That USD option is a slick DCC upsell. Always choose euros. I learned this at an Erste Bank ATM near Hofburg Palace: “Charge in EUR” gave me a clean €...

In Linz, I used a Bawag P.S.K. ATM with my Citi Mastercard. It allowed €400 per withdrawal, charged €4.95, which Citi reimbursed. Best ATMs in Austria...

Tried paying with Amex at roadside grill spots - no dice. Card machines showed no Amex logo. Switched to Visa, and it worked everywhere, including cas...

I used urban buses and metro across Azerbaijan and never saw a card reader. Metro tokens were ₼0.30, marshrutkas ₼1-2 in cash. My contactless Visa onl...

I arrived with a US debit card and found ABB Bank’s lobby ATM near Fountains Square most dependable. It spat out ₼200 per withdrawal with zero fee - n...

Two hostels processed Visa Debit without surcharges, one charged 3% on card, and one expected cash only. Hostels in Azerbaijan will often advertise ca...

I had trouble using my US credit union Visa, but my Amex was rejected everywhere too. Once I reached out for a Wise Visa, it had zero issues at Rabita...

I had my Discover taken by an AccessBank ATM near my guesthouse in Sheki. Luckily, I immediately called AccessBank’s emergency line and visited the br...

Airport kiosks offered ~₼1.70 per USD; the ATM gave ~₼1.78 per USD. ATM withdrawals are the smarter choice in Azerbaijan versus airport currency excha...