Money for Amsterdam to Budapest question

I know there are some countries that are not on Euro. Would just carrying the Euro be O.K? I hate to buy money for each country.

We took that cruise in 2010. The only country on that cruise that does not use Euros is Hungary. I used my left over Hungarian currency as part of the tips.

The story and pictures of our cruise are on our website.

I had the currency issue included in my overview: http://www.rivercruiseinfo.com/node/21 . As SJGOCH said, it is only Hungary which still has its old currency and not the Euro. It is advisable to pay in Forinth. When I was in Budapest 2007, small shops did not accept other currencies.

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We are planning to take a few Forints for Budapest & just hit an ATM if we require more

We shopped along the Vaci Utca in Budapest in July 2011 and found that several shops would accept euros and forints. They had an exchange factor posted too, so we just paid in euros. The store we stopped in was an ice cream shop that also sold sodas and candy. The bigger stores should take credit cards. I'm not sure about the Central Market Hall - the small stands there might only take forints.

I was really, and pleasantly, surprised at the number of stores that took US dollars. I did have Forints, but on one occasion, not enough for my purchase. The storekeeper told me that she would accept US dollars when I said that I did not have enough Forints. I always travel with about 50 crisp $1 bills and 10 $5 bills, just in case. I did use the ATM twice to obtain Forints. I left the extra as a tip for my room attendant.

We are going Passau to Budapest and will stay an extra 2 days in Budapest on our own.

Where did you get the Forints? Should I get some here or wait for an ATM there?

Thanks, cb

When we needed the Forints, we went to the ATM. We didn't need much as we were just buying some souvenirs but were happy to have the ATM handy.

The exchange rate for purchasing these through a bank made it not worth it for us. This year, we will also find the closest ATM once we arrive in Budapest.

We are going Passau to Budapest and will stay an extra 2 days in Budapest on our own.

 

Where did you get the Forints? Should I get some here or wait for an ATM there?

 

Thanks, cb

I got my Forints at the ATM across from our hotel once, and then downtown at an ATM a second time. The machine dispensed one large bill and I took it back to the hotel and asked for it to be broken down into smaller denominations. Because we were staying there they wee happy to do it. I think that I got $20 worth each time.

You will not need Forints right away unless you need to pay for a cab.

We stayed an extra day in Budapest after our cruise and have become a big fan of ATM usage. I have no idea what charges are applied to Nth American accounts but we were not charged any fees by European banks for ATM use. Whilst it is true that in Budapest you can use Euros and even Dollars you will find the exchange rate is heavily in favour of the seller and you get much better prices by using Forints. As we had to pay our bill at the cafe Kor in cash (something we knew about in advance) we used an ATM twice in Budapest and then donated what little we had left to a UN charity box at the airport.

We will have to take a taxi from the ship to the hotel (don't know which hotel) so we will need some. But I think we can just get some at an ATM there since the ship docks there the last night of the cruise.

Thanks, cb

We will have to take a taxi from the ship to the hotel (don't know which hotel) so we will need some. But I think we can just get some at an ATM there since the ship docks there the last night of the cruise.

 

Thanks, cb

The ship docks right near town and there are numerous ATM machines in the area. There is a very nice, very large supermarket on the Buda side of the river, by the chain brige, that has an ATM outside. It is a great place to shop if you run out of any personal items. They have a good wine selection, too.

We will be going on a River Cruise this July and will stay in Budapest for 3 days before embarking. The B&B we're staying at only takes cash... and that means Forints.

Does anyone know what the maximum amount you can get from an ATM is in Euros or Forints in Budapest?

TIA

will go to Travelex and get some Forints for Hungary. Better forewarned. We are staying a few days after, so will need them. Travelex takes them back no charge when you buy a large amount of cash, so it will work! Thanks.

We will be going on a River Cruise this July and will stay in Budapest for 3 days before embarking. The B&B we're staying at only takes cash... and that means Forints.

 

Does anyone know what the maximum amount you can get from an ATM is in Euros or Forints in Budapest?

 

TIA

You might be able to find out on trip advisor in the Budapest forum the locals there are very helpful

I think it may depend on your bank what the daily withdrawl limit is

There are lots on money exchange places in Budapest, too. Our tour guide, who is from Budapest, told us that they were legitimate, will not rip you off. Just watch the exchange rate, the less you exchange, the higher the exchange rate. We had several people on our tour exchange US Dollars there. Some people are just not comfortable using ATM machines, and this is another option.

Caroldoll, I never use my ATM card in the states, I prefer to charge everything so I get the miles on my credit card (I pay it off in full each month). However, I do have an ATM card specifically for travelling, as my credit union does not charge a transaction fee or upcharge for getting currency out of an ATM. I really prefer it over carrying large amounts of cash, I can withdraw just what I need. It is very easy, you may want to check with your bank or credit union. My husband also has one from the bank, so we are covered if one gets lost or we for some reason have a problem. I feel safer not having to have a lot of cash around.

and learn how to use one. I just not got brave enough to use a Debit Card at Travelex! It is definitely hard to teach an old dog new tricks! LOL

We can learn ...just takes a minute or two...