Digital Banking
Navigation menu
Travel money
Choose from over 60 available currencies, 6 travellers cheque currencies, flexible ordering and delivery options to ensure you get your currency where and when you need it. And when you return, we’ll gladly buy it back commission free.
It is a good idea to take foreign currency for your immediate purchases and although there are charges for using your card abroad, compared with other payment methods, using a debit or credit card for additional purchases can be safer and more convenient.
- 0% Commission on all foreign currencies.
- Delivery to your home or a branch of your choice.
- Payment from any UK credit or debit card.
Ordering is easy
You can order your foreign currency from us:
- Online
- By telephone 0845 300 1278 (Minicom 0800 404 6160)
- At your local branch – Find your nearest branch
You can even check our live rates online with our currency convertor and our exchange rates before you order from us.
Do you hold an extra benefits current account?
You qualify for preferential exchange rates and complimentary home delivery on your travel money for orders over £100. To enjoy these benefits, please call Membership Services to order your Travel Money. Monthly account fees are £6.95 for Royalties, £8.00 for Select Silver Account, £12.95 for Royalties Gold, £18.00 for Royalties Private and £24.00 for Black Account.
0% Commission on all foreign currencies
No commission on all foreign currency notes and Travellers Cheques
Travel Money Charges
| Sales | |
|---|---|
| Currency notes | 0% commission |
| Currency Travellers Cheques | 0% commission |
| Sterling Travellers Cheques | 1% commission min £3; max £50 (max £25 for online and phone orders), 0% commission for Select Silver Account, Royalties Gold, Black Account, Royalties, and Royalties Private account holders when ordered through membership services. |
| Repurchases | |
| Currency notes | 0% commission |
| Currency Travellers Cheques | 0% commission |
| Sterling Travellers Cheques | 0% commission |
You can't purchase more than £10,000 worth of Travellers Cheques in a single transaction, or in a series of linked transactions.
Delivery
For your convenience, you can choose between home delivery (when you order online or over the phone) and collecting it from your local branch. For branch deliveries, please use the Find your nearest branch tool, to check that your selected branch is open on the chosen delivery date. Please note that you will need to bring a valid passport or driving licence and your payment card when collecting your order from a branch.
You can order up to 10 days in advance and choose a delivery date to suit you.
- Branch Orders placed before 3pm will be available for collection after 1pm the next working day *.
- Branch Orders placed after 3pm will be available for collection after 1pm in 2 working days*.
- Telephone/Online Orders placed before 2pm are available for branch collection or delivered after 1pm the next working day*.
- Telephone/Online Orders placed after 2pm are available for branch collection or delivered after 1pm in 2 working days*.
* The last working day of the week is Friday and there is no delivery to branches on Saturdays or Sundays, therefore, for collection from branches open on Saturdays, orders must be placed before the Thursday cut off times (3pm if ordered in branch and 2pm if ordered online or by telephone).
Saturday home deliveries are not guaranteed (i.e. if you request delivery for a Saturday it may arrive on Saturday or Monday). No deliveries are made on Sundays.
Sell back
When you return from your trip abroad, we'll gladly buy back your leftover foreign currency and foreign Travellers Cheques. Our buy back service is also commission free.
| Sales | |
|---|---|
| Currency notes | 0% commission |
| Currency Travellers Cheques | 0% commission |
| Sterling Travellers Cheques* | 1% commission - min £3; max £50 (max £25 for online and phone orders) |
*0% commission for Select Silver Account, Royalties Gold, Black Account, Royalties Premier, Royalties and Student and Graduate Royalties customers.
| Repurchases | |
|---|---|
| Currency notes | 0% commission |
| Currency Travellers Cheques | 0% commission |
| Sterling Travellers Cheques | 0% commission |
| Currency notes paid into or withdrawn from a currency account | |
|---|---|
| US Dollar | |
| US$ $25,000 and under | 1% (min $10) |
| US$ $25,001- $100,000 | 0.5% |
| US$ 100,000+ | 0.25% |
| Euro | |
| Euro 25,000 and under | 1% (min Euro 10) |
| Euro 25,001 - 100,000 | 0.5% |
| Over Euro 100,000 | 0.25% |
| All other currencies | |
| £25,000 and under | 1% (min £5) |
| £25,001 - £100,000 | 0.5% |
| Over £100,000 | Ask for our special rates |
Online
Our online service is the quickest and most convenient way of ordering foreign currency from us.
- Transactions can be completed in as little as 3 minutes.
- You can choose delivery to your local branch or home address (UK registered address of your payment card only). For branch deliveries, please use the Find your nearest branch tool, to check that your selected branch is open on the chosen delivery date.
- All information is sent over a secure connection to safeguard your privacy and security.
See Important Information for delivery details. For enquiries concerning online orders please call: 0845 300 1278 (Minicom 0800 404 6160).
By phone
Call us on 0845 300 1278 (Minicom 0800 404 6160)
Our dedicated team of expert travel money operators are ready to help. They will be able to advise you on many aspects of your travel money needs such as which currencies to take and help with payment methods abroad. Orders are typically completed in less than 5 minutes.
- All of our foreign currencies and foreign Travellers Cheques are commission free.
- You can pay by UK credit or debit card.
- You can choose between home or branch delivery.
- You can choose between home or branch delivery. For branch deliveries, please use the Find your nearest branch tool, to check that your selected branch is open on the chosen delivery date.
See Important Information for delivery details.
In branch
Just visit your local branch to order from our wide currency range. For next day service, you just need to order your money before 3pm, and it will be ready for you from 1pm on the next business day.
An emergency next day delivery service is available from 3pm-3.30pm in branch, but this will incur an additional fee of £5. Orders will be available for collection in branch from 1pm the next working day. There is no delivery to branches on Saturdays or Sundays, therefore , for collection from branches open on Saturdays, orders must be placed on Thursday.
Euros and US dollars - Currency on-demand
If you need Euros and US dollars in a hurry, we can help. Over 500 of our branches stock instantly available pre-packed amounts of €100, €150, €500 or $200, so you can buy your travel money at a time that suits you.
See Important Information for delivery details. For enquiries concerning online orders please call: 0845 300 1278 (Minicom 0800 404 6160).
Everything you need to make the most of your trip
When it comes to holiday money, most of us simply rely on foreign currency, often leaving it until we get to the airport to buy it, so we end up receiving a poorer foreign exchange rate.
That’s where this handy guide comes in. There are often cheaper, safer and more convenient ways to pay for things while you’re abroad. This guide will help show you which methods of payment may be better in different situations. Take a look to find out what’s best to use, where and when.
Planning
If taking out travel insurance, please consider having it in place well in advance of going on holiday.
Our packaged accounts offer a range of benefits including travel insurance. Please refer to the Benefits section for the indiviudal account for more information.
Monthly account fees are £8.00 for Select Silver Account, £12.95 for Royalties Gold, £18.00 for Royalties Private and £24.00 for Black Account
If you don’t yet have travel insurance in place, whatever type of policy you need, single trip or annual, Europe or worldwide, individual or family cover, we could cover you straight away, just call 0800 032 7142.
Before you go
1. Order your travel money
Buying currency at the airport can be an expensive way to do it. Get your currency from RBS and we won’t charge you a penny in commission, and we can even deliver it to your home or branch.
Just call us on 0845 300 1278 (Minicom 0800 404 6160), pop into any branch or order online.
2. Make sure you know your PIN
You’ll need your PIN to use your card. If you’ve forgotten it, just let us know and we’ll send you a new one within a week. Just call the relevant Customer Service number on the Useful numbers section.
3. Make a list of your card and phone numbers
This will prove invaluable if your cards are ever lost or stolen, and don’t forget to take a list of useful numbers with you when you travel or store the phone numbers into your mobile before you go.
4. Register for text alerts
This is a great service which you can set up in minutes. Then, no matter where you are in the world, you’ll be able to get a weekly balance update by text or an alert if your balance goes above or below a particular amount.
Set up your text alerts at rbs.co.uk/textalerts
Most important of all
Remember to pack your debit and credit cards - as we’ll show you, they could prove just as handy abroad as back home.
While you're there
Carrying lots of cash around is never a good idea, but you may need a little foreign currency on you when you arrive at your destination – for things like taxi fares, drinks and snacks. Most holiday insurance policies only cover cash up to a maximum of £500, so it’s often safer, not to mention more convenient, to use a debit or credit card.
Using your debit card
Your debit card gives you the convenience of being able to make purchases and withdraw currency from cash machines abroad.
Extra protection
More secure than carrying cash, debit cards also cover you against fraud and identity theft, protecting you from any unauthorised spending abroad. In many countries you will be able to use chip and pin technology, making your transactions even more secure. In addition, your debit card gives you purchase protection on anything you buy. So if you pay for a special souvenir and it turns out to be damaged, or if you get it shipped and it fails to arrive, we may be able to help you recover your money.
Welcome all over the world
Visa Debit is welcome at over 29 million retail outlets all over the world as well as at over 1 million cash machines. Just look for the Visa sign. If you haven’t received your new Visa debit card speak to a member of branch staff.
Convenient and great value
Although there are charges for using your card abroad, compared with other payment methods, using a debit card could be just as cheap and a safer way to buy things. The table below illustrates the amount you would pay in sterling depending on how you make your purchases abroad.
| Cost of buying US ($) in sterling (£) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment method | $100 | $200 | $300 |
| Debit card at Point of Sale in the US | £69.27 | £137.30 | £205.32 |
| Cash withdrawal at US cash machine | £70.02 | £138.77 | £208.15 |
| Foreign currency from UK bank | £70.31 | £140.62 | £210.93 |
| Foreign currency from airport exchange bureau | £74.53 | £146.05 | £217.58 |
All Information correct as at 9 March 2010. Based on Visa International daily exchange rates and inclusive of all charges of 2.75% + £1.25 at Point of Sale or 2.75% + 2% (min £2, max £5) at ATMs. Rate quoted from UK Bank was found at Lloyds TSB and is commission free. Airport rate was found at American Express Foreign Exchange Services, Terminal 1, Heathrow Airport and includes a £3 commission charge.
Using your credit card
Your credit card could help for buying more expensive things like special gifts or electrical items. You could benefit from up to 56 days’ interest free credit on purchases if you pay your balance in full and on time each month. Credit cards are also accepted at millions of locations worldwide and provide you with additional protection for any purchases between £100 and £30,000.
For more information on NatWest credit cards visit rbs.co.uk/creditcards
Important information while you're abroad
Helpful tips while you're abroad
When using your cards abroad, you can sometimes pay in sterling rather than local currency. Paying this way is often more expensive than paying in the local currency as there could be a local charge.
In some countries you may be asked for a six digit PIN when using an ATM. However, so long as the ATM has been set-up correctly you can still use your four digit PIN followed by enter.
Charges while abroad
Charges apply when using your debit or credit card abroad. Any transaction in a foreign currency is converted into sterling at our prevailing exchange rate and a transaction fee of 2.75% is subsequently applied.
For transactions carried out in a foreign currency for sterling the following charges are applied. For debit cards, there is a charge of £1.25 for each purchase or 2% (min £2, max £5) for cash machine withdrawals. For credit cards a charge of 3% (min £3) applies for any cash machine withdrawal.
For full details, please refer to the fees leaflet which applies to your account.
When you're back
As well as a pile of washing, you should also be coming home with a receipt for everything you bought on your trip. Make sure you take the time to check them carefully against your card and bank statements and let us know straight away if there’s any transaction you don’t recognise. If you’re lucky enough to come back with some foreign currency as well, just bring it into any RBS branch and we’ll exchange it for you free of charge. Also, why not bookmark this page on your browser for reference when you next travel?
Useful numbers
Lost or stolen cards: +44 1268 500 813
Debit cards: +44 131 549 8888
Credit cards: +44 1268 508 023
Foreign currency orders: 0845 300 1278
Travel Insurance: 0800 032 7142
Minicom: 0800 404 6160
For Branch orders
Delivery Times:
You can order up to 10 days in advance and choose a delivery date to suit you.
- Branch Orders placed before 3pm will be available for collection after 1pm the next working day *.
- Branch Orders placed after 3pm will be available for collection after 1pm in 2 working days*.
* The last working day of the week is Friday and there is no delivery to branches on Saturdays or Sundays, therefore, for collection from branches open on Saturdays, orders must be placed before the Thursday cut off times (3pm if ordered in branch and 2pm if ordered online or by telephone).
Charges:
- All our currencies and foreign Travellers Cheques are commission free, only sterling Travellers Cheques incur 1% commission (min £3, max £50)
- An emergency next day delivery service is available from 2pm -3.30pm but this will incur an additional fee of £5.
For Telephone and online orders
Restrictions:
- To protect against fraud, you must take your payment card and a passport or driving licence with you when collecting your order from our branches, if you do not bring either item the order cannot be issued to you.
- Also to protect against fraud, there is a £3,000 order limit in a 60 day period and maximum order value per transaction of £2,500. There is no such limit if you place your order in-branch.
- For branch deliveries, please use the Find your nearest branch tool, to check that your selected branch is open on the chosen delivery date.
Charges:
- All our currencies and foreign Travellers Cheques are commission free, only sterling Travellers Cheques incur 1% commission (min £3, max £25)
- Home delivery orders for less than £500 will incur a delivery fee of £5, branch delivery is free for all orders.
Delivery Times:
You can order up to 10 days in advance and choose a delivery date to suit you.
- Branch Orders placed before 3pm will be available for collection after 1pm the next working day *.
- Branch Orders placed after 3pm will be available for collection after 1pm in 2 working days*.
- Telephone/Online Orders placed before 2pm are available for collection or delivered after 1pm the next working day*
- Telephone/Online Orders placed after 2pm are available for collection or delivered after 1pm in 2 working days*
* The last working day of the week is Friday and there is no delivery to branches on Saturdays or Sundays, therefore, for collection from branches open on Saturdays orders must be placed before the Thursday cut off times (3pm if ordered in branch and 2pm if ordered online or by telephone).
Saturday home deliveries are not guaranteed (i.e. if you request delivery for a Saturday it may arrive on Saturday or Monday). No deliveries are made on Sundays.
Do you hold an extra benefits current account?
You qualify for preferential exchange rates and complimentary home delivery on your travel money for orders over £100. To enjoy these benefits, please call Membership Services to order your Travel Money. Monthly account fees are £6.95 for Royalties, £8.00 for Select Silver Account, £12.95 for Royalties Gold, £18.00 for Royalties Private and £24.00 for Black Account.
Do you hold a current account with extras?
You qualify for preferential exchange rates and complimentary home delivery on your travel money for orders over £100. To enjoy these benefits, please call Membership Services to order your Travel Money. Monthly account fees are £6.95 for Royalties, £8.00 for Select Silver Account, £12.95 for Royalties Gold, £18.00 for Royalties Private and £24.00 for Black Account.
Get in touch
-
Call
0845 300 1278
Minicom
0800 404 6160
Lines are open
Mon to Fri 8am - 10pm
Sat & Sun 10am - 8pm
(excluding public holidays).
Calls may be recorded.