Page 36 - The Baltic Capitals & St. Petersburg

How to Exchange Money

If you want to exchange money before your trip, you can usually do so through your bank or
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also possible outlets. Or you can wait and change money on the trip instead—but it might be
helpful to arrive with some local currency in case you run into a bank holiday or an “out of
order” ATM.

On your trip, the easiest way to obtain local currency is to withdraw funds from a local ATM.
The ATM will give you local money and your bank at home will convert that into U.S. dollars.

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exchange cash, you’ll usually need your passport and bills in good condition (not worn, torn,
or dirty). New bills (post 2004) are best.

Please note that many banks in Europe will only exchange money for their own customers.
Never exchange money on the street. All exchange methods involve fees, which may be built
into the conversion rate; ask beforehand.

ATMs

When using the ATM, keep in mind that it may only accept cards from local banks, and may
not allow cash advances on credit cards; you might need to try more than one ATM or more
than one card.

Many banks charge a fee of $1-$5 each time you use a foreign ATM. Others may charge you a
percentage of the amount you withdraw. We recommend that you check with your bank before
you depart.

Lastly, don’t forget to memorize the actual digits of your card’s PIN number (many keypads at
foreign ATMs do not include letters on their keys—they only display numbers.)

The Baltics: International ATM networks are widely available throughout the Baltics, so ATMs
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Russia: International ATM networks are widely available in larger cities and small towns.

Poland: ATMs are widely available throughout larger cities and small towns in Poland.

Credit & Debit Cards

Even if you don’t plan on using a credit card during your trip, we still suggest that you bring
one or two as a backup, especially if you are planning a large purchase (artwork, jewelry).
We also suggest that you bring more than one brand of card (i.e. Visa, MasterCard, American
Express) if possible, because not every shop will take every card. For example, although the
Discover card is accepted in some countries outside the U.S., it is not widely adopted, so other
brands will work at a much larger range of stores, restaurants, etc.

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