[jyotirmoy]

Here are some of my views on this topic:

Nothing works better than cash!!! Yes very true. USD & Euros are best although Australian$, Canadian$ are good. Cash is easy to loose too. So consider bringing in a modest amount. Exchange some after arrival at any of the State run banks at the airporrt, just enough for say the pre-paid taxi, one night room rent and a bit extra for some eventualities.

Traveller's cheques are no good these days considering the amount you pay to buy as well as to sell them. But these are least prone to be stollen or misused. So consider this for use in emergency & allocate an amount.

ATM cards are definitely the best way. In India ATM's are every where(well not near Khatling glacier tho) so you can easily draw cash. Do check your bank about the charges levied on transactions. Many banks levy a fixed amount regardless of the amount being withdrawn so in that case avoid frequent withdrawls of small amounts.VISA ELECTRON & Mastercard seem to be most popular.

Credit Cards are definitely very good. In India in the cities & towns credit cards are accepted at most mid level to top level establishments. So use credit cards as much as possible & earn rewards point. Imagine a month or so later you are looking at how little u had paid for a candle lit dinner !!!

Please do not fall for guys offering you higher exchange rate than official. Remember if you are swindled you cant call the cops so stay away from such rackets... its simply not worth the risk.

[HowieUK]

For Members from the UK, The Nationwide, Flex Account, Debit card allows free withdrawals in any country. You can open an account with them purely to use for withdrawing money when you are out of the UK. The money comes straight out of the account so you must have the funds in the account in the UK!

This is different than using the Nationwide Classic Visa card that works like other visa cards where you use it and then pay later. If you withdraw money abroad with any Visa/Mastercard high charges will result!

Howie

[Seventies'Neil]

jyotirmoy, on May 14 2006, 08:30 AM, said:

Nothing works better than cash!!! Yes very true. USD & Euros are best although Australian$, Canadian$ are good. .

UK pound notes are accepted/exchanged everywhere too,,,,,,,,,,

[bloodypeasant]

We have just opened a Nationwide flexi account for our travels - it has a 6 figure pin - anyone know if this is going to be an issue in India?

[HowieUK]

I cannot remember fully, but I know that I have a four figure PIN!

What I did was change my PIN at a Nationwide ATM to a number I could remember which had four numbers in it!

Try that (the 6 number one you have maybe for activation purposes only) and if you cannot change it to four numbers go inside and ask them

Howie

[Serena]

I have never used travellers cheques in my travel.... simply don't understand them! Cash is better for me because you can change everywhere and in these days credit card for emergencies is good.

[vistet]

jyotirmoy, on May 14 2006, 09:30 AM, said:

Traveller's cheques are no good these days considering the amount you pay to buy as well as to sell them. But these are least prone to be stollen or misused. So consider this for use in emergency & allocate an amount.

I had a first last year : went in to a large bank in Simla, and they said flat no, no TC whatsoever. SBI took them instead.
I use two ATM cards, some cash and TC. I actually was offered and  got to exchange SEK to rupees at the Forex office in Stockholm, still technically illegal methinks.  
I also have online access to my bank via a code box ; should that ATM card get lost or stolen I could shift money over to the other card/bank.
ATMs are definitely the easiest , but  not infallible : max limits may vary, communication may be broken (had money on the third day of waiting in Leh last September).
Ironically , the first time my ATM card wasn´t working for a couple of hours in Dhasa, it was because  my home bank was offline.

[Strawberry_Blonde]

I have a First Direct Debit card and pay 9GBP per month for all free international transactions and get good rates when using HSBC cashpoints + other goodies such as phone insurance etc.

Taking more than one card is always a bonus as I have snapped a few when sitting on them in rickshaws and its pain waiting for a new one!

I also have an Indian HSBC account which has a 6 digit pin No so I don't think the Nationwide will give you any problems!

SB

[larki]

bloodypeasant,  can americans get this nationwide flex account???

Maybe I should not bring TC then and just some cash and ATM card, and Credit card?

I will be there for 3 months will that be ok??

[douglas]

yogagal, on May 20 2006, 04:41 PM, said:

larki, forget travelers checks.  just bring cash, an ATM card, and a credit card.

  No Larki it's only for us Brits.  When we opened our account we had to prove where we lived in the UK with utility bills and other bank account references.

[larki]

Yogagal  

what are the names of the gobal ATM's network?

being from a small town with small banks we might not have the option?

[jyotirmoy]

larki, on May 20 2006, 06:16 PM, said:

Yogagal  

what are the names of the gobal ATM's network?

being from a small town with small banks we might not have the option?

VISA Electron, Mastercard, Cyrus any one will do. Do not use your credit card to withdraw cash you end up paying a big interest... About credit cards Amex cards are accepted at mostly top end establishments so better bring Visa or mastercard cards.

[larki]

jyotirmoy, on May 20 2006, 11:59 PM, said:

VISA Electron, Mastercard, Cyrus any one will do. Do not use your credit card to withdraw cash you end up paying a big interest... About credit cards Amex cards are accepted at mostly top end establishments so better bring Visa or mastercard cards.

I just looked at the back of my ATM card   it says interlink and Cirrus   are either one useable in the big cities????    If not I better find another one uh?

Thanks

[WonderWomanUSA]

larki, on May 21 2006, 07:06 PM, said:

I just looked at the back of my ATM card   it says interlink and Cirrus   are either one useable in the big cities????    If not I better find another one uh?

I had a Cirrus card and no problems withdrawing cash from the machine.

Now I have a Citibank account; they are global and I saw several in the large citries of Inida, so I shouldn't have any problems with it.

[larki]

WonderWomanUSA, on May 21 2006, 08:48 PM, said:

I had a Cirrus card and no problems withdrawing cash from the machine.

Now I have a Citibank account; they are global and I saw several in the large citries of Inida, so I shouldn't have any problems with it.

Thanks, that makes me feel better,  was there any certain bank the uses the cirrus card????

How do I know what bank is global??   Is Bank of America global??

[dzibead]

Check out this link for citibank ATM's in India:

http://www.mapsofind.../atm/index.html

I also Googled "ATM" and "Cirrus"  and it turned up a number of links that let's you look up Cirrus ATM's around the world.  A lot of banks issue cards that are part of the Cirrus network.  

Look at the back of your ATM card to see the logos of the networks where you can use your card.  You can use it at any ATM that displays any of those logos, regardless of what bank issued your card and regardless of the bank where the ATM is located (although you'll probably have to pay a fee when you withdraw cash at an ATM at a bank other than the issuer of your card.)  The ATM card for my personal account has Cirrus, Interlink, Star, and Instant Cash logos, and the ATM card for my business account has Plus, Star, Interlink, and Instant Cash (don't know why it doesn't have Cirrus even though it's a newer card.)

Edited by dzibead, 22 May 2006 - 10:17 AM.

[susanj]

That info, is really helpful, I'll pop into Tunbridge Wells and go and get a Nationwide flexi account.  

Thanks. Susanj

[jw46]

WonderWomanUSA, on May 21 2006, 07:48 PM, said:

Now I have a Citibank account; they are global and I saw several in the large citries of Inida, so I shouldn't have any problems with it.

Opened a checking account with citibank for sole purpose of using debit card on my India Trip (93 Days and counting) knowing they have physical offices there, though few are on my planned travel route. Could go out of my way to get resolution in person if I have any problems...