changing money for NI

gibbie

I'm off to Belfast for the weekend and will need to get some pounds. I have a couple of questions: oh and before anyone scoffs for them being really basic, I'm new to Ireland.

I heard there are NI Pounds and British pounds. Is this true? Are they interchangeable or do I need to get the specific NI pound? The reason I'm asking is because I'm going to Edinburgh next weekend so I want to know if I can use whatever I have left over after this weekend in Scotland.

Also, is there a place to change money at Connelly station or in Belfast on Saturday? I'm working out in the middle of gd nowhere at the moment (3km to nearest bank) and I don't have a car, nor are there shuttle buses during the day. Taking a taxi at lunch tomorrow or Friday is really a last resort for me (are there taxis in Leixlip???)

Also, because I had to offer up my firstborn just to get a bank account a couple of months ago, they gave me a pass card that I can only use in the ROI. Once I'm a good customer for six months, I can apply for one that I can use outside the ROI as well, so going to an ATM in Belfast isn't an option.

Borzoi

NI money is issued by the banks of Northern Ireland (similar situation in Scotland BTW, those less common) and is backed by the banks there - so you do end up with 3 or 4 different fivers etc.

If you get Northern Irish money here, in the RoI, the bank will naturally tend to missue it's own version of the notes.

You'll have difficulty using them elsewhere in the UK, so ask for and get Sterling bank of England money, it will be at the same rate to you.

Of course once you spend some, and get change in the North it will most likely be NI money.

For what it's worth, there are not specific NI coinage though.

Dun

If you're only going to Belfast, it doesn't matter about what kind of sterling notes you get, they'll take anything.