Getting Turkish Lira

masterboy123 · 22-06-2019 9:30am #1

Traveling to Turkey next week and I am wondering where could I get Turkish Lira at a good conversion rate? Do AnPost have it?

Thanks

StreetLight · 22-06-2019 9:34am

An Post only do US dollars and UK sterling.

You need to pick a bank, but if you're travelling next week - be quick. When I got my Lira from Bank Of Ireland a few years ago, they had to order it and make an appointment for me to collect it a few days later.

phormium · 22-06-2019 9:43am

If you have a credit union account you can order directly from Fexco and pick up in you local credit union, usually pretty much next day if ordered early. Not sure about rate but certainly convenient.

masterboy123 · 22-06-2019 10:01am

I checked AnPost foreign exchange rates, lira is there but not sure if they keep it available or need to order.

I don't have Credit Union account, just with AIB. Is it possible to get from Fexco to my AIB? Or directly from AIB?

cdeb · 22-06-2019 11:51am

Easiest to use an ATM out there I'd say

masterboy123 · 22-06-2019 12:29pm

ATMs are going to charge extra fees. I just found good rates at Debenhams and they have the currency on site.
Thanks everyone.

tedpan · 22-06-2019 12:45pm

cdeb wrote:

Easiest to use an ATM out there I'd say

ATMs are fine if you're going to take out money once or twice due to the charges.

The best thing is to use your Visa debit or even better a revolut card, both better rates than getting money exchanged here or in Turkey.

masterboy123 · 22-06-2019 12:58pm

Thanks for the tip. What about using credit card to pay at shops?

tedpan wrote: »

ATMs are fine if you're going to take out money once or twice due to the charges.

The best thing is to use your Visa debit or even better a revolut card, both better rates than getting money exchanged here or in Turkey.

phormium · 22-06-2019 1:15pm

Debenhams do foreign ex! Well you learn something new everyday

tedpan · 22-06-2019 1:41pm

masterboy123 wrote:

Thanks for the tip. What about using credit card to pay at shops?

Totally fine too although some banks charge for foreign transactions. I'm with AIB and there's no charges on credit cards either.

Nearly everywhere accepts card so you will be fine and lira is so weak at the moment you'll find it cheap.

Sonny noggs · 22-06-2019 1:42pm

Bring back some Turkish delight.

tedpan · 22-06-2019 3:14pm

Sonny noggs wrote:

Bring back some Turkish delight.

Yep! Lokum and Baklava please

masterboy123 · 22-06-2019 4:13pm

And their rates are usually better!

phormium wrote: »

Debenhams do foreign ex! Well you learn something new everyday

masterboy123 · 22-06-2019 4:14pm

I am with AIB too. Thanks for this info.

tedpan wrote: »

Totally fine too although some banks charge for foreign transactions. I'm with AIB and there's no charges on credit cards either.

Nearly everywhere accepts card so you will be fine and lira is so weak at the moment you'll find it cheap.

Gael23 · 22-06-2019 9:42pm

An post do other Currencies apart from sterling and Dollars but you get them in a preloaded card, not in cash. That said not sure if Turkish Lira is one.

Credit union would be where I would go

meolwan · 22-06-2019 9:59pm

You will get a better rate exchanging your money in Turkey. If you are going to a tourist area most places will except Euro. But I would only use Euro on the first night or until I got Lira. Most hotels and restaurants will exchange Euro, Sterling or Dollars to Lira for you but just shop around.

odyssey06 · 22-06-2019 9:59pm

Make sure to have some euros in your wallet.
Dunno if they still do it, but there was a bit of a racket a few years back where you had to buy a tourist visa on arrival in the airport using dollars, euros or sterling. Most of the cash I had was turkish lira!

meolwan · 22-06-2019 10:04pm

odyssey06 wrote: »

Make sure to have some euros in your wallet.
Dunno if they still do it, but there was a bit of a racket a few years back where you had to buy a tourist visa on arrival in the airport using dollars, euros or sterling. Most of the cash I had was turkish lira!

You can get your visa online now much easier. Last time I got one it cost $20 print it at home before you go.

Gael23 · 22-06-2019 10:05pm

Are those commission free currency outlets good or best avoided?

EagererBeaver · 22-06-2019 10:06pm

Get a Revolut account.

coylemj · 22-06-2019 10:14pm

Gael23 wrote: »

Are those commission free currency outlets good or best avoided?

As with An Post here, 'commission free' is a smokescreen to hide poor exchange rates. An Post is never the best for FX, ever, they always set their rates between AIB and BoI.

killbillvol2 · 22-06-2019 10:26pm

tedpan wrote: »

Totally fine too although some banks charge for foreign transactions. I'm with AIB and there's no charges on credit cards either.

Nearly everywhere accepts card so you will be fine and lira is so weak at the moment you'll find it cheap.

AIB do charge for non Euro transactions, it's just not very transparent. It's 1.75% in Europe and higher for the rest of the world. And their VISA exchange rate isn't great either.

Gael23 · 22-06-2019 10:26pm

coylemj wrote: »

As with An Post here, 'commission free' is a smokescreen to hide poor exchange rates. An Post is never the best for FX, ever, they always set their rates between AIB and BoI.

With AIB you have to have an account with them to get foreign currency,

tedpan · 22-06-2019 10:39pm

killbillvol2 wrote:

AIB do charge for non Euro transactions, it's just not very transparent. It's 1.75% in Europe and higher for the rest of the world. And their VISA exchange rate isn't great either.

It's far better than local exchanges in Turkey. As I said before, Revolut would be the best option.

scudzilla · 23-06-2019 5:21am

Just another tip for you, do not let your card out of your sight

We flew into Dalaman last October, we bank with BoI but i had about 150euro in my AIB account, now this account had not been used for a good 4 months.

Get off plane in Dalaman and stop in Duty Free and buy 90euro worth of Amber Leaf, lady takes card, puts it in machine under desk, i put in pin, goes through all grand, i get card and head off.

Few days later i just happen to check the online AIB banking, sure the 90 quid had gone out, along with 4 payments of 12.99 to Netflix for the next day and an attempt for a card payment of 70euro.

Only time that card had been out of my sight, or used for the previous 4 months was the airport

masterboy123 · 23-06-2019 7:12am

Thanks for the heads up.

Did you manage to get your money back?

I suppose credit card is better to use as it's bank money and they usually revert back the transaction.

scudzilla wrote: »

Just another tip for you, do not let your card out of your sight

We flew into Dalaman last October, we bank with BoI but i had about 150euro in my AIB account, now this account had not been used for a good 4 months.

Get off plane in Dalaman and stop in Duty Free and buy 90euro worth of Amber Leaf, lady takes card, puts it in machine under desk, i put in pin, goes through all grand, i get card and head off.

Few days later i just happen to check the online AIB banking, sure the 90 quid had gone out, along with 4 payments of 12.99 to Netflix for the next day and an attempt for a card payment of 70euro.

Only time that card had been out of my sight, or used for the previous 4 months was the airport

masterboy123 · 23-06-2019 6:26pm

Ah, Debenhams closed early today.

Any idea if AIB keep Turkish Lira in the bank? Or need to order it?

scudzilla · 25-06-2019 12:25am

masterboy123 wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up.

Did you manage to get your money back?

I suppose credit card is better to use as it's bank money and they usually revert back the transaction.

Oh yeah, seen the transactions and just left it, hardly anything in that account, contacted bank when i got back and they just refunded it, no questions asked, was expecting a fight but no, same day back in account

JCX BXC · 25-06-2019 1:08am

Just a warning, card is not widely accepted at the resort's in smaller shops and most restaurants.

tedpan · 25-06-2019 7:08am

JCX BXC wrote:

Just a warning, card is not widely accepted at the resort's in smaller shops and most restaurants.

Not sure about the resorts but I go to turkey quite regularly and use card in every restaurant I go to. It's been years since I found somewhere without a card machine.

masterboy123 · 25-06-2019 7:46am

I am carrying few hundreds of euros also in cash. Any recommendation for currency exchange in Sultanahmet area?

Getting Turkish Lira

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