card abroad. An overview of the best travel maps: tips for choosing and using them wisely. What you should pay attention to

Going on a trip, we calculate the funds that we will take with us on the tour in advance. So, we ask ourselves a topical question: what kind of card is useful in Europe and will help not to overpay? Is it profitable to pay by card?

In this article, we will talk about what cards are available, why cash is needed, how banks convert the ruble into euros, how much we pay for it and how not to spend too much.

Bank cards. Which one to choose?

There are several options for payment systems. The most popular: Visa, MasterCard, MIR.

For traveling around Europe, it is better to choose MasterCard cards. With this system, the conversion of funds when paying for purchases in a currency other than the ruble is automatically performed in euros.

The currency of Visa cards is the US dollar, in dollar-denominated countries it is more convenient. But in Europe you will have to pay for double conversion, ruble-dollar-euro. If you are in Hungary, for example, where the currency is the Hungarian forint, then get ready to pay according to the ruble-dollar-euro-forint scheme.

MasterCard comes in different levels. And, depending on the level of the card, the terms of service also change.

1. Initial: Maestro- usually these are social cards (pension, scholarship, less often - salary). These cards for trips abroad must be activated by calling the bank that issued the card before the trip. Important: Maestro Momentum cannot be used outside the Russian Federation.
2. Standard: MasterCard Standard- cards work abroad without problems.
3. Premium: MasterCard Gold or Platinum- give a lot of additional goodies, but have a higher price for annual maintenance. They work abroad. Very often, these cards come with a package of various bonuses for holders, often Schengen insurance for a year, but these are shares of banks issuing the card. We advise you to compare offers in advance, it may be beneficial for you to issue a premium card despite the price for service, because it will more than cover these costs with bonuses.

MasterCard calculates the rate on the day of payment at the rate of your bank + % for the conversion.

If you want to withdraw cash in Europe, then check the fees of banks for withdrawing funds in advance. It is better not to withdraw cash from third-party ATMs, because this entails at least a double commission if the card is in rubles.

Based on personal experience, we immediately say that it is always better to have a certain minimum of cash. Take at least 20% of the euros prepared for the trip in small bills for small expenses and excursions.

Will my travel card be suitable?

So, we found out that for the least expensive travel in Europe, you should choose MasterCard cards.

Important: To pay with a card while traveling, be sure to notify the bank in advance by phone about the dates of the trip and the countries in which you plan to use the card. Sberbank usually does not pay attention to the geography of payments. But Alpha can safely block the card for a suspicious transaction from a small village near Munich.

Warn banks about when and in which countries you will pay by card. At the same time, find out from the operator all the percentages for conversion, commission and exchange rate, and the percentage for withdrawing from an ATM.

What to do in countries where the local currency is in use?

Some European countries have their own currency. For example, in the Czech Republic - the Czech crown. In Hungary it is forint. The Scandinavians also do not want the euro, they have crowns - Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, respectively. Switzerland is a stable country where the Swiss franc is used. But in Poland - złoty.

Let's imagine such a eurotrip: You go through Finland (euro) to Sweden (Swedish kroner), then you ride through the fjords of Norway for Norwegian kroner, and everything ends with Denmark and back with Sweden and Finland. Such a story will be in this tour: Norwegian Fjords with Bergen – 7 days

Buying 100,500 unknown Scandinavian money is difficult, calculating expenses in advance is also not easy, looking for rare crowns and buying them in different exchangers in order to win on rates is a waste of invaluable time, and in multicurrency exchangers it will be unprofitable. Changing cash in every country from the euro is an option, but do not forget about the exchange fee =)

The map option would look something like this:

In Norway, you wanted to ride the funicular in Bergen. The cost is, say, 150 NOK (Norwegian krone). You pay for the purchase of a ticket with a ruble MasterCard Standart card:

The terminal asks the Norwegian bank for 150 kroons - a Norwegian bank requests these kroons from the MasterCard payment system - MasterCard changes NOK to EUR at its own rate (for example, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation + 2%) 150 NOK = 17 EUR and charges 1.5% on top for the exchange, the purchase amount is now 17.3 EUR - after that MasterCard requests 17.3 EUR from your bank in Russia - a bank in the Russian Federation checks the account and sees that the card is in rubles. He transfers 17.3 EUR at his own rate of 70 RUB for 1 euro (Central Bank of the Russian Federation + 1.5%) into rubles - the Bank of the Russian Federation writes off 1211 rubles - You ride the funicular and enjoy Bergen, the overpayment is 5%

Now clearly:

The dialogue between the payment system and banks could look exactly like this, but this is not accurate =)

Commission for transfers (crown (or other currency) - euro-ruble) is usually available on the websites of banks. In our example, the commissions are averaged, for a more round account.

If the card is in currency

Do not forget about the existence of currency cards in dollars or euros. If you travel frequently (more than 3 times a year), you can get a currency card. However, for a single use, it will be disadvantageous, since the cost of registration (maintenance) is usually about 30 euros / dollars.

Currency cards are convenient and advantageous if you travel frequently during the year or plan an expensive purchase. For example, buy an iPhone in Finland or shop heartily at branded outlets near Naples.

Also, a currency card will be more profitable if you pay according to the scheme “buy a cable car ticket for Norwegian kroner”.

In this case, the bank in the Russian Federation says “OK” right away and does not convert euros into rubles at the rate with interest. This means that the overpayment will be 3.5% instead of 5%. On small purchases, this affects imperceptibly. And large acquisitions are few, but cheaper.

In the case of paying for purchases in European countries, a currency card will bring some more money saved.

With a currency card, it is a little easier to withdraw euros from ATMs abroad - there is no conversion fee and only the withdrawal fee remains. There are banks that offer cash withdrawals from partner ATMs without commission, but you need to withdraw a certain amount. Specify the features of withdrawal in your bank.

So, let's sum it up:

1. We take MasterCard to Europe (Standard is better).
2. We call the bank and inform the travel dates and countries so that the card is not blocked.
3. We take 20% of the amount in cash in euros (just in case and to pay for excursions).
4. Remember about currency conversion. It is better to make expensive purchases with a currency card or pay in cash.
5. We specify in advance the commission for conversion and for cash withdrawal in Europe, in case you urgently need more cash.
6. If the purchases are small, then we don’t worry about conversions, they do not exceed 3-7% of the purchase price.

• Which bank cards better to start for travel?
• Where and in what way is it worth keeping money abroad so as not to lose money on a transfer?
• Why a credit card for a traveler?
• What is the safest way to store money?
• Do you need cash while traveling? And other questions.

Major banks have long offered a variety of debit and credit cards designed specifically for travel.

Bank cards greatly simplify the cash flow on vacation and can easily replace the use of cash.

Besides favorable payment terms for travel will help you save thanks to a variety of bonus offers and loyalty programs.

So you can book a hotel at a discount, buy an air ticket at the best price, and even get cashback on your card.

Choosing the best bank card for travel

Well-Known Banks Provide Many Options plastic cards for traveling both within the country and abroad, for a profitable purchase of railway or air tickets, and it is not easy to choose from a large number of them.

Each card has its own tariffs, terms of service, benefits and pitfalls.

1. The most popular cards for travel — with the possibility of cashback: monthly, the bank credits the account with a refund in a certain percentage of the payment for goods.
2. Some banks charge a percentage of the account balance every month. Such cards, as a rule, contain discount programs for the purchase of services needed by the tourist.
3. Common credit cards for those who want to travel. They allow you to make a trip for credit funds provided by the bank. After some time, you need to return the money to the credit account. Money is paid out for a certain period of time set by the bank, without surcharges and interest.

When choosing a plastic card for travel, convenient and profitable, pay attention to:

1. Firstly, it is necessary to clarify which card involves the calculation. If you plan to travel abroad, then the card must support the international payment function. There are bank cards for use within the country.
2. Secondly, you should clarify what the cost of servicing the card is. Often, if the annual service is inexpensive, the bank takes a considerable percentage for cashing out money.
3. Third, it is important to know if the bank charges a percentage for cross-border payment when paying for goods if the payment by card is not in the local currency. If you do not know these features, then impressive amounts can run up when using the card.

Therefore, before applying, it is important to clarify:

• Which payment system is more convenient to use in the country where you plan to travel (Visa or MasterCard);
• Does the card allow making payments abroad? or only works within the country;
• What is the cost of servicing the card whether it will be profitable to use it;
• Does the card have SMS - banking (3D secure), which will allow each transaction to be noticed due to SMS alerts coming to your phone;
• Interest for receiving cash at an ATM;
• Does the card have a pay pass? This type of payment is now very popular due to its high speed and the ability to save up to 20% on purchases from the usual cost;
• Other partner banks(where you can additionally withdraw cash);
• Interest for cross-border payment.

For greater comfort, you can get two or three bank cards for different purposes. In addition, having a spare card can help out if something happens to the main one, for example, they block it far from home.

Summary table of bank cards

"Tinkoff" bank, ruble card "Black"

To date, Tinkoff Bank issues only one debit card - "Tinkoff Black" related to the Visa payment system. Before that, it was issued in the MasterCard system, but now Tinkoff Bank does not allow customers to choose a payment system.

Tinkoff Black allows you to store funds in different currencies: rubles, dollars or euros, which is very convenient for traveling abroad. But this card is most beneficial for traveling to America.

• Main advantage– guaranteed cashback when paying for goods and services with a card ( from 1% to 5%, and special offers up to 30% ) and the regular receipt of interest from the remaining amount in the bank account ( from 3% to 6% depending on the size of the balance ). Thanks to this, Tinkoff Black is very attractive in everyday use.
• Customers do not pay for card maintenance if they have a cash deposit in Tinkoff Bank from 30 thousand rubles. or issued a loan. The rest of the cardholders must pay for the service every month in the amount of 99 r. For the year, this commission is slightly more 1.000 rubles. Payment for using a currency card is slightly cheaper ( 1$ monthly ).
• You can withdraw money from any ATM without overpayment of interest, if the amount to be withdrawn is more than 3 thousand rubles. And if the amount is less, then you have to pay a minimum 100 rubles commissions.
• It is possible to withdraw cash without interest in any country in the world.
• Monthly you can make interest-free transfers between cards up to 20 thousand rubles.
• SMS alerts are linked to the Tinkoff Black card for which there is no additional charge.
• SMS banking service, informing about all transactions performed, stands less than 500 rubles for the whole year .

In order to travel with Tinkoff Black you should know:

• Ruble or other currency in $ are converted according to the rate of the MasterCard payment system.
• , no commission is charged on purchases.
• Convert $ to rubles carried out according to the quotations of Tinkoff Bank, which are +2% to the rate of the Central Bank.

Tinkoff, All Airlines credit card

The Tinkoff All Airlines credit card is very beneficial for traveling:

• Maximum amount the loan is 700 thousand. Without interest, the loan can be repaid in no more than 55 days.
• The cost of annual maintenance of a credit card is 1890 rubles.
• Assumes the accrual of cashback(miles) and bonuses for active use on trips. 1 mile is equal to 1 ruble . With bonus percentages (miles) you can buy plane tickets for all major airlines.
  Bonus interest is accrued on the card when paying for the following categories:
  1. Hotel bookings and car rentals ( 10% of the cost of services ).
  2. Purchasing train and plane tickets ( 5% off the purchase of goods ).
  3. Other categories ( 2% ).
• Availability of free insurance for the owner of "AllAirlines" to travel to any country in the world.
• Ruble is converted to USD at the rate of Visa or MasterCard.
• Cross-border payment is free, when paying for All Airlines purchases abroad, interest is not charged.
• 2% according to the bank's internal quotes. The value of the Central Bank +2% .
• Additional promotions, bonuses and gift miles intended for travelling.

From a card that has credit funds, cash is not received in hand, because. There are very high commissions for this. Payment is made by bank transfer.

Tinkoff, credit "Platinum"

Tinkoff Platinum is the most popular credit card at Tinkoff Bank, it is processed very quickly, without many questions and complex checks.

• Maximum loan amount on the card is 300 thousand rubles. Interest-free term - up to 55 days.
• Maintenance cost - about 600 rubles per year.
• Cashback from 1% for any purchase up to 30% for purchases of goods on promotions and offers from partners.
• Money conversion about the rate of payment systems.
• Cross-border commission is not charged.
• Losses when converting $ into rubles — 2% according to the bank's internal quotes. The value of the Central Bank +2% .

Tinkoff offers all its customers to use a free internet bank and a free mobile app to all platforms.

With their help, you can quickly and conveniently perform many operations (payment automation, checking in your personal account and paying fines, money transfers, reporting on all transactions).

Also, in the Internet bank, it is advisable to warn the bank about the upcoming trip abroad, which will warn against unexpected erroneous blocking of the card abroad.

Corn, ruble «MasterCard World»

Another convenient card for foreign trips is Maize MasterCard World from Euroset. The card is issued in any Euroset store in 5 minutes, it is not registered and you do not need to pay for it.

With its help, you can pay for plane tickets in Russia and abroad, book hotels, pay for restaurants and purchases in European countries.

The main benefits of the card are:

• Accumulation of bonuses with each purchase: cashback 1,5% , and for purchases from partners up to 30% .
• Savings on currency conversion, due to the fact that in European stores money is debited from a bank card at the rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. You don't have to pay any interest on top.
• Settlement abroad and in foreign online stores without additional interest, at the rate of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
• Withdraw cash from an ATM (up to 50.000 rubles per month) is possible without interest when connecting the service "percentage on the balance" ( 3-7% per annum). Otherwise, the commission will be 1% .
• Cross-border commission not charged.

The price for using a card and SMS informing at the moment is 200 rubles per year . You can use the free internet banking and mobile application.

The ruble card "Beeline" is very similar to "Corn", it is also not issued by a bank, not registered and has a similar tariff plan.

But this card more suitable for Beeline subscribers, because Accrued bonuses from purchases can be used to pay for mobile communications. And also to pay for purchases up to 99% in Beeline branded stores and partners.

More about the map:

• When connecting the service "percentage on the balance" There is no commission for cash withdrawals. If the service is not connected or the withdrawal amount exceeds 50,000 rubles, then the commission will be 1% .
• Cashback for purchases from 1 to 5% in selected categories.
• Transferring a ruble account to USD according to the MasterCard rate.
• Cross-border commission not charged.
• When transferring USD to rubles, there is no loss of interest. The exchange rate of the bank is equal to the exchange rate of the Central Bank.
• There is no fee for using and SMS informing, with a daily amount on the card from 3.000 rubles and the connected service "percentage on the balance".
• Monthly credited to the card balance 7% .

Sberbank, ruble "Visa" or "MasterCard"

Sberbank issues classic debit bank cards with the main payment systems Visa and MasterCard. Sberbank is the most popular bank in the Russian Federation, and therefore these cards are the most common.

For travel, the card is convenient because a foreign currency account can be opened in rubles, US dollars or euros.

Custom features:

• In the first year the cost of use is 750 rubles, the second and subsequent years - 450 rubles .
• Special Thank You Program allows you to return for purchases 0,5% and for special offers up to 20% . 1 bonus corresponds to 1 p. , you can use them to make purchases from program partners.
• Additional commission for receiving money in “foreign” ATMs 1% .
• Transferring a ruble account to USD according to the MasterCard rate.
• Cross-border commission not charged.
• When transferring $ to Russian currency is lost 1,5-3% .

Ruble banking Visa from Sberbank is less profitable. Losses in cross-border transactions using such a card can be up to 4%. In general, using Sberbank cards while traveling, you can lose a considerable percentage of the exchange rate difference, because Sberbank rates in the financial market are the most disadvantageous.

Sberbank offers its clients to use the following services: Sberbank Online, mobile application or mobile bank.

Alfa-Bank, Visa or MasterCard in rubles

The main advantage of the Alfa-Bank bank card is that it is allowed to link several accounts in different monetary units to one card and change as needed online.

This is very convenient and saves the wallet from a mountain of plastic cards.

More about this bank card:

• Annual use without commission when you connect one of the many packages offered. The cheapest "Optimum" costs 199 rubles per month and 2189 rubles per year respectively. If the account contains from 100,000 rubles or card purchases from 20,000 rubles per month, then you do not need to pay for the package.
• Commission is 1% for receiving cash from ATMs of other banks.
• Transferring a ruble account to USD in accordance with the course "MasterCard" or "Visa".
• There is a cross-border commission, which is 2,5% from the purchase amount.
• Upon receipt of funds or using the card abroad, losses may amount to 2,5-3,5% from the sum.

Alfa-Bank offers a large number of cards and package offers for travelers: Aeroflot, Alfa-Miles, Russian Railways, World Black Edition with free cash withdrawal abroad, S7 Priority, CashBack, which allows you to return up to 10% from gas station services, 5% for restaurants and cafes and 1% from other purchases. The cost of servicing such a card is 1990 rubles per year.

Alfa-Bank also offers credit cards for travelers with a credit limit from 300.000 rubles to 1.000.000 rubles and an interest-free period of up to 100 days.

Other cards

Now there are a lot of offers for travelers on the bank card market, and every year banks offer new, more favorable conditions and bonuses.

Cashback cards are the most popular, but, nevertheless, each person has his own needs and tasks that a payment card must perform.

Someone on a trip visits new restaurants every day or often flies abroad for shopping, while someone likes to rent a car and travel around the country.

Accordingly, it is necessary to choose favorable conditions on the card individually.

Debit cards with good conditions for traveling:

• Bank SIAB: "Cash Back Online" up to 5% card purchases) and Cash Back Online Business Class, a card designed specifically for travel.
• MTS Bank: "MTS Money Weekend", "MTS Money Premium".
• Russian Standard Bank": "British Airways MasterCard", "Miles & More" and others.

Travel credit cards are:

• Bank opening": "Travel", "Russian Railways".
• MTS Bank
• Bank URALSIB: "World MasterCard Black Edition", "All the World".
• Russian Standard Bank": "American Express", "RSB Travel" and others.

Separately, it is worth noting the credit card of Avangard Bank - MasterCard World:

• This card provides good credit under 24%.
• Interest-free repayment period loan is 50 days.
• Price per use- near 85 p. per month(1000 rubles per year).
• There is 1% cashback from making purchases, but there is no accrual of % of the balance to the account.
• Withdrawing cash is not profitable, as with any card that has credit funds. The commission fee is 150 rubles.
• Main advantage– free annual travel insurance for any trips, including luggage insurance. The sum insured is 60 thousand euros. This insurance is also suitable for obtaining a Schengen visa, which is an even bigger plus and speeds up the procedure for obtaining a visa. Seemingly expensive service at first glance, is justified many times over, thanks to good privileges for an avid traveler.

Bank cards in other currencies: dollars and euros

Before you go on a trip, you need to understand in which currency it is more convenient to store and use money in the future. For example, if you receive a salary in rubles, then you should get the main payment bank card - ruble.

It is worth figuring out what currencies the world's payment systems work in:

• "Master Card"- the payment system of Europe, respectively, and payments are made in euros.
• "Visa"– US payment system with settlements in USD.

It is most effective to open an account in the currency corresponding to the payment system in order to avoid double conversion and overpayments. It is especially not profitable if the transfer takes place at the internal rate of the bank, and not at the rates of "Visa" or "Master Card".

In general, currency cards are convenient to use when traveling abroad and before them, saving foreign money to a bank account and not being afraid of a change in the ruble exchange rate.

Bank Tinkoff

Cards of this popular bank can be issued in any currency and used according to the following principle:

• In the countries of the Eurozone use a card with a Euro account.
• In other states it is more efficient to use an account in USD.
• Withdrawing money from ATMs no commission is possible from 100 euros / dollars.
• Card maintenance - 1 c.u. per month. If the card contains more than 1,000 euros/dollars, then no usage fee is charged.
• Cross-border commission not charged.
• Cashback 1%.

Sberbank

When receiving local currency at ATMs from the Visa card of Sberbank, the cross-border commission will be 0,75-2% . The percentage is formed in accordance with the premium level of the card.

The most common Sberbank Classic cards are withdrawn 2% from the sum.

Rules for calculating with currency cards of Sberbank:

• In the Eurozone use the card in Euro.
• In countries where settlement is carried out in dollars use a dollar card.
• In countries where other currencies are used It is more profitable to use a MasterCard dollar card.
• Monthly maintenance fee is 2.5 euro/dollar in the first year of use and 1.6 euro/dollar per month in the second and subsequent years.
• Cash withdrawal fee at an ATM 1% .

Home Credit Bank"

For plastic cards of Home Credit Bank, the settlement currency directly depends on the payment system to which the card is linked.

With the help of "Visa" you can only pay in USD, and by "Master Card" in euros, respectively.

Features of using cards in foreign currency:

• Are issued free of charge.
• Cross-border commission is not charged.
• For each cash withdrawal, a fee is charged 3 euro/dollar .

For a year of active use, a decent amount can run up.

Bank VTB 24

Bank "VTB 24" carries out all transactions and transfers only through USD. And in the case of payment in euros with a non-euro card, several conversions with overpayments will be made.

Conditions for using a currency card:

• Price per year of use classic package - 1080 r.
• No commission charged for servicing the card with expenses exceeding 20 thousand rubles or $300 for 30 days.
• Withdraw money from ATMs possible with payment 1% from the sum.

Alfa-Bank, Raiffeisenbank, Citibank

• Alfa-Bank charges a cross-border commission for all payments not only for cards with a ruble account, but also for currency cards. The commission is about 2,5% .
• Raiffeisenbank also charges interest for cross-border payments, but slightly less than Alfa-Bank - 1,65% .
• Citibank is the most inconvenient for issuing cards in euros or dollars. Although he offers conditions for opening multicurrency cards, the most unfavorable rates are in Citibank.

Why does a traveler need a credit card?

Credit cards are a useful travel tool.

You may need a credit card in the following cases:

1. When renting a car;
2. Booking a private house, villa for a long time;
3. If you need to make a deposit, bail;
4. If you urgently need money, and you do not have enough money of your own.

Those. a credit card may not be needed on a trip unless one of the items above is planned, but most often it is needed.

Let me give you an example from life: in 2012, I missed a long-haul flight from the US to Russia. I was asked to pay $1,000 to take the next flight without violating the terms of my US visa.

At that moment, I did not have enough money to pay the required amount for the airline and I stayed for a long time in the USA, after which, the next year, I was denied a US visa.

Everything could have been fine in this story if I had a credit card with me and could fly out of the US on the same day.

Choose a credit card with the longest grace period. Grace period is a period of time when you can return the entire amount borrowed from the card back without interest. Most often, banks offer credit cards with a grace period of 50 to 100 days.

With what currency on the account is it more profitable to travel?

The choice of a monetary unit for a bank card directly depends on the region of travel, on what currency is there.

• If a trip is planned to Europe, then it is most advantageous to take a MasterCard payment system card with you, and if you go to countries where payment is made in $, then it will be advantageous to use a Visa card in USD.
• If you receive your salary in rubles, then for short trips it is better to use the ruble card "Visa" or "Master card".
• Multicurrency card is not very convenient to use, so it's better to have separate cards to store each currency.
• You should also pay attention to what quotes are used for transfers in c.u. bank. Ideally, if it works at the cost of the Central Bank, but banks often add 1-3% to this rate. These will be losses during the exchange on a foreign currency account.
• If we talk about the payment systems "Visa" and "Master Card", then they are both international and operate all over the world. The main difference between the systems is the currency through which they work. "Visa" converts rubles through dollars, and "MasterCard" through euros.

Traveling to the USA: choose "Visa", account in USD

Features of using a plastic card in the United States of America:

1. Upon receipt in the USA of money in USD at an ATM, the following will be withdrawn from the card:
   • The requested amount in $.
   • ATM withdrawal rate set by a US bank.
2. With a cashless payment
3. If the account is in rubles, then each time you cash out money at an ATM and pay by card, the transfer of rubles to USD will be made at the rate of "Visa". There are online currency converters on the Internet and it is possible to foresee the size of the commission in advance.
4. If the Visa card is opened in Eurocurrency

For travel within the USA the best option is to open a bank card "Visa" in USD.

Travel to Europe: choose "MasterCard", an account in Eurocurrency

Features of using a plastic card in European countries:

1. When receiving money in Europe in Eurocurrency at an ATM, the following will be debited from the card:
   • The required amount in euros.
   • Withdrawal percentage set by the Russian bank that issued the card.
   • Percentage for withdrawing funds from an ATM, set by the Bank of Europe.
2. Before the trip, you should carefully consider the conditions for issuing money. in foreign banks, and find ATMs without commissions.
3. With a cashless payment in the store, additional interest will not be charged and the calculation will be equal to the price indicated on the product, which is very convenient and profitable.
4. If the account is in rubles, then each time you cash out money at an ATM and pay by card, rubles will be converted into eurocurrency at the MasterCard rate. There are online currency converters on the Internet and it is possible to foresee the size of the commission in advance.
5. If the MasterCard card is opened in USD, then a double unprofitable transfer of money with high surcharges will be carried out.
6. For traveling around Europe The best option would be to issue a MasterCard card in Eurocurrency.

With what card to travel around Asia and other countries?

I am on the 29th floor of the Sofitel So Hotel, overlooking the green Lumpini Park, in Bangkok (Thailand).

As an example, let's take the most popular tourist country in Asia - Thailand:

In order to withdraw Thai baht from a ruble card, the bank will make several conversions:

1. Convert baht to c.u. corresponding to the card payment system (“Visa” or “Master Card”).
2. Then c.u. will be converted into rubles at high domestic bank quotations.

With such a transfer, there will be an inevitable withdrawal of additional funds due to bank commissions.

It is most advantageous to take Visa cards in USD or Master Card in Eurocurrency on a trip. In this case, only one money transfer will be made: from Thai baht to y.e., provided by the card.

Any country can be considered according to a similar scheme, but the fact remains that a bank card in rubles is unprofitable for traveling abroad and the calculation on it will lead to the payment of commission interest.

It will be doubly unprofitable to buy dollars in Russia and exchange them for Thai baht already in Thailand.

How to withdraw cash while traveling and not pay a commission to a foreign bank?

When receiving money from an ATM abroad, foreign banks often charge commissions. In order not to overpay for a commission, you need to find a branch of a bank or a correspondent bank, and contact the employee at the cash desk. In this case, no interest will be charged for receiving money. But there are exceptions to these rules.

For example, some banks set a commission for serving tourists at the cash desk of the branch. Or, on the contrary, banks that dispense local money at ATMs without interest. Everything depends on the policy of the state and the banking system in it.

Summing up, it should be noted that a plastic travel card is a necessary thing that provides comfort and safety. And a bank card with special programs and promotions for travelers is a real find for those who often travel abroad.

Do I need cash dollars (euros) when traveling?

My 100% answer is yes. Although we live in the information age, when in Iceland you can even pay for the toilet with a bank card, we may still need cash when traveling.

When do you need cash while traveling?

1. If there are no ATMs in the city (on the island) where you are going. This is possible in third world countries.
2. If your bank cards are blocked. It happens that even several bank cards are blocked in a short time and then there is no choice - you have to pay in cash (dollars, euros).
3. If it is impossible to withdraw money from ATMs at the airport. I had a case in Sri Lanka, where 4 ATMs in a row showed a refusal to issue cash, and because. it was late at night, we decided to take a taxi to the guesthouse for cash dollars.

Perhaps you have other reasons to take cash with you.

No need to take a lot of cash (euro, dollars) with you. It is enough to take from 100 dollars for the whole trip. After all, as a rule, they are needed only in extreme cases.

Of course, this rule does not apply to countries where the national currency is the euro or the dollar.

The result for selecting a traveler's bank card

1. Open bank cards in 3 main payment systems:
   • Visa;
2. american express.
3. Card type:
   • Debit card
   • Credit card. Such a card is useful when traveling, for example, for renting a car or making a deposit at a hotel when bail funds are blocked. Having such a card, you do not need to save additional amounts for such services.
4. Settlement card type:
   • internal;
   • International - this is what you need for trips abroad.
5. You can benefit from the card:
   • Thanks to the "Cash back" function for purchases of goods up to 30%
   • Return of interest on the balance of funds up to 10%
   • Accumulation of bonus points and miles and purchases with their help of air tickets, train tickets, payment for mobile communications, etc.
6. It is more convenient to have special cards for different currencies, corresponding to the payment system:
   • Visa for dollar account;
   • MasterCard for Euro account.
7. The benefits of using a particular plastic card depends on the country to which you plan to travel:
   • In the USA, it is logical to take a Visa card in $;
   • To European countries - euro "MasterCard";
   • In other places, you can take different cards.
8. You can use a plastic card abroad economically if:
   • Receive cash at the cash desks of bank branches, for this commission is not provided, as for the use of ATMs of foreign banks
   • Try to pay with a credit card if possible.. This is more profitable, because only the cost of the goods without surcharges will be deducted
9. Don't forget to take cash dollars or euros for force majeure situations with bank cards

Have a good trip on favorable financial terms!

Two payment systems that set the tone for the plastic card market.

A bank that is a member of the systems usually settles with them through two currencies. In the case of Visa, this is the US dollar, MasterCard - the euro (there are exceptions, therefore it is better to clarify this point in a particular bank).

Let's say you have Sberbank credit card Visa, opened in Russian rubles. The payment procedure, for example, in French stores (usually the single European currency) looks like this: first, the payment system converts the payment currency (euros) into the currency of settlements with the bank (dollars, because you have a Visa card). And after that, your bank will convert the received amount into rubles, blocking it on the card and giving permission for the operation.

That is, there is a double conversion (the first - at the Visa euro-dollar rate, the second - at the bank dollar-rubles). On each transfer, the client loses part of his hard-earned money.

Similar examples can be given with various combinations of currencies. An attentive reader probably already guessed that if the client had a Sberbank MasterCard credit card or the situation took place in the USA, then the conversion would be the same (because the transaction currency and the settlement currency with the payment system would coincide).

Most profitable option- a card in the same currency in which payment is made. In this case, you do not pay any conversion fees.

If you pay with a card in Turkey, for example, in the national currency, then there is no escape from double conversion. True, experienced travelers claim that it is still more profitable to pay with a card than to use exchange offices.

Cash withdrawal fee

As for withdrawing cash abroad from an ATM, such an operation cannot be called profitable in any way. But if you are already cashing out, then do it, as they say, in full. After all, banks charge a high percentage: for example, OTP Bank for Gold class cards takes 3% (but not less than 350 rubles / $ 12 / € 12, depending on the currency of the card). That is, you will pay $ 12 on a dollar card in any case, no matter what amount is requested.

Force majeure in another country

Now let's talk about emergencies. What should I do if my card is lost or stolen? First of all, the payment instrument must be blocked by calling the bank's customer support.

Do not fall into despair, as the service is provided by almost all major banks.

If we talk about specific numbers, then Raiffeisenbank credit card gives its owner the opportunity to urgently receive up to $2,000 on medium-class cards and up to $5,000 on premium cards, OTP Bank- up to $5000. The amount cannot exceed the available account balance, and these banks provide the service free of charge.

The approach is different Sberbank. If the holder of the "gold" card receives money in an urgent mode without a commission, then the owner of the "plastic" of the middle class will pay 6,000 rubles for this pleasure.

Precautionary measures

• Before the trip, call the bank and warn about the departure, or rather, name the specific countries in which you will stay. So the security system will not "revolt" when it finds that the card, which is always used in one ATM, suddenly "surfaced" in a Barcelona shopping center.
• Subscribe to the SMS notification service. Developed countries are developed because they have all the best. Including scammers who like to engage in skimming, reading data from the card. And with the help of SMS, you can stop criminal intentions by quickly blocking a credit card.
• Any transactions with the card must be carried out ONLY in front of you. If this is a restaurant, then the waiter is required to provide a portable terminal.
• Bank emergency numbers must be written down (or learned by heart). In addition, you can block the card by contacting the payment system directly.
• For a rainy day, carry some cash or a spare card with you.

Paying with plastic cards abroad is convenient and often profitable, because credit card holders are invited to take advantage of numerous bonuses and discounts, and imported funds do not have to be declared. You just need to follow certain rules and skillfully choose a payment instrument.

Bank cards are local and international. The former are valid only on the territory of the Russian Federation, while international ones can also be used abroad.

• Visa (57% of users);
• MasterCard (26%);
• American Express (13%);
• Diners Club (4%).

Tip: to prevent your card from being blocked for suspicious transactions, warn your bank about going abroad.

Which card to take with you to Europe

Despite the fact that all world PS cards are accepted abroad, not all of them are beneficial to use in certain countries. For example, if you decide to visit European countries, then it is important to understand which card is better to pay in Europe.

Visa or MasterCard

The difference between these global payment systems is the conversion of a currency other than the ruble. The main payment unit of Visa is the dollar, MasterCard is the euro.

When a payment is made from a card outside the Russian Federation, the payment currencies and PS are compared. If they differ, then the amount of money is transferred to the currency of the payment system. Next, your bank receives a request to debit the requested amount. If the account and the PS are opened in different currencies, another transfer takes place. That is, for one purchase, the exchange of coins will occur twice.

Important: a bank commission from 1 to 5% is charged for each conversion.

If the currencies of the payment and the PS are the same, then the first conversion will not be required, which means that the commission will be debited once.

Outcome. When choosing which card is better to travel to Europe Visa or Mastercard, give preference to the second option.

Conversion scheme.

Currency or ruble

Banks offer to open an account in various currencies. You can link a bank card to accounts in $ or €, or get a separate currency card. This raises the question of which card is more profitable to pay in Europe: ruble or currency.

If you pay in Europe with a Mastercard card in euros, then there will be no need for conversion - this will reduce commission costs. However, you need to take into account the availability of currency or the ability to purchase it at a favorable rate. There is a chance that you will lose more when exchanging coins than for converting.

It is advisable to open a currency account if:

• large expenses are planned;
• you travel to Europe several times a year;
• there is an opportunity to exchange rubles more profitably than at the rate of the Central Bank.

Outcome. It is better to issue a ruble payment product if you rarely travel and do not plan big expenses.

Which card is better to use in Europe - debit or credit

With a cashless payment, the difference between a credit and debit card will not be felt. If you intend to withdraw cash, then it is preferable to take a debit card in order to minimize the commission percentage. It is best to issue two cards for the trip, so that in case of an emergency, you always have additional funds in reserve.

Outcome. The conditions for credit cards do not change when leaving Russia - the interest-free period and bonus accruals will not change.

With or without a chip

Chip cards are gradually coming to the fore, pushing aside the obsolete plastic with a magnetic strip. The main reason is safety. All information on the account, which is on the chip and magnetic tape, is encrypted with digital codes.

The same data is always sent from the magnetic strip to the bank, and transactions on the chip must be confirmed by a code that changes every time. Therefore, it is impossible to fake a chipped card or read information from it.

In addition, some organizations abroad have stopped accepting cards without a chip, and therefore, in order to secure their finances and pay without problems in European stores, it is wiser to take a chipped card with you.

Important: many banks issue combined cards that are equipped with both a chip and a strip.

Dollars or Euro

The main payment unit in Europe is the euro. Therefore, if you decide to order a currency card, then you need to choose the appropriate currency. If funds are withdrawn in Eurocurrency from the MasterCard card at an ATM, the requested amount and commission will be debited. In the case of non-cash payment - only the amount established for the goods.

Important: some banks provide for the withdrawal of a certain amount of cash without commission at ATMs of partner banks.

If the card is linked to a dollar account, then a double conversion will be carried out with a double commission, which is absolutely not profitable.

Best Travel Maps

To decide which bank card is better to go to Europe with, you need to carefully familiarize yourself with the most popular banking offers.

Corn, ruble «MasterCard World»

Unnamed can be quickly issued on the day of treatment absolutely free.

Main advantages:

• cashback from 1.5 to 30%, when connecting "double benefit +" (990 rubles per year);
• cross-border payment is not charged;
• no commission is charged for the issuance of funds, subject to the withdrawal of no more than 50 thousand rubles. per month and connecting the "interest on the balance" (otherwise - 1%);
• interest on the balance up to 7% per annum;
• money is debited at the rate of the Central Bank;
• as a gift you receive SMS-banking.

With a personalized card in hand, you can Personal Area order a personalized MasterCard World with a chip. After activation of the first, the second will be blocked.

Important: the maximum balance of a non-personalized card is 100 thousand rubles. Nominal - 600 thousand.

Tinkoff Black Debit Card

You can apply for a card on the official website of the bank and receive it by mail or courier delivery. To do this, you need to fill out a form with personal data, confirm your mobile phone number via SMS and select the account currency. Tinkoff Black allows you to store funds in different currencies, which is very convenient for frequent trips abroad.

Main advantages:

• multicurrency card;
• cashback from 1 to 5% in cash, not bonuses;
• 6% per annum is charged for the balance of funds;
• you can withdraw from €100 in cash at any ATMs in Europe without commission (if the amount is less - 2.9%);
• free sms notifications;
• there is no cross-border commission.

The conversion is calculated at the rate of the Central Bank + 2% from Tinkoff Bank. If you exchange currency on weekdays from 10:00 to 18:30 Moscow time, then the difference with the exchange rate will be 0.25%.

Beeline, ruble «MasterCard»

Just like "Corn", unnamed and issued not by a bank, but by a salon cellular communication. It is beneficial for Beeline subscribers to use it, since you can pay with cashback bonuses mobile communication or shopping at partner stores.

Main advantages:

• from 5 thousand to 50 thousand rubles. you can withdraw at all ATMs without overpayments (if the amount is different, then the commission is 1%);
• cashback for purchases from 1% in all stores and up to 5% in 3 "favorite stores" to choose from;
• commission for non-cash transactions - 0%;
• free SMS notifications;
• up to 7% monthly is accrued on the account balance;
• conversion is carried out at the rate of PS;
• you can order a personalized, more secure card, for 200 rubles;
• purchase of currency at the rate of the Central Bank.

The weak point of unnamed plastic is safety. The problem can be solved by issuing several cards for one individual. Most of the money is left on one card, which is stored in a safe place, and transferred in small amounts to other cards to pay for purchases.

Tinkoff, All Airlines credit card

You can order a limit card through the official website or at the bank's offices. A credit card is issued for cashless payments, since a large commission is charged for issuing money in hand (from 390 rubles per transaction). The service fee is 1890 rubles per year.

Main advantages:

• the maximum limit is 700 thousand rubles;
• grace period 55 days;
• cashback from 2 to 10% (accrued by miles);
• credit card holders are provided with free travel insurance;
• currency exchange takes place at the PS rate;
• commission for non-cash payment - 0%;
• conversion takes place at the rate of the Central Bank + 2%.

For those who travel a lot, using a Tinkoff credit card will be the most beneficial, since the flight can be fully paid for with bonus miles. In order to get a higher percentage of cashback, it is better to book tickets and book hotels through the tinkoff.travel website.

What is the best way to pay abroad

Paying with a plastic card abroad is much more convenient and safer than using cash. To minimize commission costs, as well as protect yourself from losing finances, you need to follow certain recommendations:

• Carefully study all banking offers and decide which bank card is better to use in Europe.
• Withdraw cash from public banks - it's safer.
• Remember that exchangers at airports or train stations always overestimate the exchange rate.
• Design multiple cards for different purposes. Even if you're not a fan of borrowed money, take one credit card with you for an emergency.
• If possible, pay by card rather than withdrawing cash. This will save commission percentage and add cashback bonus points.
• In Europe, it is more practical to use MasterCard cards.
• Notify your bank about your trip abroad to avoid blocking your card.
• If you travel outside the Russian Federation infrequently and are not going to make expensive purchases, then it is more profitable to issue a ruble card.