Just come back from Spain -
As mentioned a couple of times in this thread back in 2017, I am also having issues with using Monzo on Toll Roads throughout.
Iāve activitated Mag Stripe and it still gets rejected - so something to be aware of.
By all accounts the toll roads take mastercard so not sure the source of rejection.
I used my Monzo card yesterday and today at a CaixaBank ATM in BenalmĆ”dena, Spain, and was charged ā¬2 both times for withdrawing cash, so it would seem that CaixaBank may now charge.
I suppose itās always possible Iāve selected some option I shouldnāt have!
I never looked in to the charge for using the card aboard, I like the monza idea, at the moment Iām using it as a multi saving account. It works out just the way I need. For holidays Iāll stick to HSBC for now.
You are absolutely right
Used my card in Valencia and was also charged ā¬2 per transaction
Iāve been visiting Spain regularly for some years now and since Iāve been with Monzo Iāve used my card everywhere with very few problems to the extent that I donāt bother getting euros before I go any more.
Today I was in Aldi in Estepona and for the first time ever the contactless transaction went through exactly as it does in the UK. No having to put in my pin number or having to sign, the machine automatically chose euros.
Just this simple change has made my day, itās difficult to sign or put in your pin number when youāre in a wheelchair so this will make my life a little easier in at least one shop I visit regularly 
Hola Alex
Tuviste que activar la tarjeta cuando llegaste a EspaƱa?
I think this is because now the limit for ask for the pin is higher, previously was 20 ā¬.
Also I confirm CaixaBank try to charge a 2 pounds fee. Targobank didnt ask for any fee.
No tienes que hacer nada, mientras ya la hayas utilizado y activado antes de viajar.
Will it still total up when Iām back in the UK? As it seemed to get confused as I went to Gibraltar for a day
No, itāll tell you the summary for each section of Spain separately i.e. everything after Gibraltar will be counted separately to the before Gibraltar
Had the same issue when I went to Copenhagen, and went to Sweden for 0.5 day. It said āyou spent X in Denmarkā, āyou spent Y in Swedenā, āyou spent Z in Denmarkā
Has anyone got an up to date list of free atms? Havenāt had to withdraw cash for at least two or three years so canāt rememeber which ones are free.
I have a very short list
At least it was free a couple of months ago, but you do have to make sure you donāt accept their kind, and very persistent, offer to do the conversion for you.
That article is from 2019, and it seems like some EU banks are now charging UK cards again
Every bank I tried in Malaga had withdrawal fees. Fixed rate, not percentage. I only needed ā¬10 and the lowest charge I could find was ā¬3.95. Fixed fees are obscene: a 40% fee.
Some were asking for ā¬7 on a ā¬10 withdrawal hahaha.
And all of them asked if I wanted DCC. Awful awful awful system.
I tried:
Caixabank
Santander
BBVA
Cajamar
All had fixed charges.
I learned my lesson. Withdraw cash before travelling to Spain.
You can avoid or at least minimise them with an EU issued card. The only one I know thatās currently available is Bankera (download their app to apply).
Saved me Ā£7 per withdrawal in the Czech Republic.
Oh nice. Good idea, thank you.
And to fund your Bankera acc - i see they charge to receive Swift, but receiving Sepa is free. How do you do it?
Iāll give it a try, but I think itāll be sending Euroās via a Euro account (starling for example) and sending that to Bankera. Of course thereāll be a fee, but itāll be minimal compared to an ATM fee
Thereās no fee to transfer from Starling Euro to Bankera or the other direction. Not quite instant, but not far off it.
Cheapest route is sterling to Revolut sterling, convert to EUR in Revolut and send It from there. Starling charge 0.4% to convert, Revolut donāt charge Monday to Friday (up to Ā£1000 a month I think).
Itās also Sepa so free transfer.
That sounds perfect.
I have a Wise account, and it looks like the IBAN on the Wise eur account is in Belgium. So this route should be free:
ā¢ GBP from Monzo to Wise
ā¢ convert GBP-EUR in Wise
ā¢ EUR from Wise euro account to Bankera
āWise has two EUR accounts, based in Estonia and Belgium. They are both SEPA-compliant.ā
