Hi all
I have a Cirrus card from my bank, which charges no commission or withdrawal fees. However, it is a cashcard rather than a debit card so I can only use ATMs and can't pay in shops.
That's fine, but I've heard most Australian ATMs have a surcharge, and a higher surcharge for international visitors. Is this true? Are most Cirrus ATMs like this or very few?
For the majority of the time I'll be in cities/towns (Brisbane, Byron, Sydney, Melbourne). Is it worth sacrificing the better exchange rate and just take cash/traveller's cheques?
Many thanks!
dlevene
1
pagoo
My bank statement from the US shows I paid about $5 every time I took out $300 AU from an ATM.
2
dlevene
Do you know if that was the ATM or your bank charge? What about if you took out a smaller amount, and were you using different ATMs? Thanks :D
3
sneaker_fish
Most of the time it is your bank which charges your account.
The exception to this would be the private ATMs you see in pubs and bars (for instance). These generally have either a sign on them or a message comes up when using it. Actually, not sure if that is a legal requirement or not though??
Your own home bank sets its charges that it will pass on to you.
4
westwood
I've never been charged a surcharge, just the few dollars my bank slaps on every ATM transaction.<BR>Not like Vietnam where the Vietnamese banks also put on an ATM charge.
5
daycat
There are some banks that have liaisons with Aussie banks, meaning, you don't pay a fee to use the Aussie ATM.
Westpac Aust has a link with various banks around the world.
I have not at this point in time got the time to go and see which bank it is, and if yours is in this group.
Might be a good point to go to www.westpac.com.au and have a look and see, as to what banks they have a liaison with, and then in your home country, see if there is a branch of that bank, open an account with them.
Put in $2,000 in AUD equivalent, and then withdraw on that.
That way, you avoid paying Aussie ATM fees, but your "new" home bank might charge a foreign currency charge though.
6
mkiisupra
Hi most aussie banks charge a atm for using another banks atm's and i imagine your bank would charge an overseas atm withdrawl fee as well as a foreign exchange conversion fee.
You could get around this by buying a visa prepaid cash card (or similar) when you get here, this'll save you the risk of carrying around large amounts cash and save you the cost of using your foreign atm card all the time.
Check out this link:
Visa pre paid cash card
Hope this helps,
Drew.
8
daycat
Unless OP brings in cold hard cash, s/he still has to withdraw money to pay for the visa prepaid/bopo or anything else.
Maybe a big amount overseas bank draft/cash-(note reporting limit if more than AUD$10,000 in cash)/other means of bringing cash into Aust.
9
pagoo
<blockquote>Quote
<hr>Do you know if that was the ATM or your bank charge? What about if you took out a smaller amount, and were you using different ATMs? Thanks :D <hr></blockquote>
I assume it was my bank that charged it. I did use different ATMs, my card has the plus logo on it.
I always took out the max which was $300 AU.
The charges show as 2 seperate charges, one is "non-Wachovia withdrawls", the other is "Intl. Service Fee". The first fee is always $2 US, the second fee is usually around $2.45. So the actual amount was around $4.50 US for a $300 AU withdrawl.
I used different banks, mainly ANZ and St. George.
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