Travelling soon and looking for best ATMs in Egypt that work well with foreign debit/credit cards and dont charge crazy fees. Any recos will be highly appreciated.
Egyptian ATMs can be frustrating. My Chase debit card was rejected at National Bank of Egypt twice in Aswan. When it worked at CIB, the withdrawal limit was only 3,000 EGP but no fee which was good. Some ATMs also ran out of cash or were offline. Independent machines in tourist areas offered poor exchange rates and lower limits. My advice: stick with Banque Misr, CIB, or HSBC, withdraw larger amounts during weekdays - none of them charge any fees. And always carry USD or EUR as backup.
I had good experiences withdrawing in Egypt. Banque Misr ATMs and AAIB ATMs in Luxor accepted my HSBC debit card, and I was able to withdraw 5,000 EGP in one go - both did not charge any fee. CIB also worked with my Wise card, again without fees. Most hotels, bigger restaurants, and tour companies accepted cards, but cash was essential for taxis, tips, and markets. I usually withdrew every three days, which was enough for food and transport. Egypt’s ATMs were reliable as long as I stuck to the bigger banks.
In Egypt, the best ATMs for foreign cards are Banque Misr, CIB (Commercial International Bank), and HSBC. I used my Wise Visa at CIB in Cairo, with a withdrawal limit of 4,000 EGP (~$130 USD), no fees. Banque Misr ATMs had similar limits and fees. HSBC worked fine with my Revolut Mastercard, though sometimes rejected my Monzo card. ATMs are easy to find in cities, airports, and tourist sites, but withdraw enough before going to smaller towns.
Tried 5 banks and none charged any fees - National Bank of Egypt, Banque Misr, CIB, QNB Al Ahli and Faisal Bank. Just make sure to press Decline Conversion.
HDB Bank ATM in Egypt is attached to the main branch but stays open even when the bank is closed. Mastercard worked without issues. No fees