brrrun
Traveller
1 comments
Posted 14 years ago
hello everyone
i too am planning an interrail for this summer, and between the HUGE amount of questions i have in my mind, the most pertinent are about money, so here it goes:
- since i don't have credit card, how unsafe is it to carry money on my bag (hidden place)
and...
- i heard that eastern europe is cheaper (which is where i want to go) but which countries exactly are we talking about (and e.g: how much per day for mostly supermarket food?)
thank you
Flo
Traveller
10725 comments
Hi!
I always carry cash with me; usually hidden at several places throughout the luggage... Never had troubles; take care to split it and not keep all your money at the same place. Also, if possible keep it apart from other documents (passport, ticket,...).
Eastern Europe for InterRailers are more or less the newest EU countries. In my experience price levels differ very much between large cities (especially the tourist hot spots) and the countryside/smaller cities. Cant give an estimate on supermarket prices though.
Flo 8)
brrrun
Traveller
1 comments
Hi!
And Thanks!
I've been thinking about visiting Prague, and i've heard that its expensive but only if you use common tourist spots, but that it can be really cheaps a street or two away from them, but i can't confirm that.
Anyway, another questions just popped into my head: is it usually too expensive to change euros into other countries coin? what's the most common (and cheapest) way of doing it?
Thanks again
Peter
Traveller
9339 comments
Hi.
I always use ATMs to get my money - then it depends on your credit card provider how much they charge as commission. Usually it is around 1.5% - but there are also some companies offering credit cards without commission fees.
Peter :)
Lordmwa
Traveller
117 comments
In the UK Norwich and Peteborough offer a current account and debit card that give any ATM / shop transactions in europe at 0%
nltrainer
Traveller
1478 comments
1.noone needs a creditcard to withdraw foreign money. ANYone with a bankaccount gets some ATM</bankcard for just that-plus that fees are most likely a lot lower on those cards.
2.in a tipical country supermarket prices do not or hardly-differ between big and small towns. In fact-why not simply say where you are from-that would make it so much easier- simply assume it cost the same as back home-for the same things-LOCAL style. It may turn out to be a few pence lower-but not half. Except are items that are mainly tax-like booze/alco, cigs and other unhealthy things. There the local tax is far more price-indicating. But if you cannot survive without exactly the same things as at home-then be prepared for nasty shocks- that stuff has to be imported.
For Brits; TESCO should be well known to you. It is also very big in countries like PL, CZ, HU. You can buy the locally produced and thus adapted to local taste things pretty cheaply. But if only imported from UK oatmeal biscuits are fit for your mouth-then you have to search hard and find some dusty spot where they may have a few of that-out of curiosity and for double the Biritsh price (transport also cost money).
But in general basic foodstuff like bread, milk, cheese, etc. nowadays hardly differ in price in all of the EU.
Peter
Traveller
9339 comments
These normal banking cards you are talking about need a MAESTRO sign. There are credit cards available without any withdraw fees.