Access to Money on the Camino

Cash is King!

The first thing that you should know is that albergues, hostels, shops and restaurants in the towns and villages along the camino do not use the credit card facility; i.e. there are no swipe machines in these places. You will need cash to buy accommodation, food and other supplies, and you can get cash from various ATMs en-route. You can, of course, use your credit cards in shops, restaurants and hotel accommodation in the larger towns and cities (although the albergues and some hostels will only accept your cash). 

Accessing money on the camino will not present any problem if you plan in advance and keep an eye on what you are spending. There are plenty of ATM's along the route, though there are some villages that do not have any. On some stretches of the camino you will only walk through tiny hamlets and villages. The last thing you want is to run out of money, arrive at your albergue and then find that there is no ATM facility available. It is important that you check your camino guides to make sure you know where they are and stock up on enough cash to last you for two or three days.

Inform Your Bank About Your Trip

A number of pilgrims have found their credit and debit cards blocked because they did not tell their banks they were travelling. Some banks assume the cards to be stolen and take protective measures to safeguard your money. This can be tricky to have to sort out when on the camino in a foreign country. Let your bank know where you will be and when. 

Credit Card International Charges

Before leaving for the camino, it is a good idea to speak to your bank about international money withdrawal charges when using your credit cards. Using credit cards to withdraw money from an ATM is different from using a debit card. Money drawn from a credit card is usually seen as a cash advance and will be subject to daily interest charges that will cost you dearly. Debit cards linked to a current or savings account is the most cost-effective way to go about getting money on the camino. 

Speak to your bank and tell them the country in which you will be walking, and they will advise you of the least expensive way to use your cards. Depending on which bank you use, and what country you are living in, charges can be phenomenal, so you might want to shop around for a bank who will offer card facilities that do not take so much out of your pocket. Make sure you do check because there are people who have been very upset at the amount of money it costs them to use certain cards. .

ATM Debit Cards

General consensus among pilgrims is that Visa or Mastercard debit cards are the best to use since charges are much lower than on credit cards (some banks may not charge anything for this service). You still need to check with your bank if there is a fee and what those charges will be so that you do not get any nasty surprises. If you're not happy with their answers you can open an additional account at a different bank if necessary. Once on the camino, you can keep any ATM charges to a minimum by withdrawing 200 - 300 euros every few days. 

ATM Networks

Most ATM's along the camino are part of the Cirrus and Plus networks; you can check on the back of your cards to see which network they are linked to, but I didn't even check mine and they worked in all of the machines. If you have any questions about this, call your bank.

4-Digit Pin

Depending on your bank and the type of card in use, you may have a 6-digit pin which WILL NOT work in the ATM's along the camino. Talk to your bank and make sure you have a card with a 4-digit pin only.

Traveller's Cheques

Traveller's Cheques are not usually welcomed on the camino, and many pilgrims have found it a great hassle to cash them in smaller banks. Cash Passports (see below), which seem to be a more convenient, modern form of the Traveller's Cheque, seem to be gaining more and more popularity with people travelling abroad and on the camino.

Cash Passports (Travel Money Cards)

Cash passports are cards that you can purchase in various outlets, and on which you can load as much spending money as you need for your trip. You cannot get credit on them, as they are not linked to your account. There are charges involved and some people who have used them on the camino route feel there are more disadvantages to using them than advantages. People feel secure using these cards because if they become subject to fraudulent use, their bank accounts are not compromised. For more information about these cards, and to learn about the pros and cons of using them, click here. You may also want to read this thread to see what other pilgrims are saying about them.

American Express and Diner's Club Cards

American Express and Diner's Club cards are not usually accepted along the camino, although you may get use out of them in the bigger cities. A lot of pilgrims will advise you to leave them at home unless you are travelling on to a different destination after the camino.