Trying to find out if Eritrea widely accepts Amex cards in restaurants and shops and ATMs - any suggestions
If Eritrea’s on your itinerary, plan for a cash-only setup. AmEx won’t work for payments or ATMs. Bring enough foreign currency-USD, euros, or GBP-in smaller denominations to exchange once you land, ideally at an office in Asmara. Convert into nakfa to pay for hostels, museums, taxis, and food in places like the Old Fiat area or shopping near Asmara’s central market. Without cash, you’re basically stuck. Cards aren’t part of daily life there.
I once tried to use my AmEx at a hotel in Massawa-big mistake. They shook their heads and just pocketed their nakfa instead. No ATMs exist for foreign cards in the city or even in Asmara. I ended up relying totally on my stash of USD notes and changing them at a local changer by Asmara Stadium. I even tipped using rials in local cafes. The whole place runs on cash, and that's just how it is.
My time in Asmara was surprisingly smooth even without cards. I stayed at a guesthouse near Harnet Avenue and paid in USD cash-no hassle. Everyone, from cafés on Sematat Street to vendors in the Forto Market, only accepted cash anyway. While it was a bit old-school, it let me roll with the flow of city life easily. As long as I had enough nakfa from prior exchange, I could grab meals, coffee, and transport without needing a plastic card. It was kind of refreshing.
In Eritrea-even in Asmara-American Express simply isn’t accepted. There are no ATMs with AmEx support, and major banks like the Commercial Bank of Eritrea don’t connect to global networks. Nobody in shops, markets, or even hotels accepts AmEx. It’s a full cash-only environment, mainly using nakfa. If you’re planning to go, bring enough cash (USD, euros) and you’ll be able to exchange it locally. AmEx? Not part of the system here at all.