Visit China

Question:

|> The American Express Express Cash book is easier to get, just call Amex. |> Express Cash machines also exist in places that Plus and Cirrus have |> little or no market penetration (e.g., Netherlands, Greece) but do not Small correction: Cirrus has good penetration in the Netherlands. Plus only little (VSB Bank carries Plus). Hans.

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In addition to the many other things that I need to learn about for a 1yr. world trip,  what is the easiest way to get foreign $?.  Where can I get a list of world wide ATM’s?  Thanks, Connie

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>In addition to the many other things that I need to learn about for a >1yr. world trip,  what is the easiest way to get foreign $?.  Where can >I get a list of world wide ATM’s?  Thanks,

I’ve been trying to get such a thing for a long time. The best I’ve found is that Cirrus has a 1-800 number ATM locator (call 1.800.555.1212 to get the number) staffed by people who have never heard of cities like "Cairo" and "Hong Kong" but are pleasant enough to look them up. If you email me your itinerary I can tell you which places that I’ve been to in the past year or two had working ATMs. Follow-ups set to rec.travel.misc miguel

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>> … what is the easiest way to get foreign $?.  Where can > I get a list of world wide ATM’s?  Thanks,

> I’ve been trying to get such a thing for a long time. The best I’ve found is > that Cirrus has a 1-800 number ATM locator…

Plus System, Cirrus, and American Express Express Cash machines are present to varying degrees in most foreign countries.  For example, in Hong Kong, you probably never more than 3 blocks from an ATM that will take your card.  As of a year ago, the situation in Japan was quite different.  Most Japanese cities have relatively few US-compatible ATMs (on the order of 5 or 10) while some large Japanese cities have no US-compatible ATMs at all (Odawara comes to mind). The Plus System publishes a worldwide ATM locator guide (it’s about the size of a paperback book).  American Express also publishes a similar guide.  The Plus book is pretty hard to get; I went to about 3 different branches of my bank before I found anyone who had ever heard of such a thing, and then they were very reluctant to give me one of the "very few" that they had.   The American Express Express Cash book is easier to get, just call Amex. Express Cash machines also exist in places that Plus and Cirrus have little or no market penetration (e.g., Netherlands, Greece) but do not take as many types of cards.  Either your bank must be affiliated with the Express Cash network or you must have an Amex card and be pre-enrolled in their Express Cash program. | The opinions expressed above are my own and do not necessarily          | | represent those of The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA.           | |                                                                         |

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