Money and payments: be prepared while travelling

• Break down travel costs into accommodation, transport, food, activities and a reserve.
• Have more than one payment method and keep them separate.
• When offered a conversion at a terminal, check the amount and currency displayed.
• Cash withdrawals may incur additional ATM and bank fees.
• Keep card-blocking contact details accessible even without your mobile phone.
• Special payment and travel conditions apply to Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.

Divide your available travel budget into accommodation costs, travel to and from your destination, meals, admission fees and an amount you can use flexibly. This makes it easier to see which expenses are already committed and how much room remains for unexpected journeys.

A short list of expenses on your phone or on paper helps you keep planned costs, bookings already paid for and important payment dates separate. Include any potential fees for card payments or cash withdrawals. Terms vary by card, bank, ATM and country, so a single exchange rate says little about the total cost of a payment.

Restaurants and cafés are a separate part of your daily budget. When planning for different destinations, you could, for example, consider options in Vilnius, Tashkent and Kaliningrad as destinations on your itinerary. Your expenses will depend on your choice of accommodation, meals and daily activities.

Outside the euro area, card terminals and ATMs may offer to convert the amount directly into euros. This conversion is often performed by the merchant or ATM operator and may include a less favourable exchange rate or additional mark-ups. The consumer advice centre recommends choosing the local currency when paying and declining immediate conversion into euros. The ATM or your own bank may still charge a separate fee.

Check the display before confirming: the currency, amount and any conversion fee should be clearly shown. If you can choose between the local currency and euros, choosing the local currency means that your card provider will handle the conversion. Your card account may still incur a foreign transaction or cash withdrawal fee; these costs are set out in your provider’s terms.

A card is useful for payments and withdrawals wherever it is accepted. Cash can be important for smaller expenses or when no terminal is available. The right combination depends on where you are staying. Make sure you have an accessible way to pay for your first expenses after arrival, but don’t carry your entire reserve in your wallet.

Keep your card, cash and reserve in separate, secure places. That way, if you lose a bag, you can still access another portion of your travel money. Store your card number, card-blocking contact and bank details separately from your card—for example, on a piece of paper in your luggage and in a password-protected location. Tell your travel companions where they can find the bank’s contact details in an emergency.

If you lose your card, block it immediately through your bank or card provider and note the time and confirmation. If the card is linked to a banking app, use another device of your own or call to have it blocked. Keep a second card separate from the first; never keep your PIN or login details in the same place as your payment card.

The use of non-Belarusian credit cards is currently restricted in Belarus. In Russia, German Visa and Mastercard cards, commonly used payment apps, cash withdrawals using German cards and bank transfers are not available, according to the authorities. These conditions also apply in Moscow. The export of euro banknotes to Belarus is generally prohibited; EU export restrictions also apply to Russia.

The airspace is closed, and entry and exit are possible only by land. According to the authorities, card payments and ATM withdrawals are possible in many places, though power and supply outages may affect availability. For travel budgets in Kyiv or Odesa, both local conditions and a separately accessible reserve therefore matter. The payment and travel advice for these countries reflects the situation as of 25 October 2026.

What exception applies to euro banknotes when travelling to Russia?

The EU export rule contains a narrowly defined exception for euro banknotes intended for personal travel needs. It therefore applies to the specific personal needs of the traveller.