Deutsche Bank ATM and BNP ATM on the Camino

[Jamie Y. Mo]

Hello everyone,
I am leaving for Camino in a week.
I am starting to feel real that I am really going to do what I have been dreaming of since I first heard of Camino.

OK. first thing first.
I am going to bring my Scotia visa card and debit card and some euros for the beginning.
I am planning to use only Deutsche bank or BNP bank ATM to avoid extra fees.

I have never used either bank before so I don't know how widely these bank ATMs are used in France and Spain, particularly how accessible it is for us to use while on the Camino.

Can someone please tell me if it would be easy for me to find both bank ATM while in France and in Spain?
And any other relevant tips if necessary?

Thank you.

 

[Delynda Drury]

Hello everyone,
I am leaving for Camino in a week.
I am starting to feel real that I am really going to do what I have been dreaming of since I first heard of Camino.

OK. first thing first.
I am going to bring my Scotia visa card and debit card and some euros for the beginning.
I am planning to use only Deutsche bank or BNP bank ATM to avoid extra fees.

I have never used either bank before so I don't know how widely these bank ATMs are used in France and Spain, particularly how accessible it is for us to use while on the Camino.

Can someone please tell me if it would be easy for me to find both bank ATM while in France and in Spain?
And any other relevant tips if necessary?

Thank you.

Hi Jamie
There is a Deutsche bank with ATM in Burgos, Leon and Santiago.
The post offices used to have ATMs but it's my understanding they aren't in post offices any longer.
I understand your excitement
Buen Camino

 

[Rick M]

Not Happening. You will find BNP ATMs in France of course, but I don't recall seeing either of those two along the Camino. Perhaps I was not paying attention, but its all Spanish banks. I assume that you won't find a German or French bank in Spain, just like you won't find a Wells Fargo or Citi ATM in Vancouver, or a Scotia machine in Seattle. Your Scotia card will work in the Spanish ATM's or at least it should. I had no trouble using my RBC card in any ATM I tried. You should tell your bank you are going so they don't assume its a fraud and deny the transaction.

As for fees, I paid 3.50 per use a few times, so I always took 300 euros at a time to keep the fees to a minimum. One of the Spanish banks (Santander?) was free for me as I recall, but that was specific to RBC and my "package". Another good tip is to always use an ATM attached to a bank when it is open. If the machine eats your card, you won't have to camp out waiting for the bank to open so you can get it back. I never heard of anyone having this problem, but it seems like a wise practice.

In the end, I think I made five withdrawals in total, and paid a small amount in fees. In one town it was pay the fee at the only ATM or go hungry, so I just went for it. Serves me right for not hitting an ATM the day before.

Another banking tip is for when you can use a debit/credit card to buy something. This doesn't happen often(most transactions are cash), but when you do, the terminal will ask if you want to be charged in Euros or Canadian Dollars. Pick the Euros. The exchange rate they offer for this service is generally not as good as what Scotia will do the conversion at.

Buen Camino!

 

[natefaith]

Once you reach Santiago there is a Deutsche Bank office in the commercial zone of the town, but otherwise Deutsche Bank doesn't have too much of a presence in Spain, and especially not in the small Camino towns. Before you leave home, you could ask if they will reimburse your ATM fees....some banks reimburse ATM fees and/ or will cancel out foreign transaction fees...and you could see if your bank will do that.

Buen Camino!
Faith

 

[KinkyOne]

Hello everyone,
I am leaving for Camino in a week.
I am starting to feel real that I am really going to do what I have been dreaming of since I first heard of Camino.

OK. first thing first.
I am going to bring my Scotia visa card and debit card and some euros for the beginning.
I am planning to use only Deutsche bank or BNP bank ATM to avoid extra fees.

I have never used either bank before so I don't know how widely these bank ATMs are used in France and Spain, particularly how accessible it is for us to use while on the Camino.

Can someone please tell me if it would be easy for me to find both bank ATM while in France and in Spain?
And any other relevant tips if necessary?

Thank you.

I don'r really know about Deutsche and BNP ATMs in Spain because I was reimbursed a very small amount (same as if I would make withdrawal in my homecountry but on another bank's ATM, 0,48€ I think) but make an inquiry in Scotia bank which banks would reimburse less.

Using ATMs during bank's opening hours is very good advice.

Also make sure that you have 4-digit PIN code which is widely used in EU.

In some supermercados you can only pay amounts over 5 or 10 or... Euros with your credit card. Don't know about debit cards though.

 

[Rick M]

Before you leave home, you could ask if they will reimburse your ATM fees....some banks reimburse ATM fees and/ or will cancel out foreign transaction fees...and you could see if your bank will do that.

Cool idea, but the Canadian Banks are large, efficient, well capitalized, conservatively managed, and utterly ruthless institutions where collecting their fees is concerned. This would be as likely here as the tax authorities in Spain rebating your income tax if you were to ask nicely!

 

[MichaelSG]

Also make sure that you have 4-digit PIN code which is widely used in EU.

I realize that you are repeating this advice in good faith but it just isn't true. I have always used my 6 digit PIN cards in Spain and Italy without any problem. I used my BoA US card in a Duetsche Bank ATM in Bilbao just last week. Please help to let that old advice die a natural death.

 

[Jamie Y. Mo]

Thank you all.
It is a bit disappointing but alright :0
But it is good to know that there is a branch in Santiago..

 

[natefaith]

Cool idea, but the Canadian Banks are large, efficient, well capitalized, conservatively managed, and utterly ruthless institutions where collecting their fees is concerned. This would be as likely here as the tax authorities in Spain rebating your income tax if you were to ask nicely!

Hehe, good point, Rick. I was thinking of Charles Schwab bank that reimburses all ATM fees and doesn't charge any foreign transaction fees. This setup is mostly due to the fact that Schwab doesn't have its own ATMs. There must be other banks out there that also reimburse fees... somewhere!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Discovered Liberbank last month and it does not charge a fee.

Take a look at their website and see if it has offices along the Frances.

https://www.liberbank.es/

But in the end, paying 10 or 15$ over a number weeks not to have to search for a bank that will not charge me fees is well worth it.

 

[Kitsambler]

Scotiabank lists their membership in the Global ATM Alliance. They charge no fees for using BNP in France, or for DeutscheBank in Spain. Be aware in using other ATMs that you may be charged two fees: first by the "landlord" bank operating the machine, and second by ScotiaBank to handle the foreign transaction. Therefore, check the Deutschebank website for ATM locations along the route. Stock up in SJPP whilest still in France. And whenever you have to use a different ATM, take as much as you can, since the fees are a flat rate.

 

[Jamie Y. Mo]

Scotiabank lists their membership in the Global ATM Alliance. They charge no fees for using BNP in France, or for DeutscheBank in Spain. Be aware in using other ATMs that you may be charged two fees: first by the "landlord" bank operating the machine, and second by ScotiaBank to handle the foreign transaction. Therefore, check the Deutschebank website for ATM locations along the route. Stock up in SJPP whilest still in France. And whenever you have to use a different ATM, take as much as you can, since the fees are a flat rate.

Yes. That is what I did today. I haven't checked Deutschebank website for ATM locations. I was just lazy so I posted here..to see.. But seems like Deutschebank ATM is not as widely used in Spain as Scotiabank seems to promote.. Well!
Thanks anyways!

 

[KinkyOne]

I realize that you are repeating this advice in good faith but it just isn't true. I have always used my 6 digit PIN cards in Spain and Italy without any problem. I used my BoA US card in a Duetsche Bank ATM in Bilbao just last week. Please help to let that old advice die a natural death.

I guess things have changed
Good to know.

 

[nathanael]

Not Happening. You will find BNP ATMs in France of course, but I don't recall seeing either of those two along the Camino. Perhaps I was not paying attention, but its all Spanish banks. I assume that you won't find a German or French bank in Spain, just like you won't find a Wells Fargo or Citi ATM in Vancouver, or a Scotia machine in Seattle. Your Scotia card will work in the Spanish ATM's or at least it should. I had no trouble using my RBC card in any ATM I tried. You should tell your bank you are going so they don't assume its a fraud and deny the transaction.

As for fees, I paid 3.50 per use a few times, so I always took 300 euros at a time to keep the fees to a minimum. One of the Spanish banks (Santander?) was free for me as I recall, but that was specific to RBC and my "package". Another good tip is to always use an ATM attached to a bank when it is open. If the machine eats your card, you won't have to camp out waiting for the bank to open so you can get it back. I never heard of anyone having this problem, but it seems like a wise practice.

In the end, I think I made five withdrawals in total, and paid a small amount in fees. In one town it was pay the fee at the only ATM or go hungry, so I just went for it. Serves me right for not hitting an ATM the day before.

Another banking tip is for when you can use a debit/credit card to buy something. This doesn't happen often(most transactions are cash), but when you do, the terminal will ask if you want to be charged in Euros or Canadian Dollars. Pick the Euros. The exchange rate they offer for this service is generally not as good as what Scotia will do the conversion at.

Buen Camino!

I agree I found the Deutsche Bank in Madrid and after much searching in Logrono. other than that none could be found, I don't recall one in Santiago but if Rick says there is one then he knows. Buen Camino, niel

 

[nathanael]

Once you reach Santiago there is a Deutsche Bank office in the commercial zone of the town, but otherwise Deutsche Bank doesn't have too much of a presence in Spain, and especially not in the small Camino towns. Before you leave home, you could ask if they will reimburse your ATM fees....some banks reimburse ATM fees and/ or will cancel out foreign transaction fees...and you could see if your bank will do that.

Buen Camino!
Faith

Can you give us an idea where about the Deutsche bank is? Thanks

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Two years ago we used an ATM at a Deutsche Bank in Pamplona.

 

[KinkyOne]

Here you can find the list of DB ATMs in Spain, just scroll down a bit:
http://banksspain.com/banks/deutsche-bank-spain
They are listed by communities/provinces, so you would have to search manually those that CF runs through and select the towns that lies directly on the Way.

But planning is half of the fun, isn't it?

 

[natefaith]

Can you give us an idea where about the Deutsche bank is? Thanks

Yes! Here's the specific Santiago de C. office: https://www.google.es/maps/place/De...c6f763763e271e22!8m2!3d42.8750392!4d-8.545261

It's a bit outside of old town, but not too far outside.

 

[natefaith]

Here you can find the list of DB ATMs in Spain, just scroll down a bit:
http://banksspain.com/banks/deutsche-bank-spain
They are listed by communities/provinces, so you would have to search manually those that CF runs through and select the towns that lies directly on the Way.

But planning is half of the fun, isn't it?

Thanks for finding this list, KinkyOne; I was having trouble searching for a list like this before! Looks like a bunch of these offices are in the Correos (post office) offices. I'm unclear as to whether they're still there, but it could be worth it to have a look while you're walking the trail, @Jamie K.

 

[nathanael]

thanks for the info. greatly appreciated.

 

[Jersey]

Does anyone recall the presence of the bank named Abanca along the Camino? Specifically in Galicia?

 

[mspath]

Does anyone recall the presence of the bank named Abanca along the Camino? Specifically in Galicia?

To see a list Google the 2 terms Abanca and Galicia to see a handy list.

 

[Tia Valeria]

If you have a 'Mastercard' then search for Mastercard ATMs (similar for Visa). The new Mastercard site lets you not only search by places and give a km radius but also to select by bank. (Useful for anyone.) Sorry I don't have the link available for Visa.