5 essential tips for using ATM’s in Rome and Italy

18. Aug, 2010 0 Comments

Credit Cards, and how to handle them in Rome.
Photo by TheTruthAbout via Flickr.

The most popular way of withdrawing euros is Europe is by ATM or cash machine. Most banks support a variety of foreign credit and debit cards, and European ATM’s also sport multilingual interfaces, so you should be able to do transactions in English.

So, using an ATM in Rome will be a piece of cake, right? Right! At least as long as you pay attention to the following tips before you leave:

Your PIN-number

Besides the obvious need for a debit card you’ll also need a PIN code to use one. Please be aware that European PIN codes consist purely out of (four) numbers, and most European ATM keypads only offer numbers, not letters. Make sure your PIN consists out of four numbers before you leave.

Foreign transactions

Before going to Rome, contact your bank to ensure your card will work in Italy. Some banks might block foreign withdrawals or any other suspicious spending patterns as a way of protecting you, so alert them you’ll be making withdrawals from Italy.

Withdrawal limits

Most banks will charge you a transaction fee each time you withdraw money from an ATM in Europe, so it might be in your interest to boost your withdrawal limit for the duration of your stay. Simply limiting the amount of times you’ll have to withdraw money by carrying larger amounts of cash on you is an easy way to avoid these transaction fees.

Just make sure your cash is tucked away somewhere safe, for example in a money belt you wear underneath your clothing for example.

Side note: besides your bank’s daily withdrawal limit, there’s often also a withdrawal limit on the ATM itself. Most ATM’s only hand out up to € 250 at a time.

ATM acting funny?

When an ATM won’t give you money, don’t count on it giving a clear message about what the problem is. You might be asked to contact your bank for problems with your card, for example.

More often than not, however, the problem has something to do with the ATM itself or the fact that your card simply isn’t supported.

Look for the logos on your card – can you see them on the ATM? If not, don’t even bother trying it. If your card doesn’t work with one ATM, always try another first before calling your bank in a state of panic.

If an ATM machine swallowed your card, visit the bank immediately if they’re open. If not, contact your bank as soon as possible – they’ll know what to do, and they can often give you a replacement card as well if needed. Also, double check to see if your card isn’t just stuck, for example.

Help, I lost my credit card!

In case of loss or theft, contact your credit card company as soon as possible! They can block all transactions on your card and keep others from plundering your bank account should someone have gotten a hold of your PIN number somehow. As said before, your bank might also be able to give you a replacement card from a regional office in Rome.

Call the following numbers for assistance with your card:

Diner’s Club: 800-864-064 (toll free Italy, 24hrs)
Citybank: 800-080-030 (toll free Italy)
Discover: 001-801-902-3100 (collect call to US)
Mastercard, Diamond Card, Union Card and Eurocard: 800-870-866 (toll free Italy, 24hrs)
Visa: 800-877-232 (toll free Italy, 24hrs)