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CXI in Copley Mall
The CXI kiosk on the second floor of the Copley Mall has a lot of different currencies on hand and they can get hard-to-find currencies in a day or two. Good hours (until 8 Mon-Sat).
Try Terminal E at Logan
There are currency exchange booths at Terminal E @ Logan
one used to be on the un-screened side of Terminal E near the entrance at the lower level
CXI near South Station
155 Federal Street. Used to go there all the time when I worked on Federal and travelled internationally quite a bit.
Not sure if it's still in
Not sure if it's still in effect, but you could get euros and other major currencies downstairs at the big Bamk of America like 5-10 years ago.
Ooops, left out important
Ooops, left out important part....the big BofA in Harvard Sq.
Bank o’ ‘Murica
The main Boston branch downstairs at 100 Federal.
If you’re traveling…
I’ve found it’s a much better deal getting your foreign currency from an ATM after you arrive. A little research may find you one with no fees and an excellent exchange rate. And you may not need much. Since Covid arrived, many countries that formerly ran on cash have converted largely to credit cards and phone payments.
This is correct.
Just returned from a long trip across different regions of the world. Had opened a Capitol One checking account and their ATM card has no foreign transaction fees and they work off the interbank exchange rate which is competitive with the current exchange rate.
I only use the account when I travel internationally and strictly for ATM withdrawal or merchants who don’t accept all credit cards.
Even in Deutschland
Before Covid, Germany was basically all-cash. According to a friend there, it's gone to mostly card (but not completely). While eating at a restaurant there which was cash-only, we were discussing this and the guy at the table over—also an American—turned and said "oh, shit, I don't have any cash." No problem, I had extra, paid for his check, and he venmo-ed me.
But if you need cash, getting it from a machine is fine, and they're ubiquitous pretty much everywhere (especially in airports). Easier just to land there and get what you need?
Charles Schwab
Charles Schwab has no foreign transaction fee and also refunds any and all ATM fees
I have a bank 'o ''merica
I have a bank 'o ''merica travel card that has no foreign transaction fees and a jet blue card, also with no foreign transaction fees.
Make sure you check your cc for this, as you can pay up to an extra 3 percent on ALL your purchases.
ATM is the way to go
Just make sure you contact your bank to let them know you're traveling and to which countries in order to avoid having your card stop working unexpectedly.
You'll generally get a much better exchange rate, even with a transaction fee, than you would if you tried to exchange currency.
School Trips
If your kid is going on a school trip for February or April vacation there is usually a minimum cash requirement to start the trip.
I just did the minimum for mine (like 150 Euros?) and let them take my cash card to use to get the better rate.
There's always some degree of
There's always some degree of risk that an ATM card won't cooperate. Had that happen once on a trip to Iceland. Now I know to have multiple bank accounts/cards and make sure they all have travel notices and they're set up for easy transfer between them. Used to always go to the TD in Allston for pounds or Euros before a UK/Europe trip back when I had a TD account. Another option is also to take a small amount of US cash just in case with you, that way you'd have something to change over if for some reason you have issues with withdrawals.
Magoo sez
Magoo’s Bank o’ Bills has foreign currency. Magoo trades in all sorts of currency such as Magoolers and the Magoouro. Magoo.
Your Exchange Rate With the Zagoobimunch
Is way too high. Just saying.
All foreign currencies are
All foreign currencies are the same.
How?
Possibly interesting theory; please say more.
Pre-Eurozone Monty Python
https://montypython.fandom.com/wiki/There_is_Nothi...
Same for all foreign
Same for all foreign languages.
"Foreign currencies are all alike"
"each domestic currency is domestic in its own way."
B of A
Bank of America in Harvard Sq should be able to help with some of the more popular currencies. Located on the ground floor
the ground floor
of Harvard Square. Got it...
How are the exchange rates at
How are the exchange rates at local currency houses?
The risk of depending on ATMs at your destination is your bank locking your card for fraud. On a recent trip I had this problem over and over, despite telling the bank I’d be in that country. They texted me to confirm it was a legitimate transaction, but I couldn’t get texts overseas.
I had to call and have them unlock it, only for it to happen again the next day. They said I could call collect, but the staff at my hotel couldn’t tell me how to do that.
It was a big waste of time and source of stress during my vacation.