Money, money, money! (And where to get it.)

(UPDATE: This post was made back in 2018 and since then the economic culture in the UK has shifted quite a bit. Today, in 2024, cash is used much less than before. In fact, some businesses are now cash-free, that is, they ONLY accept credit/debit cards. And virtually everywhere now takes credit cards, using the “tap and pay” cards with smart chips in them for speed. However, you will use some cash for things like small tips for hotel staff like bellmen, doormen, etc. We also prefer to pay for cabs in cash, which the drivers seem to appreciate. So we are letting this post stand as it is, with the suggestion that you won’t need as much case as you might have wanted 6-7 years ago.)

Let’s discuss the matter of getting cash for your visit.  First off, you will actually use cash more than you think—for black cabs, buses, snacks and trinkets, so it is a good idea to plan to carry some.  Our recommendation is that, if you are flying to Heathrow or Gatwick in London and you have a bank card that works at any Automated Teller Machines (ATM), you don’t need to get any UK pounds before you arrive. Cash machines (their word for an ATM) are plentiful in the Arrivals area at Heathrow, for example.  While we have not arrived at Gatwick or Manchester ourselves, the airport maps online show that there are plenty of cash machines there as well. If you feel you must have some currency in advance of arrival, be prepared for a very poor exchange rate and limited options to getting UK currency here in the US. The American Automobile Association (AAA) usually has packets of UK currency you can buy in their stores, and there may be an exchange bureau at your departure airport. If you decide to get your UK pounds before you travel, allow plenty of time to visit the exchange bureau at your airport or for the AAA office to get packets in stock. UPDATE: If you do plan to get cash at the airport, wait for the machines in the Arrivals area, past Customs. The cash machines in the baggage area generally offer lower exchange rates and higher fees than in the Arrivals area after Customs.

In addition, just about every town has cash machines available for use, usually outside most bank offices in cities and towns, so getting cash is easy to do. They work exactly the same no matter where you go, but there may be a surcharge from your bank at home to make the exchange. Typically you get whatever the exchange rate is for the day, with a small percentage charge (or fixed charge) added for the service. Check with your bank to see what they will be charging you for this service.

Oh, and while you are at it, let your bank know your travel dates so that the fraud detection software doesn’t block the ATM transaction because it’s coming from overseas. It is a good idea to also let your credit card banks know about your travel plans, too, for the same reason. Nothing is more embarrassing that to have a card rejected in an upscale tearoom (speaking from personal experience here) because the card issuer didn’t know about the travel.

For visitors from other countries arriving by air or sea, the same suggestion applies. If you have a cash card that works in any of the common systems, then you should be able to use it in the UK. If, on the other hand, your card is limited, or you don’t have a cash card, then there are cash exchange offices in the airport and other locations around the larger cities. If you venture out of the major cities, you will need to take sufficient cash with you as there are fewer exchanges in smaller cities, towns and villages.

One mode of travel that we have not mentioned is arriving by train. Now that there is a train tunnel from Europe to Great Britain, one mode of travel is to arrive in Europe and take a train to London. The trains coming through the tunnel all end up at St. Pancras station in London and there are cash machines there, just as at the airport. I believe there is a cash exchange office there as well.