Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Easy Money
You'll avoid lines at airport ATMs by exchanging at least some money—just
enough to cover airport incidentals and transportation to your hotel—before
you leave home.
When you change money, ask for some small bills or loose change. Petty cash
will come in handy for tipping and public transportation. Consider keeping the
change separate from your larger bills, so that it's readily accessible and you'll
be less of a target for theft.
Tips
If you want to use traveler's checks
despite the drawbacks, you can buy them
at almost any bank.
American Express
offers U.S. dollar denominations of $10,
$20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000 and
tacks on service charges ranging from 1%
to 4%. By phone, you can buy traveler's
checks by calling
&
800/807-6233.
American Express card holders should dial
&
800/221-7282;
this number accepts
collect calls, offers service in several for-
eign languages, and exempts Amex gold
and platinum cardholders from the 1% fee.
Visa
offers traveler's checks at Citibank
locations nationwide, as well as at several
other banks. The service charge ranges
between 1.5% and 2%; checks come in
denominations of $20, $50, $100, $500,
and $1,000. Call
&
800/732-1322
for
information. AAA members can obtain
Visa checks for a $9.95 fee (for checks up
to $1,500) at most AAA offices or by call-
ing
&
866/339-3378.
MasterCard
also offers traveler's
checks. Call
&
800/223-9920
for a loca-
tion near you.
American Express, Thomas Cook,
Visa,
and
MasterCard
also offer
foreign
currency traveler's checks,
which are
useful if you're traveling to one country,
or to the euro zone; they're accepted at
locations where dollar checks may not be.
If you do choose to carry traveler's
checks, keep a record of their serial num-
bers separate from your checks in the
event that they are stolen or lost. You'll get
a refund faster if you know the numbers.
IF YOUR WALLET IS LOST OR
STOLEN
Be sure to tell all of your
credit card companies the minute you
discover your wallet has been lost or
stolen, and file a report at the nearest
police precinct. Your credit card company
or insurer may require a police report
number or record of the loss. Most credit
card companies have an emergency toll-
free number to call if your card is lost or
stolen; they may be able to wire you a
cash advance immediately or deliver an
emergency credit card in a day or two.
Emergency numbers for each country are
listed in the “Money” section of each
individual country chapter.
Note:
It's a good idea to photocopy the
front and back of the credit cards you
carry on a trip and keep them with the
photocopy of your passport.
4 When to Go
Eastern Europe sprawls over a huge geo-
graphic area with multiple climates that
range from Mediterranean to Alpine to
something that approaches arctic. In gen-
eral, the tourist season runs from May
through September, with the greatest
influx of visitors occurring in July and
August, especially in coastal areas, where
the weather is sunny and dry almost every
day. During these 2 months all sites,
attractions, and special events operate at
full throttle and charge top dollar. July
