Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 18.9% (variable) p.a. with a fee of £3 per month, your representative rate is 24.7% APR (variable).
Romania is one of the newest members of the European Union but – in major cities at least – credit card spending is as simple as you’d expect in any other EU country.
Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted and there are plenty of businesses in urban areas that will accept American Express too.
You might need to be a bit more cautious in smaller towns or rural areas, as there are fewer ATMs and businesses are less likely to accept credit card payments. If you’re planning on castle-hopping in rural Transylvania, for example, you’re better off grabbing the cash you need before you set off.
Some merchants may only accept debit and credit cards that are compatible with chip-and-pin, so those without this might be better off withdrawing plenty of lei too. When you do pay with credit card, it’s unlikely you’ll be asked to show ID (as is the case for visitors to some countries).
There’s a chance that some retailers will have minimum purchase amounts in order to allow card payments, so if you’re only buying a few stuffed cabbage leaves, you may need cash. You’ll typically need cash to pay for taxis and public transport too.
As you’d expect, there are a few potential fees to watch out for when you’re paying with plastic in Romania.
When it comes to cash advances and non-sterling transactions, many card issuers will start charging interest on the day your account is debited, rather than the customary “up to 55 days interest-free” that usually applies provided you clear your balance in full each month.
Consider taking out a credit card offering commission-free currency conversion (see table below), even if you only use it when you’re out of the country. Once you have one of these cards, if a merchant offers to take payment in pounds, say that you’re happy to pay in lei since you know that your own bank won’t add a margin.
Generally speaking, it’s not a great idea to use credit cards to withdraw cash, but some travel credit cards won’t penalise you for this. Finally, make sure to check whether any ATM you use is going to charge a fee. High street bank ATMs are generally a safer bet than those in convenience stores or bars.
If your own bank has a local presence or partner in Romania, your best bet is to find an ATM operated by it, as this is most likely to charge low or zero fees.
Approval for any credit card will depend on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow.
Yes, although as with many countries, it’s not as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard.
Mastercard research recently ranked Romania as the fifth biggest in Europe for the proportion of card payments made via contactless. In the first eight months of 2018, around two out of three Mastercard payments were completed contactlessly. This was a 139% increase year-on-year, so it’s safe to say you can expect to make contactless payments during your stay in Romania.
Romania was well-known for ATM scams a few years ago. Due to the number of card skimming incidents and ATMs that had been tampered with, bank fraud teams tend to be a lot more careful when transactions in Romania are registered.
For this reason, it’s important to ensure your bank is aware you’re travelling there, or it might block payments for security reasons.
In order to stay safe when using your bank card in Romania:
If you travel to Romania, you can safely use your credit card to make payments and withdraw cash. You’ll just have to be careful to not incur unnecessary fees. With a decent travel credit card, you’ll avoid paying foreign transaction fees. By simply declining the DCC when offered, you’ll also avoid a poor exchange rate or commission.
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