Cash In London

[Hap]

We will be visiting London in May. We will pay for as much as we can with the credit card and was wondering how much cash we should carry. This is our first visit there and we are not sure about this. We have heard from 100 to 300 pounds a week. I appreciate any help on this.

[markeb]

We will be visiting London in May. We will pay for as much as we can with the credit card and was wondering how much cash we should carry. This is our first visit there and we are not sure about this. We have heard from 100 to 300 pounds a week. I appreciate any help on this.

 

You can pay for most things by credit card. Check with your credit card company before leaving to be sure they know you're overseas. If you have an ATM card, you can easily pull GBPs out of the ATMs when needed. Cash is useful for cabs, and quick items like sodas, coffee, etc. Even most pubs now take credit cards. While you can certainly burn through 100-300 pounds in a week (with ease), you can pay for almost everything with plastic.

 

It is generally simpler in Europe if you have a chip + PIN credit card, which some banks provide. Signatures generally still work, but the system is set for chip and PIN.

[LondonTowner]

Almost everywhere accepts cards these days. You may find a small shop or bar somewhere out of London that doesn't, but very unlikely. The most accepted cards are Visa and MasterCard. Hardly anywhere will accept Amex or Diners cards.

[aquilegia]

Don't carry loads of cash. If you do need any, just get it from an ATM.

[LipBalmAddict]

If you have an account with Bank of America, you can withdraw cash from Barclays without either bank charging you any fees, it's great!

[orchestrapal]

We will be visiting London in May. We will pay for as much as we can with the credit card and was wondering how much cash we should carry. This is our first visit there and we are not sure about this. We have heard from 100 to 300 pounds a week. I appreciate any help on this.

 

Credit cards are accepted everywhere even Black cabs. You will however need a card with a chip. All of our Visa cards have chip and sign which are good almost everywhere.

[aquilegia]

Credit cards are accepted everywhere even Black cabs.

 

This is not the case. Some black cabs do, some don't. You can't assume that you are going to be able to pay by card when you hire a cab.

[newport dave]

Credit cards are accepted everywhere even Black cabs. You will however need a card with a chip. All of our Visa cards have chip and sign which are good almost everywhere.

 

You will NOT need a card with a chip. All POS terminals that are manned can still accept the old swipe and sign cards. If staff say they can't they're lying and it's because they don't know what to do, especially youngsters.

[MATHA531]

I visit London two or three times a year. At the start of my visit, I pull out £10 from an ATM and more times than not, the bank note stays in my wallet and never sees the light of day. London is a great deal likemost American cities in that regards. They take credit cards everywhere for most everything. Typical day for me. My hotel charges an army and a leg for an awful breakfast so I breakfast at Mickey D. When I arrive, I refil my oyster card. I rop up my mobile phone sim card. On the way to wherever, I stop by a Tesco or Sainsbury and pick up my soda of choice (diet coke cherry boy am I addicted to that stuff)...lunch at pret a manger or a sandwich from Tesco or Sainsbury, nosh for half time at the theatre, theatre tickets, dinner (and believe me, I don't eat at op of the line restaurants), perhaps an evening show (I often on a Wednesday and Thursday do a double header at the theatre) with a pick up of refreshments for half time again at a nearby grocery (or Boots). On the way back to the hotel, a stop at a 7-11 type place for nosh in the hotel. Every single last one of these places, I use credit cards. I have a little stick modem that goes into a USB port for my small computer for my internet work (or to watch the Mets games on MLB.TV when I can't sleep and wake up at 3 in the morning which is when the games usually end). As I said, everywhere I go, they take my credit cards and with the grocery chains I don't have to worry about silly requirements like minimum purchases and naturally enough my credit cards do not carry foreign transaction fees.

 

Only way to travel.

[Hap]

Thanks everyone for the information. It helped a lot. Really looking forward to visiting London.

[Globaliser]

Hardly anywhere will accept Amex or Diners cards.

This is absolutely not true as far as Amex is concerned.

 

My primary card is an Amex. About 5% of my daily over-the-counter transactions are at places that won't take it.

 

So there's no problem with having an Amex as a primary card, although it would be useful to have either a Mastercard or Visa as a backup.

[Ab Ovo]

Call your credit card -- number on the back -- tell them you will be in London. I've used AMEX Black for major charges, say Brown's or Simpson's, but find VISA much better for routine charges at pubs and newsagents, etc. Yes, charge everything you can. Take a bank ATM card (tell them you'll be away too) and at air or train or bank ATM's it's very easy to get local currency as needed, your bank doing the exchange rate for you. A hundred pounds should get you started.

[nothriver]

The only places we used cash in London was farmers markets, on hotel hoopa bus from our hotel to airport, and at museums for donations and purchasing £1 donation maps. Everywhere I went in London I was able to use my non-chip credit card, although they don't usually have a pen handy for me to sign with since most people don't need to sign.

 

So far the only two places I've not been able to use my non-chip credit card in four recent trips to Europe was at a small thrift store in a small town in Norway and at the auto pay ticket kiosk for the train at Schiphol Airport - there was no manned pay station so we would have had to take a cab if my mother hadn't had a card with a chip.

[hlperez]

Just so you know, there is a manned ticket booth for train tickets at Schipol airport. I was just there and bought tickets from the booth.

[MATHA531]

Just so you know, there is a manned ticket booth for train tickets at Schipol airport. I was just there and bought tickets from the booth.

 

True but they don't take USA non emv cards and I'm not sure they take USA emv cards which are chip and signature although I think they can take cards with an on-line PIN (in other words although technically chip and signature cards they will take the cash advance PIN)

[Bob++]

I see that you are coming in May. You should note that the 5th and the 26th are bank holidays. These are days when most people, apart from those who work in shops or are involved in the tourist industry, get a day off. This means that the major attractions like The Tower and The Eye will be very busy with long queues.

 

If you are in London on either of those days you should plan to visit less popular places, or pre book to avoid the queues.