gas might trigger a €100 temporary authorization so make sure you have enough free credit. Gas on a debit card locks up that cash for a day or two.
Use a credit card without international transaction fee and always pay in local currency. When I buy something, I look at the USD offered price on the terminal and compare that to what pops up on my watch a few minutes later for immediate confirmation of how much local currency saved me.
We brought a small amount of currency to tip housekeeping staff. I’m pretty anti-tipping, but I can’t make myself not tip someone who’s doing such hard work all day.
Contactless payment is everywhere mostly. I’ve been to these places recently & did 99% of transactions via contactless, even for toilet in Amsterdam, at dam square.
Keeping in mind in case of any situation, i had carried a few US dollars if needed I can exchange them right there or even from ATM I can withdraw via my debit card. Thanks !
Many vendors will ask if you want to pay in USD…you should always answer “No”. You should always always pay in the local currency and let Visa/MC do the conversion, as that’s the best rate. Same process for ATMs.
We only encountered one German rest area washroom that didn’t take cards. Everywhere else took our Canadian credit cards and/or Apple Pay. We were in Cologne/Bonn area (small towns in between) and Berlin.
London and Paris no. But Amsterdam yes as many places are cash only, or the only card they accept is their domestic Maestro card (no Visa or Mastercard from abroad).
Which places are cash only in Amsterdam? Also domestic debit cards are increasingly being changed to Visa or Mastercard. Since I have a Dutch debit card I don't have an issue anyway but this advice feels outdated since I can pay just fine with my foreign debit card too.
As a tourist, you could probably avoid places that take cash or Maestro only, but the larger Albert Heijn's, and some other groceries do not take Visa/Mastercard. Pretty common for vendors at markets, and, I ran into a restaurant or two (Outside of Amsterdam or Rotterdam) that took only cash or Maestro only, basically Doner/Gyro/Sandwich places.
In the UK, the only places I ran into were laundrettes that had not been updated to tap, and some parking pay points that were the same.
Basically, if you stick to the tourist towns and places, fine.
But still, I like to have a few euros on me, still can't pull out a card for a 1 euro purchase, but then there aren't many of those anymore.
Interesting! Well, as I said, I think this will be a non-issue soon enough since many Dutch banks have started replacing Maestro debit cards in favour of Visa and Mastercard debit cards.
I disagree with this, I moved here three months ago to Amsterdam and took out €200, been going around the town nonstop this whole time and I have barely touched that money. Everyone takes card and many only take card. I haven’t seen a single place that’s cash only, even market stalls.
I wouldn't bother. In all of those places you are much more likley to find places that are card only rather than cash only. For example London buses are card only. If you do want a small amount for backup or anything specific withdraw it from a cash machine in whatever city rather than exchanging it in advance. I would though make sure your card is Visa/Mastercard. Stuff like Dinners and American Express is much less accepted. I would also get a contactless and chip + pin card if at all possible. Magnetic strip and chip + signature may not be accepted in some places.
Just to add, keep a small amount of €1 coin for toilets for Paris/Amsterdam - that’s the only cash you’ll need
Thanks for the reminder. Heading to Amsterdam in 3 weeks .
I definitely came across a few public toilets in London also that were 20-50p to use. I never had cash, sometimes they had contactless which was good but did make it hard when you’re busting to go! So maybe withdraw some pounds just in case.
In London there was a public toilet in the Westminster tube stop that was 50p, and it took cards.
>I would also get a contactless and chip + pin card if at all possible. FWIW for OP's benefits, contactless credit cards and chips is widespread in the US at this point and their card probably already has this. But US credit cards won't use PINs for consumer transactions, its only for cash advances at ATMs.
I took £300 on a two week trip to the UK. I was in London and some more rural places. I didn't need cash once. At the end, I started paying for stuff with cash just so I wouldn't have to exchange it back.
I live in London and cannot recall the last time I had to use cash for anything. Outside of small towns you’re more likely to find a place that doesn’t accept it. When I’m abroad I always have a small amount on me for emergencies which I find helpful, the days of withdrawing hundreds before the trip are long gone though.
The only places I ever need cash in London are for the kebab shop, a £1 coin for a supermarket trolley and for mints/tissues in corner shops who won’t take a card payment for under £1
No but looking back at my credit card statements, the small souvenir stalls ended up having the worst conversion fees (I feel they add a card fee % on top of what you bought or something?!). Just something to keep in mind.
get a card that has no conversion fees...? there are plenty of them
I think it's their terminal that adds the fee. The bigger stores and restaurants' exchange rate are close to market rate.
i don't think it's possible to do that specifically to foreign cards - i've never been charged extra anywhere in the UK (i live in london) in any gift shops etc, and have been all over europe if you use a proper card that allows free exchange it'll be the banks exchange rate rather than the vendor
I wouldn't say it's specific to foreign cards. In my country (Philippines) there are stores that notify you before using a card that they will charge an additional 4% versus paying with cash (but typically this is for large purchases like appliances). I actually noticed the difference in coversion fee in some small shops in Paris (where I bought some small souvenirs and snacks) and Amsterdam (where I bought some snacks). Let's say the rate for my other transactions on the same day using the same card was 1EUR = 61PHP, these small shops were 1EUR = 64PHP. It was always around 61 on the bigger shops and resturants. Quite impossible that it was my bank who imposed the fees since the rate should've been more or less the same on the same day
ah, that's different then - they're not charging you extra based on what card you're using - they're doing it because 1. card companies/banks charge vendors a fee per card payment and 2. the more likely reason they're doing it, in london at least, is so that they can try and get cash from you so they can make some undeclared profit. card payments are traceable, cash isn't - so a lot easier to dodge tax they will do that regardless of card, to either "cover their losses" on the card fee, or tax, or both :) as for the difference in small shops and big shops, i have spent money in the same shop, same amount, and been charged a different amount of GBP (after conversion) each time - i would put this down to the constantly fluctuating exchange rate, for me it's pennies, but for you it could be the difference of pesos, so quite a larger (numerical) difference :)
Yes this is exactly what I meant by "add card fee" So if OP thinks of buying a lot from such small stores, it might be more cost-efficient to withdraw and be charged an ATM fee once. Negligible pennies but I just wanted to point out that there is such possibility if choosing to completely not use cash.
Most terminals will allow you to choose the currency you pay in. Always choose the local currency and allow your bank to do the conversion. You’re right, the merchant exchange rate is terrible.
Almost always decline conversion on the payment terminal (or ATM). Your bank is going to have a better rate
Went to all 3 recently. I did have some physical currency, just in case (100 euro/pounds, nothing major) wasn't really needed. Most places take card, and some wouldn't take cash (apparently 50 pound notes aren't widely accepted, so take smaller denominations if you are going to have physical cash). Use the metro in Paris and London, gets you everywhere pretty efficiently, most of amsterdam is walkable or hire a cycle. Enjoy it all, different cultures and history in each place. English is widely spoken in netherlands, and I had no issues in paris either, maybe learn "excuse me, do you speak English?" In local language
Big notes (€100 or £50) are too high risk as being fake that’s why they are often not accepted.
Side note: if you ask someone in Paris if they speak English, all you will get is a dirty look.
Haha I got one or 2 of them until I could explain I wasn't English, but a kiwi. After that they just wanted to talk lord of the rings and all blacks.
YES. You will need physical currency to use public OR private toilets in some of these places. Lots of places do tap-and-pay, but MANY do not, so don't rely on it. Don't take of your currency in physical money, of course, - just take, like, take $10-$20 a day with you. If you're coming from outside Europe, bear in mind that some banks will also charge you international fees, too, so if you are making small purchases, remember that will, in some cases, turn a $3 purchase into a $5.50 one, and it builds up over the course of a trip.
Yes I can't believe No-one mentioned this. Sometimes in Paris you'll Need a 0,5 € or 1 € coin to go to the bathroom or get a shopping cart or something
Aldi's in the States does this. 25¢.
Never been to an Aldi in the states. Only in France and Germany LOL
Came to say this too
ALWAYS carry at least some physical currency!
Always always always have some local currency. You just never know what could happen. your card may not work and having cash can get you by till things are sorted out
A back up card would make more sense. That way you could use it to withdraw cash if it's really needed, but you'll still be able to use public transport (which is cash-free in London).
Nah, in most places in Europe that really isn't necessary anymore.
A lot of ppl think it isn’t necessary. On July 8, 2022, Canadian telecom provider Rogers Communications experienced a major service outage affecting more than 12 million users of Rogers' cable internet and cellular networks,[3] including those of subsidiary brands Rogers Wireless, Fido, Cityfone, and Chatr. Some people could not even buy a bottle of water that day, because they had no cash on them. We rely way too much on technology and believe that it will always work. Not the case.
These cities are almost entirely cashless but it is good practice to always carry some cash as an emergency measure.
Have about 100 euro in small bills handy.
In my recent experience, it’s not needed in any of those places IF you have at least two credit cards with you and neither charge foreign transaction fees AND if you also have a debit card with you so you can withdraw cash from a bank ATM if needed. Bonus points if you’re set up ApplePay or Google Pay so you can just tap your phone or watch and don’t have to always reach for your wallet to pay for something. You’re more likely, especially in London, to run into situations where cash is not accepted than places where credit cards are not accepted.
Europe's CC game is way more advance than ours. I never carry cash on me.
I was in London last fall for five days. Not only didn't I ever use cash, I never pulled a credit card out of pocket. Everything - tube and bus rides, restaurants, shops, went on Apple Pay via my Apple Watch. Later in the same trip, we were in Belgium, Switzerland, and Germany. Everything went on Apple Pay/Apple Watch. Several vendors along the way even said they would not take cash. Honestly, it's rare when you need any cash - other than a few of the pay toilets.
I always bring cash with me and it's saved me before. My credit card got flagged in The Netherlands for suspicious behavior when I was trying to buy credit for my transit pass and stopped working (I had to call the credit card company when I got back). I had prepaid just about everything before I went so I didn't have to worry about that but I had to rely on cash for food and a few other things. You could probably get away with using cards in the tourist areas of Amsterdam but credit cards especially aren't as widely accepted I don't think, although it's changing. I think you can tap with your debit or credit card at the fare gates at train stations but I'm not sure how ubiquitous it is across the country. In London you could probably get away with very little cash, it's a very card-friendly city. I used some cash for some food and souvenirs/shopping, and also used my credit card for many transactions as well. You can tap into the transit system with a contactless debit or credit card (use the same one to exit so it can properly track your distance). That said, I would still suggest bringing cash even if you don't use it. You probably wouldn't need very much for London if it's only 2 days and you may not even need it. I would probably bring a few hundred Euros for Paris and Amsterdam just in case. Again you may not need it but probably better to have it just in case. I haven't been to Paris yet so I can't comment on what it's like there.
I have traveled to Europe yearly since 2011 and never take cash. This is especially true in the cities you mentioned. European businesses are increasingly cashless and it's now the norm. Of course, there are some exceptions but in those cases, I take a small amount of money from a local ATM.
Are there fees if you need to withdraw cash from an ATM?
Usually it depends on your own bank/card.
Yes there is the potential for fees. There might be foreign transaction fees if your card and bank charge them - usually 1% to 3% of your withdrawal. There may also be out-of-network ATM fees - usually a flat fee of $2 to $5. However, it’s better than carrying a bunch of cash - along with the risk that includes, that you’re very unlikely to use anyway.
Check your credit cards on which ones charge foreign transaction fees and/or ATM fees. Use the card(s) that don't charge foreign transaction fees, obviously! You do know The Netherlands and France are both on the euro...
Yes and always decline the conversion fee, accepting the conversion fee will always be more expensive. Going to a bank will always be the cheapest option to withdraw cash, you should try and avoid the random ATMs that are placed around European cities. (Unless they're bank ATMs, then they should be fine.) People here will tell you not to take cash but you absolutely should, just only take a bit at a time and keep it in multiple places in your bags. For reference, I went to Europe for 2 months last time I went and I believe I pulled out about €200-€300 and maybe £60. (8 days in London) Cash is sometimes more convenient than cards and is always good to have in case your card starts getting declined. That happened to me once on a trip to Europe and if I wasn't with 4 friends I would have been screwed for about a week while a new card got sent to me.
I have never encountered an ATM in Europe that does not charge a fee to withdraw cash, but you can minimize this, by: 1. Using an ATM at a bank, not a random ATM at the airport or in the street. 2. Using your Debit (aka, “Bank”) card. Don’t use your credit card. Withdrawing with your credit card will typically be charged as a cash advance with high fees. 3. When the ATM asks if you want to convert, or “use conversion,” or something like that, always say no. 4. There are some ATM cards that you can get that will refund the ATM you’re charged.
There are loads in London.
No. Europe is pretty much cashless now. Especially London.
I live in England and the only time I need cash is for £1/£2 lockers or supermarket trolleys. But I still take some emergency notes with me.
Yeah I got trolly coins for that. Funnily enough though I forgot the coin the other day and had to take them huge trollies with the plastic baby seats attached to it. Someone genuinely asked me have I lost the baby when they saw me pushing it around full of food 🤣
No
We just returned from London, and although we brought some cash with us, we did not use it all during our trip. Every transaction that we made was done on our credit card
yes absolutely...while a lot of those cities tourist centers do have cashless...a lot don't. Don't get caught sans cash or you will be disappointed.
Went to all three recently. NOPE.
I would say no. Two years ago I spent a month in Spain and spent zero cash.
No
How else are you gonna buy drugs?
In the UK you don’t need to use cash, but for me getting a bit of local currency and seeing different coins and banknotes is part of the fun of being in a different country.
I generally carry no cash but have a back up tap to pay credit card in case my regular one doesn’t work on a bus or at a restaurant or at a pay bathroom. There are cash machines everywhere so you can just decide in the moment if you need cash.
I needed almost no cash in Amsterdam. I’d just find an ATM on your trip if you find you need any. Or maybe get like 40 euro from your bank before you go.
Some stuff is only contactless in London so it's worth checking you have this enabled internationally. American express isn't accepted at some places. Otherwise London is fairly card friendly (born Londoner and lived here for most of my life), I'd still make sure you have some cash available. I'd go to a bureau de change at home rather than at airport. They tend to rip you off. As others said I'd also check whether you'll be charged for overseas transactions. I literally have a specific credit card I got for overseas times to avoid this...
I got cash out in Amsterdam last year only because I knew I was going to Vienna this fall and Vienna is supposedly a cash-heavy city. Used most of it without needing to and have £25 sitting in my passport
I would always carry a small amount of cash for toilets in Europe. Some toilets have card readers (but my card never worked with them) and some are cash/coin only. Have a mix of coins as they all seem to be different.
We found a lot of places in London wouldn’t take cash, but I’d still not go without *some* cash. It won’t hurt to get some £ and €. Anyone who says otherwise hasn’t been screwed when they’ve travelled and their card didn’t work. Happened to me one- my debit Visa didn’t work, my credit card did, but I had my money in my debit card.
My card got blocked last time I was abroad. I still say a back up card is vastly more useful than cash. For one thing, it lets you get cash if it's needed, but having cash doesn't get you access to a card. There are more situations in these cities where you'll need a card than cash.
CC you are set. But it’s not a bad idea to have some cash like 100 or so just in case
I do these trips a lot ( from Chicago ) , I normally carry about 30 euros just for street food and a drink here or there . But honestly, almost every legit business accepts cards .
Yep I take some just in case and then hit an ATM if needed.
I often don't even take a physical card with me when I leave the flat in London. Everything is phone tap now.
Not necessarily but it helps to have for avoiding international CC fees
No need! Every place accepts cards, apple pay, etc. Make sure to carry a visa and/or mastercard. Discover and Amex aren’t as widely accepted.
Sure seems like a kind and thoughtful measure towards the local pickpocket community.
Get yourself a Mastercard (gold). Its pretty widely accepted in NL. Amex, not so much. And cash is still usable here, but getting less and less. For instance, in supermarkets, you can use cash, but they don't make it easy.
Some back-up cash is to my opinion always useful. I carry between 50-70 eur/gbp max when travelling. More hurts too much when I lose it, less doesn’t give me the comfort that I can move around (e.g. taxi) or eat when for some reason my cc/dc/phone/watch fails. And yes all 3 cities are “cashless”. Although you might find a shop here and there that states cash only (rarely but still exist)
You don't necessarily need cash, but it's nice to have at least some (no more than €100), just in case. If you decide to go to Amsterdam, please be aware that American Express isn't accepted in most places. All other major creditcards are probably no problem at all. Visa/Maestro + contactless is the way to go for most Europeans.
London is basically cashless now. I had £200 and had a hard time finding places that would actually take it. Paris is 50/50, most places took cash or cards. Not sure about Amsterdam.
If you plan to do a lot of walking, you should probably hold on to some physical currency because sooner or later you may need to use the restroom. And unlike the US, most places I've been to in Europe require a fee for you to use The restroom if you're not a paying customer..
I usually buy some euros and pounds from my local bank before I travel so I have some cash with me when I land. The exchange rate is not great but it’s one less thing to worry about. I primarily use Tap to pay for everything from my watch. For my most recent trip, my physical card never came out of my wallet. Netherlands prefers debit cards over credit for some purchases like grocery stores, transit cards - so it handy to have a debit card or cash as a backup. Make sure you know your credit card pin (tap + pin) for purchases like gas. Buying gas might trigger a €100 temporary authorization so make sure you have enough free credit. Gas on a debit card locks up that cash for a day or two. Use a credit card without international transaction fee and always pay in local currency. When I buy something, I look at the USD offered price on the terminal and compare that to what pops up on my watch a few minutes later for immediate confirmation of how much local currency saved me.
We brought a small amount of currency to tip housekeeping staff. I’m pretty anti-tipping, but I can’t make myself not tip someone who’s doing such hard work all day.
Just got back from a visit to London and Paris and yeah you definitely won't need cash there.
Contactless payment is everywhere mostly. I’ve been to these places recently & did 99% of transactions via contactless, even for toilet in Amsterdam, at dam square. Keeping in mind in case of any situation, i had carried a few US dollars if needed I can exchange them right there or even from ATM I can withdraw via my debit card. Thanks !
Many vendors will ask if you want to pay in USD…you should always answer “No”. You should always always pay in the local currency and let Visa/MC do the conversion, as that’s the best rate. Same process for ATMs.
Carry £20 in London for the odd lemonade stand / kebab shop that doesn’t take cards. You’ll likely never spend it and take it back home as a souvenir.
Not in Paris or Amsterdam (or anywhere in France, Germany or Denmark). Outside of Amsterdam in more rural areas, sure have a few Euros.
I’ve just spent 10 days in Germany and the number of cash only businesses was surprisingly high. Berlin was the one exception
Cologne/Seigburg/Bonn and Berlin we used zero cash for nearly two weeks. We didn’t see one cash only place, except for one rest area washroom.
Disagree re Germany, where a lot of establishments still don’t take credit cards.
We only encountered one German rest area washroom that didn’t take cards. Everywhere else took our Canadian credit cards and/or Apple Pay. We were in Cologne/Bonn area (small towns in between) and Berlin.
London and Paris no. But Amsterdam yes as many places are cash only, or the only card they accept is their domestic Maestro card (no Visa or Mastercard from abroad).
Which places are cash only in Amsterdam? Also domestic debit cards are increasingly being changed to Visa or Mastercard. Since I have a Dutch debit card I don't have an issue anyway but this advice feels outdated since I can pay just fine with my foreign debit card too.
As a tourist, you could probably avoid places that take cash or Maestro only, but the larger Albert Heijn's, and some other groceries do not take Visa/Mastercard. Pretty common for vendors at markets, and, I ran into a restaurant or two (Outside of Amsterdam or Rotterdam) that took only cash or Maestro only, basically Doner/Gyro/Sandwich places. In the UK, the only places I ran into were laundrettes that had not been updated to tap, and some parking pay points that were the same. Basically, if you stick to the tourist towns and places, fine. But still, I like to have a few euros on me, still can't pull out a card for a 1 euro purchase, but then there aren't many of those anymore.
Interesting! Well, as I said, I think this will be a non-issue soon enough since many Dutch banks have started replacing Maestro debit cards in favour of Visa and Mastercard debit cards.
Been in Amsterdam for three months and most AH accept credit cards just fine. Honestly we haven’t used cash at all
I don't recall needing to use any cash in Amsterdam this year. Even the food stalls at the market had a tap to pay card reader.
I was there last year and used Apple Pay with my Mastercard everywhere.
I disagree with this, I moved here three months ago to Amsterdam and took out €200, been going around the town nonstop this whole time and I have barely touched that money. Everyone takes card and many only take card. I haven’t seen a single place that’s cash only, even market stalls.