Page 624 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

622  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Banking and Local Currency

You can enter Spain with any amount of money, but if you
intend to export more than €10,000, you should declare it.
Travellers’ cheques may be exchanged at banks, oficinas de
cambio de moneda (foreign currency exchanges), some hotels
and some shops. Banks generally offer the best exchange
rates. The cheapest exchange may be offered on your credit
or direct debit card, which you can use in ATMs displaying the
appropriate sign.
Banking Hours Cheques and Cards
Spanish banks are beginning The use of travellers’ cheques A 24-hour ATM
to extend their opening times, is declining and it is not always ATMs
but expect extended hours easy to find places to cash the
only at large central branches cheques. Banks also need 24 If your card is linked to your
in the big cities. hours’ notice to cash cheques home bank account, you
Banks are open from 8am to larger than €3,000. can use it with your PIN to
2pm during the week. Some Prepaid VISA and MasterCard withdraw money from ATMs.
open until 1pm on Saturdays. credit cards are a convenient All take VISA and MasterCard.
All close on Saturdays in July way to pay, as are Travel Money When you enter your PIN,
and August; in some areas, Cards. These cards work like instructions are displayed in
they also close on Satur days debit cards. They are available English, French, German and
from May to September. in several currencies from most Spanish. Many dispensers are
banks, and can be reloaded inside buildings and to gain
through their websites. access you will have to run
Changing Money The most widely accepted your card through a door-
Most banks have a foreign cards are VISA, and Master Card, entry system.
exchange desk with the sign although American Express Cards with the Cirrus and
Cambio or Extranjero, which is also used. The major banks Maestro logos can also be
will accept travellers’ cheques will allow cash withdrawals on widely used to withdraw
and cash. Always take your credit cards. All ATMs accept money from cash machines.
passport as identification to most foreign cards, and they
effect any transaction. will often give you a choice of DIRECTORY
You can draw up to €300 on several languages, including
major credit cards at a bank. It English. Most, however, only Foreign Banks
is worth mentioning your travel operate with cards that have an Barclays Bank
plans to your bank and credit electronic chip. Also, the level Calle Velázquez 68, 28001 Madrid.
card company before you go of commission charged on your Tel 913 36 08 67.
away, so that with drawal
your card is not will depend Citibank
blocked by their on your own Calle Velázquez 31, 28001 Madrid.
fraud preven- bank, and some Tel 914 26 07 82.
tion system. Logo for BBVA, the Banco credit cards Lloyds TSB
Bureaux de Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria may charge an Calle Serrano 90, 28006 Madrid.
change, with additional fee. Tel 902 02 43 65.
the sign Cambio de Moneda or When you pay with a card,
“Change”, may state that they cashiers pass it through a card- Lost Cards and
Travellers’ Cheques
charge no commission, but their reading machine and you
exchange rates are invariably usually need to provide a PIN American Express
less favourable than those found number. In shops you will always Tel 900 81 45 00.
at banks. One benefit is that be asked for additional photo ID.
they are often open outside Make sure you have an original Diners Club
normal banking hours. They are identification document on Tel 902 40 11 12.
usually located in popular tourist hand (photocopies will rarely MasterCard
areas, as well as at airports and do), and note that a driver’s Tel 900 97 12 31 (toll-free from
mainline rail stations. Cajas de licence is not an accepted landlines only).
Ahorro (savings banks) also form of ID in Spain. VISA
exchange money. They open As with the rest of Europe, Tel 900 99 11 24 (toll-free from
from 8:30am to 2pm on week- cards are not always accepted landlines only).
days and also on Thursday after- in smaller bars and restaurants,
noons from 4:30pm to 7:45pm. so take some cash with you.

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