Acceptance of payment cards and Euro in Bucharest
I shall shortly be spending 24 hours in Bucharest and would prefer not to change money for such a short visit. We have Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards. Our hotel is prepaid. Are cards widely accepted for small amounts like a coffee or for admission to tourist attractions and are they widely accepted for restaurants?
We will have a supply of Euros with us. Are they accepted for similar circumstances? I am aware that I will get a poor exchange rate buying a coffee with Euros but I can accept that.
Best Answer
George Y.'s answer is very good, but I can provide more information:
Indeed taxis and public transportation rely on cash (and make sure you also have smaller banknotes because they always claim not to have small banknotes to give back to a larger banknote). Also, a very recent Government ordinance virtually outlawed Uber's and Bolt's (Taxify) activity because they need a special license just like taxi drivers need. When going from OTP, make sure to use their terminals to call a cab and never accept other offers
you can virtually pay everywhere using a debit/credit card (Revolut included) except for very rare cases, even for smaller amounts, although sellers would appreciate cash in these cases
except for very rare cases all cash transactions must be in the local currency (RON)
tipping is almost never included on the bill (you pay by card, tip by cash)
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Do they accept Euros in Bucharest?
You can't really use Euros (or anything else except lei) in Romania because only a few major hotels and some tourist-orientated shops accept payments in foreign currencies. There's no point in changing pounds into lei outside Romania, you're certainly going to get a terribly low exchange rate.Can you pay with 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.Can you use the euro in Romania?
Can you use Euros in Romania? Yes, some restaurants, hotels, and shops in tourist areas will accept Euros. But it's much better to pay in the local currency \u2013 Romanian Leu.How do I pay in Bucharest?
Romanian cash \u2013 bank cards In rural part of Romania it is very likely that you will have to pay with cash. A recent development in Bucharest is that you can pay by card for a bus and metro fare. Start by exchanging a small amount, the equivalent of 100-200\u20ac/$ at the airport or at the nearest Romanian entry point.EXCHANGING MONEY IN EUROPE: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
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