ATM Heathrow for Euros
Oct 23, 2019, 12:53 am
#1
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ATM Heathrow for Euros
Are there any bank ATMs at Heathrow that will give Euros? Arriving T3 and transferring to T5, connecting to a flight to Nice. I have almost a 6- hour layover. Through banks in the US, I am looking at paying about an extra 8% in fees for Euros, so thinking it would be cheaper to get from a bank ATM. Will be arriving in NIce late and would like some Euros for arrival for maybe getting sme food and a taxi.
Oct 23, 2019, 12:57 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2019
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The ATMs don't give a good rate either to be honest - somewhere in the 10-12% range below the market offering is to be expected . Can it wait until you get to Nice? You should be able to find an ATM in arrivals that will give a better rate of exchange.
Oct 23, 2019, 1:14 am
#4
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If the OP really wants to have the security of having just a few € because of the late arrival and the possible risk that there won't be a working ATM at NCE, I wonder whether there might be a case for exchanging a small amount of cash at LHR rather than using an ATM. Particularly if the OP's bank would apply a per-transaction fee that makes a small withdrawal of EUR from an ATM poor value.
Oct 23, 2019, 2:14 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2019
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To clarify one thing from the OP's post, there are no "bank" ATMs at Heathrow. All the ATMs on the estate (landside and airside) are operated by Travelex. I believe they give the same rate as card transactions at their kiosks, but that is unlikely to be in the customer's favour....
Oct 23, 2019, 2:18 am
#8
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Even if that's true, does Travelex allow a straight USD-EUR conversion, or does it need to be USD-GBP-EUR? Whether that applies to ATMs or kiosk transactions, even a great rate would be prohibitively expensive compared to just taking the hit once in France.
Oct 23, 2019, 2:28 am
#9
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how much do french ATM‘s charge for withdrawal ?
Oct 23, 2019, 2:33 am
#10
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Nothing... unless you end up finding a scam-ATM. Any bank will have regular ATMs though. I do think they were referring to card fees, usually $5-10 per withdrawal and 2-3% foreign currency fee.
Oct 23, 2019, 2:37 am
#11
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Sticking to the questions as posed:
- there are multiple ATMs dispensing Euros in Terminal 5 by gates 12-13 and several other places, close to the Travelex desks. You will be charged in Sterling to your USA bank, the Sterling fee will include a Euro to Sterling charge, so the fees could be quite hefty since you would be paying two sets of fees.
- in NCE there are a number of ATMs in Terminal 1, the easiest for someone arriving will be landside, by door A2, this is likely to give a better exchange rate. If that one isn't working then pop round to departures, the machines are on the glass side half way between doors D2 and D3. Nice is plastered in banks, there is no shortage of ATMs there. Looks for the signs saying "Distributeurs". This is likely to be best value for money short of direct credit card purchase for goods / services.
Credit and contactless card (in particular) is well established in France, the partial exception is taxis in that independent drivers greatly prefer cash. In the queue just past down to a driver who nods when you show a card, it's a fixed rate from the airport to downtown. However Uber works in Nice including the airport, so personally Nice is not one of those places - not many left now really - where I feel obliged to have cash readily to hand.
You can use plastic on the tram service too, and they have a good (was going to say nice...) App which you can set up partly in advance and thus get on your way hassle free. If your hotel is by the tram line the taxi is only going to save a few minutes but cost an extra 30€ or so.
- there are multiple ATMs dispensing Euros in Terminal 5 by gates 12-13 and several other places, close to the Travelex desks. You will be charged in Sterling to your USA bank, the Sterling fee will include a Euro to Sterling charge, so the fees could be quite hefty since you would be paying two sets of fees.
- in NCE there are a number of ATMs in Terminal 1, the easiest for someone arriving will be landside, by door A2, this is likely to give a better exchange rate. If that one isn't working then pop round to departures, the machines are on the glass side half way between doors D2 and D3. Nice is plastered in banks, there is no shortage of ATMs there. Looks for the signs saying "Distributeurs". This is likely to be best value for money short of direct credit card purchase for goods / services.
Credit and contactless card (in particular) is well established in France, the partial exception is taxis in that independent drivers greatly prefer cash. In the queue just past down to a driver who nods when you show a card, it's a fixed rate from the airport to downtown. However Uber works in Nice including the airport, so personally Nice is not one of those places - not many left now really - where I feel obliged to have cash readily to hand.
You can use plastic on the tram service too, and they have a good (was going to say nice...) App which you can set up partly in advance and thus get on your way hassle free. If your hotel is by the tram line the taxi is only going to save a few minutes but cost an extra 30€ or so.
Oct 23, 2019, 6:45 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 4
Please be aware that recently the pickup point that the Uber app proposes at NCE T1 has changed to an area that necessitates the driver having a particular card access. Many of the drivers seem to be waiting for 2020 in order not to pay for the card which is attributed for a full calendar year, and quite often they resort to calling the client and proposing an alternative pickup spot next to the new Tramway T1 stop. This can potentially be a challenge if one does not speak French.
Sticking to the questions as posed:
- there are multiple ATMs dispensing Euros in Terminal 5 by gates 12-13 and several other places, close to the Travelex desks. You will be charged in Sterling to your USA bank, the Sterling fee will include a Euro to Sterling charge, so the fees could be quite hefty since you would be paying two sets of fees.
- in NCE there are a number of ATMs in Terminal 1, the easiest for someone arriving will be landside, by door A2, this is likely to give a better exchange rate. If that one isn't working then pop round to departures, the machines are on the glass side half way between doors D2 and D3. Nice is plastered in banks, there is no shortage of ATMs there. Looks for the signs saying "Distributeurs". This is likely to be best value for money short of direct credit card purchase for goods / services.
Credit and contactless card (in particular) is well established in France, the partial exception is taxis in that independent drivers greatly prefer cash. In the queue just past down to a driver who nods when you show a card, it's a fixed rate from the airport to downtown. However Uber works in Nice including the airport, so personally Nice is not one of those places - not many left now really - where I feel obliged to have cash readily to hand.
You can use plastic on the tram service too, and they have a good (was going to say nice...) App which you can set up partly in advance and thus get on your way hassle free. If your hotel is by the tram line the taxi is only going to save a few minutes but cost an extra 30€ or so.
- there are multiple ATMs dispensing Euros in Terminal 5 by gates 12-13 and several other places, close to the Travelex desks. You will be charged in Sterling to your USA bank, the Sterling fee will include a Euro to Sterling charge, so the fees could be quite hefty since you would be paying two sets of fees.
- in NCE there are a number of ATMs in Terminal 1, the easiest for someone arriving will be landside, by door A2, this is likely to give a better exchange rate. If that one isn't working then pop round to departures, the machines are on the glass side half way between doors D2 and D3. Nice is plastered in banks, there is no shortage of ATMs there. Looks for the signs saying "Distributeurs". This is likely to be best value for money short of direct credit card purchase for goods / services.
Credit and contactless card (in particular) is well established in France, the partial exception is taxis in that independent drivers greatly prefer cash. In the queue just past down to a driver who nods when you show a card, it's a fixed rate from the airport to downtown. However Uber works in Nice including the airport, so personally Nice is not one of those places - not many left now really - where I feel obliged to have cash readily to hand.
You can use plastic on the tram service too, and they have a good (was going to say nice...) App which you can set up partly in advance and thus get on your way hassle free. If your hotel is by the tram line the taxi is only going to save a few minutes but cost an extra 30€ or so.
Oct 23, 2019, 7:31 am
#15
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