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I have a friend coming to Egypt from the states, she wants to know if ATMS are readily available for use for her. I've never been here as a traveler and always just converted my US dollars into LE so I'm not really sure, can anyone help with advice? Thanks Posts: 13440 | Registered: Feb 2006
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There were ATMs in Alfa Market stores and all the hotels... I used them all the time, no problem. (Oh this was Cairo, I don't know about anywhere else).
Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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Yes, they are very readily available especially in big cities like Alex and Cairo. Just like in the states. It's nice because the ATM gives you LE so you don't have to worry about converting it.
Posts: 2735 | From: my desk | Registered: Jul 2005
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Visa cards & mastercards work well for me in here ...i also had a CIB ATM card but it was shi-t...sum times there r errors and sum times it didnt work ...but in Cairo u will find alot of ATM's
Posts: 420 | From: LALA Land | Registered: Apr 2005
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It was actually cheaper for me to use ATMs in Egypt than to use a *foreign* ATM here in the States...the fees are lower! Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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for me...I have a Canadian ATM Card...what it will do is...give me LE but then it will convert it to US first and then to Canadian! so it is a bit expensive! and for every intl ATM usage it is like $3 or $4
Posts: 183 | From: Toronto, Canada / Cairo, Egypt | Registered: May 2006
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Really? They don't just give you LE? That's weird! I have a US ATM card from my bank and the ATMs wouldn't give me US$ even if I wanted it.
Posts: 2735 | From: my desk | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by With a name like Smuckers: so the money comes from the ATM in LE ?
Yes, it's Egyptian money. On your bank statement, it will have been deducted in U.S. dollars, but what comes out of the machine, and what is on the receipt, is Egyptian pounds.
In the Sheraton Heliopolis and the Sonesta in Helioplis, there are money exchange counters as well. I think the ATMs are the easiest though, although I tried getting 800 pounds out once and the machine didn't have it, so if you want large amounts, an exchange counter might be necessary.
Posts: 8794 | From: 01-20-09 The End of an Error | Registered: Dec 2004
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whatever she does advise her NOT to take the new american express travellers cheque CARD... its not accepted anywhere... the American Egyptian Bank took it twice, then refused it! even the thomas cook (which is where i bought it under their recommendation) wouldnt take it!!!
Posts: 5642 | From: hellonearth.myfastforum.org Forum Index | Registered: Feb 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Charm El Feikh?: whatever she does advise her NOT to take the new american express travellers cheque CARD... its not accepted anywhere... the American Egyptian Bank took it twice, then refused it! even the thomas cook (which is where i bought it under their recommendation) wouldnt take it!!!
Thanks for that piece of info, I have been thinking about getting one of those - could you use it in the ATM?
I've found my Barclaycard works in all the ATMs but as someone else said, if you need a lot, you might have to take it out in parts from different machines. My Lloyds Bank debit card also worked in the ATMs but the maximum I could take out on that was a lot lower than on the Barclaycard.
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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nope.... NO ONE accepted it. my bank cards were fine... i could use them in all banks/atms/hotels/restaurants etc... but the AE travchek card was a joke...
when i came home i complained, and they said "sorry, you should never have been recommended that for egypt"
Posts: 5642 | From: hellonearth.myfastforum.org Forum Index | Registered: Feb 2006
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oh... and i wasnt the only one in the hotel complaining about it... i met a few people who were all having the same problem.
Posts: 5642 | From: hellonearth.myfastforum.org Forum Index | Registered: Feb 2006
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The ATM's I have used give out a maximum of LE500, you can keep putting your card in but of course you get charged each time.
Has anyone tried these new currecy exchange machines? I have not been brave enough yet.
Posts: 3809 | From: Paradise | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Penny: The ATM's I have used give out a maximum of LE500, you can keep putting your card in but of course you get charged each time.
Has anyone tried these new currecy exchange machines? I have not been brave enough yet.
I think I managed to get 4000LE out of one ATM in Luxor!
Posts: 5593 | From: Egypt | Registered: Dec 2005
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THEY HAVE ALOT OF BRANCHES IN STATES CALLED MARINE MIDDLAND U COULD WITHDRAW FROM HERE AND DEPOSIT THERE AND VICE VERSA ITS THE MOST POPULAR HERE IN EGYPT TOO AND EASILY FOUND AT ANY PLACE
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The set amounts in Egyptian ATMs go up to 500LE, but there is a button called Other Amount, where you can type in the amount you want, up to the daily limit on your card.
Posts: 26 | From: Luxor | Registered: Dec 2005
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I used them all the time, no problem. (Oh this was Cairo, I don't know about anywhere else).
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