Lahore

Money & costs

Money

Beyond standard business hours, only the airport banks and a handful of authorised private moneychangers are open. Moneychangers are bunched around Cooper Rd, some just northwest of Holiday Inn, and also scattered along The Mall, but the rates are not always as good as the banks’ rates, so it pays to check.

Due to a fraudulent travellers-cheque racket some years back, many banks and private moneychangers refuse to change cheques without presentation of the original purchase receipt.

Lahore has a burgeoning number of 24-hour ATMs accepting Cirrus, Maestro, MasterCard and Visa (but not always all cards); these can be found around The Mall and at Gulberg, among other areas.

Some reliable places to change money include:

American Express (111786111; 112 Rafi Mansion, The Mall; 9am-noon Mon-Thu, 9-11am Fri & Sat) You can only change American Express travellers cheques (no currency or other travellers-cheque brands) here. The staff are efficient and courteous.

Citibank (111444444; Charing Cross; 9am-5pm Mon-Thu, 9am-12.30pm Fri, 9am-1.30pm Sat) Changes major currencies and travellers cheques, charging a 2% commission on non-Citicorp cheques. Secure 24-hour ATM.

Wall Street Exchange (6307770; 15-17 Naqi Arcade, The Mall; 9.30am-6pm Mon-Thu, 1-3pm Fri) A reputable moneychanger with longer opening hours.

Western Union (111786111; c/o American Express, 112 Rafi Mansion, The Mall; 9am-1pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat) Arranges speedy money transfers – ready for collection an hour after your sender makes the deposit. To collect funds, first present your passport and the transfer code (ask your sender for this). There are other Western Union branches in Lahore.