Last time I was there, Europe didn't charge any fees, and Citibank doesn't charge fees with the kind of account I have - but I think it just requires a minimum to have fees waived. They don't show up - it is not that you are charged and then credited. It is why I first started banking at Citibank - I was taking my daughter to Europe (11 years ago) and I wanted an international bank and they had recently opened a branch in the neighborhood (had some pormos getting AA miles I recall) My local bank would have charged me $3.50 per ATM transaction. BIG difference. When I was in London a few years ago, there were no fees plus there is a Citibank branch there.

Please read the wiki before posting. The advice on there is generally better than the advice in this thread.

For example, Citi charges forex fees for most accountholders (Citigold and other high net worth clients being an exception). These days they claim to waive fees at Citi-owned ATMs overseas, but many Citi accountholders have been hit with fees despite the supposed waiver, and finding a Citi ATM is often very difficult.

And while BofA has fee-waived partners in many countries, many other smaller banks (like the ones I listed a few posts ago) don't charge ANY fees no matter what ATM you use.

Outside North America, very, very few bank-owned ATMs (as opposed to private ATMs found in convenience stores, pubs, etc.) charge ATM-owner fees. Citi is nothing unique in this regard. The OP's concern should not be ATM owner fees, but forex fees charged by the bank where his account is.

Read the wiki:

http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php...reign_Exchange

After experiencing heavy fees from WAMU using thier Mastercard for purchases and Debit card for cash in thailand, I did some research and ended up getting a MC from CapitolOne (the only card I could find that charges NO "Foreign currency transaction Charges"). I opened up a checking account with Bank of Internet of USA to use only for my trips to Thailand. Thier ATM card has Zero fees overseas. They offer a Debit card also, but then you get hit with the VISA/MC built-in 1% Foreign transaction fee. I feel an ATM only card is safer anyway. If lost or stolen, its useless without a PIN.

For those of you travelling to Australia I would advise to buy an AussieDebitCard. I have just returned from Australia and it worked well for me, the fees are very low. Here is a link to it https://aussiedebitcard.com/

You should update your page to show that HSBC doesn't charge 1% at HSBC owned ATM's for Direct Online Savings accounts.

First of all one card is not enough. You need to have couple of credit cards and couple of bank account linked debit cards for ATM withdrawals just in case. I have had my card compromised/eaten by an ATM machine while traveling etc.

good tip, thanks.

Ahh, this brings back some bad thoughts though... in 1999, me wife and I had bank accounts and bank cards with Commonwealth Bank in AU. She had a temp work visa and so she could get one and I was able to with her. We each had a few dollars left in there when we left (I had $18 and she had $7) because we knew we'd come back SOME DAY. I would check online at their netbank.au website every few months to confirm activity and see my balance, but one day it was GONE! I called them and they said, sorry mate, we changed everything and now there are fees. Your money got used up. Well, at first they tried to tell me they always had this for savings accounts but I told them I had 3 years worth of printouts... oh well.

Bugger that!

Ugh.. looks like Bank of America just started charging $5 for international ATM withdrawals.. wasn't hit for this back in January but just got back from the Guianas and had nearly $50 in unexpected ATM fees. :(

IMHO, not so. ATM card transactions are not protected under the Fair Credit Billing Act--only credit card transactions. So, you have no billing error dispute protections with ATM card.

And, its not so hard to "skim" a PIN or get it in other ways. Credit cards are safer, but, of course, the ATM card is convenient for getting cash.

FYI we have ATM cards in Canada and in the US. Prior to a recent trip to Australia I spoke to our Canadian credit union (in B.C.) and they told me, after researching it, that there was a $3 fee (Canadian of course) for each withdrawal in Australia. However, it's buried in the transaction and not itemized.

FWIW we chose to use our Canadian credit union ATM card because it offers a higher withdrawal limit than our U.S. big bank does, and the big bank charges $5 U.S. for each withdrawal.

Cheers,
Fredd

I think the poster was comparing debit cards (Visa/MC branded) with pure ATM cards. Pure ATM cards can only be used in PIN-based transactions.

There are banking rules that apply to fraud with debit and ATM cards. Mastercard and Visa have also voluntarily extended zero liability to their branded 'check cards'. However, the concern with using a debit card is valid in that it is easy for money to be quickly withdrawn/spent from your checking account. Yeah, you get it back, but....

BofA has been charging $5 for well over a year so you must have gotten lucky by not being charged.

i'm using a u.s based credit card. ( www.uscheckingaccount.com ) i managed get their card via dhl :)

Also check with the bank/credit union for usage at your destination.

My credit union (which uses a service to clear debit transactions) will not permit any debit transactions in Russia and a few other countries.

One time my credit union's auto fraud system freaked when I tried an ATM in Bangkok and they refused to unlock my card even when I called from there to say that it was me using the card.

I think it was a Premium Banking deal.. must have expired. I wasn't being charged the 1% either (or it was embedded, most likely). Had 32 foreign ATM withdrawals in the last year, and only was charged $5 for each withdrawal this month (8! that extra $40 in fees sucks). I might sign up for WAMU account, since they have free ATM and outgoing wire transfers as well.