Using ATMs for Cash
 

Do you recommend using the Schwab card when visiting India? I'll be there for about a week for a wedding, but I'm curious if you recommend bringing cash at all (we're doing 4-5 days of touring before the wedding so probably some cash for snacks, gifts and such).

Sorry for sounding noob, but this is my first time visiting India, and for reference when I visit China/Japan/Taiwan/Hong Kong my strategy is pretty much to land with minimal cash (like $20 USD equiv, usually some change from my last trip) and to get the rest of my cash I need via ATM.

Is it reliable to use ATMs in India? Also are there specific banks I should stick to when looking for ATMs to withdraw from? I'll have a backup card or two just in case things go south although I'm really hoping my Schwab card is the one I rely on as fees are no concern with that card.

Just know that you can only change about $80 US at airport currency changers since demonitization. The Kotak bank ATMs are pretty consistent about allowing 10,000 rupee withdrawals and they usually have cash, unlike many other atms. I just returned from two weeks in India and travelled with my Schwann card. At Kotak ATMs I was able to get what I needed to travel. Change for 2,000 rupee bills, however, is a whole other level of challenge ��

Meant "Schwab" card

I got 10,000 INR out of an airport ATM last week in DEL. I"m sorry to say I forget which one dispensed the cash, but it was in the international arrivals hall. It took 3 different ATMs before I succeeded. Luckily, I got 19 500 rupee notes and 5 100 rupee notes, so changing them has been no problem. A few folks I'm traveling with used bank ATMs and got the new 2000s, and even hotels are giving them a problem breaking those bills. Best to try in the mornings, as many places are running out of change by the evenings.

i suggest going through the thread below to get some information on the recent demonetization, as well as the atm & currency exchange situation....

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/india...al-tender.html

if you can get new inr currency with you then that would be helpful....if not then you should be able to withdraw inr 10k at a time from the atm (the limit is soon to be increased)....

In Feb 17 I found getting cash from ATMs to be a real problem. More than half I tried didn't have any cash to dispense.

the situation is getting better....i don't expect it to return to normal for another few months though....

What Indian banks, if any, aren't charging a fee these days for ATM withdrawals with a non-Indian card?