Numeric keypads are common on foreign bank machines

Recently I’ve had to recall some tricks to withdrawing cash in a foreign country. Upon landing in Dubrovnik, Croatia, we boldly headed to an airport bank machine for some local currency. I typically remember my PIN as a word and not a number, so wasn’t amused to find the bank machine’s keypad only had numbers on it! It took a couple of tries, but the machine eventually spit out my cash. Numeric keypads are common in some countries, so it’s a good idea to know your PIN as a number and not just as a word.

Considerations:

  • If you’re stumped converting letters to numbers, phone keypads are labelled with both.
  • Limit the PIN to four digits, as certain machines will not accept passwords longer than that.
  • Keep your travel money in your chequing account. Some bank machines let you access only one foreign account, and this often defaults to chequing.
  • Check with your bank if they want to be notified of your travel plans in advance.

Categories:  International Travel