Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Caixa de Catalunya logo
Right
Twenty-euro note
Banking & Money Tips
!
The Euro
$
ATMs
(or ATM if you have a
PIN number). Note that
the transaction fee for
cash advances on credit
cards can be high.
&
Emergency
Since 1 January 2002,
the official currency of
Spain, and much of
Europe, has been the
Euro. For general infor-
mation on the Euro
check the European
Union website.
d
http://ec.europa.eu
@
Banks
ATMs (cash mach-
ines) provide the easiest
way to access money
and are a good way to
beat commission charges.
Surcharges depend on
your bank. Relying on
ATMs also means that
you can take out money
in smaller denominations
and avoid carrying large
amounts of cash. Before
travelling, check with
your bank that your PIN
number works with
foreign ATMs. Nearly all
take VISA or MasterCard
(Access) cards.
%
Travellers'
Numbers
If your credit card is lost
or stolen, call the police
and your credit card com-
pany. Most credit cards
have a number to call
collect from abroad,
which is provided at the
time of issue.
d
Visa: 900
991 216
d
MasterCard:
900 97 12 31
d
American
Express: 900 99 44 26
*
Online Banking
Banks are generally
open 8am-2pm on week
days. Some are open
4-8pm on Thursdays and
8am-2pm on Saturdays,
except from July to
September. Banks tend
to offer better exchange
and commission rates
than bureaux de change,
although rates do vary
from bank to bank.
There's a Caixa de
Catalunya exchange in
Plaça de Catalunya, next
to the tourist office,
which stays open until
9pm. Numerous small
bank branches exchange
money in Estació de
Sants train station and
the airport; these are
open from 7 or 8am to
10pm daily.
Cheques
Buy travellers' cheques
in Euros. All banks cash
travellers' cheques, as
do larger stores. Always
carry the cheque num-
bers separately from the
cheques. American
Express and Thomas
Cook are two well-known
providers of travellers'
cheques. Thomas Cook
has also introduced “cash
passport cards , which
can be used at ATMs.
The quickest and
cheapest way to keep
track of your bank
account and credit card
bills is by checking them
online. It's best to set up
your online account
before travelling.
(
Emergency Cash
It is advisable to
carry some emergency
cash hidden inside your
luggage, separate from
your wallet.
£
Changing Money
^
Credit Cards
)
Tipping
Avoid changing
money at bureaux de
change in tourist areas as
commission rates tend
to be high or exchange
rates poor. On the whole,
banks offer better deals,
but bureaux de change
have the advantage of
longer opening hours.
Some, particularly those
on La Rambla, are open
until midnight.
Visa and MasterCard
are readily accepted in
all but budget hotels,
restaurants and shops.
American Express can
generally be used in
hotels, but less often in
restaurants and shops.
Diner's Card is accepted
in about 50 per cent of
restaurants. Credit card
cash advances are
available from any bank
Tipping is not the
norm in Spain, though
expectations are higher
of tourists. Locals tip as
follows: in restaurants, it
is usually about five per
cent of the bill. For a
light meal, they round up
the bill to the nearest 50
cents. Taxi drivers are
usually tipped five per
cent and hotel porters
about 50 cents per bag.
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