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COSTS, MONEY AND BANKS |
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The currency in circulation in the Republic will remain the Irish
pound, also known as the punt, until conversion to the euro is complete
. The punt is divided into 100 pence as in Britain. Exchange rates vary,
but currently one pound sterling is worth £1.31 punts and ¬1.66 euros;
one US dollar is worth £0.93 punts, and ¬1.18 euros; and the Irish punt
itself converts to ¬1.27 euros. For the best rates you should change
money either in banks or bureaux de change; depending on who they bank
with, visitors from Britain may find withdrawing money directly from
their account via an ATM the best option of all. The currency in the
North is pounds sterling, as in Britain, though the notes are different
and are not readily accepted in mainland Britain. Prices quoted in this
guide are in punts and euros for the Republic, and pounds sterling for
Northern Ireland.
It may be a surprise to find that the Republic is not a cheap place to
travel. The least expensive accommodation in a hostel bed will rarely
cost less than £6/¬7.62 a night, while bed and breakfast generally works
out at £16-20/¬20.36- 25.70 per person sharing, £25-30/¬31.74-38.09 in
Dublin (and single travellers can expect to pay a supplement ranging
from 25 to 50 percent extra in many instances - hostels aside). Reckon
on about £5/¬6.35 for a basic, filling meal , and on spending more than
you expect on drink, partly because it's expensive and partly because so
much social life and entertainment revolves around the pubs. In short,
you're likely to spend an absolute minimum of £20/¬25.70 a day, even if
you're being very careful, and it's easy to find yourself getting
through £30/¬38.09 or more if you plan to live it up in the slightest.
As always, if you're travelling in a group you may be able to save some
money by sharing rooms and food. Prices in the North tend to be less
expensive; in particular B&B accommodation, basic groceries and consumer
goods which are all cheaper.
If you are planning on visiting a lot of historic monuments in the
Republic , it may be worth buying a Heritage Card (£15/¬19.05; children/students
£10/¬12.82), valid for one year from the date of purchase. This gives
you unlimited admittance to sites cared for by Dúchas , the Heritage
Service, which runs many parks, monuments and gardens. Cards can be
bought from the first Dúchas site you visit, or in advance from their
main office at 6 Ely Place, Dublin 2 (tel 01/647 2461 or within the
Republic tel 1850 600601, www.heritageireland.ie ). Monuments for which
the card is valid are indicated throughout this guide; membership of An
Óige also includes discounts on access to certain sites . In the North ,
the National Trust offers a similar deal, but there are a lot fewer
sights. If, however, you are also visiting Britain, membership (£30;
under-25s £15; family £57) may be worthwhile. Write to them at Rowallane
House, Saintfield, Co Down BT24 7LH (or telephone for an application tel
028/9751 0721); alternatively, contact the National Trust Membership
Department, PO Box 39, Bromley, Kent BR1 3XL (tel 0208 3151111,
www.nationaltrust.org.uk ).
Throughout this guide, the full entry price for museums, art galleries
and other sights has been given. Many places will also offer a
concesionary price for children, students and those over 60, which is
usually at least a thrid off the full amount.
The euro
The Republic of Ireland is one of twelve European Union countries who
have changed over to a single currency, the euro (¬). Euro notes will be
issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, and
coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2
euros. Even before euro cash appears in 2002, you can opt to pay in
euros by credit card and you can get travellers' cheques in euros - you
should not be charged commission for changing them in any of the eleven
countries in the euro zone (also known as "Euroland"), nor for changing
from any of the old Euroland currencies to any other (French francs to
Irish pounds, for example).
All prices in this guide for costs in the Republic are given in both
Irish pounds and the euro equivalent
Carrying money
The easiest way to draw cash is with a debit or credit card . If you are
from the UK, some cashpoint cards allow you to withdraw money directly
from your account. NatWest and HSBC customers can use any Ulster Bank
ATM free of charge. Most sizeable towns throughout Ireland have at least
one bank with a cash dispenser that will accept Visa and/or Mastercard
and most also accept Plus and Cirrus. The majority of large department
stores, petrol stations, hotels and upmarket restaurants in both the
Republic and Northern Ireland accept the major credit cards -
MasterCard, Visa and all cards carrying the Eurocard symbol, though
Diners' Club and American Express are not widely accepted. However,
credit cards are less useful in rural areas: smaller establishments all
over the country, such as B&Bs, will often accept cash only.
Another easy and safe way to carry your money is in travellers' cheques
, available for a small commission from any major bank. The most
commonly accepted travellers' cheques are American Express, followed by
Visa and Thomas Cook - most cheques issued by banks will be one of these
brands. You'll usually pay commission again when you cash each cheque,
or a flat rate - though no commission is payable on Amex cheques
exchanged at Amex branches and the same goes for Thomas Cook cheques
exchanged at Thomas Cook branches. Make sure you keep a record of the
cheques as you cash them, so you'll be able to get the value of all
uncashed cheques refunded immediately if you lose them.
Banks and bureaux de change
Almost everywhere banks are the best places to change money and cheques;
outside banking hours you'll have to use a bureau de change, widely
found in most city centres and at international airports. Avoid changing
money or cheques in hotels, where the rates are normally very poor.
The main high-street banks in the Republic are Allied Irish Bank, Bank
of Ireland and Ulster Bank. All are open Monday to Friday 10am to
12.30pm and 1.30 to 4pm; banks in larger cities stay open all day and
are open until 5pm one day a week, usually Thursday. It makes sense to
change your money while in the cities since many small country towns are
served by sub-offices open only on certain days of the week. Foreign
exchange counters are open at Dún Laoghaire, Dublin Port and Rosslare
ferry terminals and at all main airports : Dublin (daily 6am-8pm year
round, staying open later during the summer); Shannon (daily except
Christmas day, 6am- 5.30pm); Cork (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11am-5pm,
closed Christmas day); Knock International (summer daily 10.30am-5pm;
winter Mon, Thurs, Fri & Sun opens 1hr before incoming and outgoing
flights). In Dublin city, there are several bureaux de change and
outlets where you can change money: these include Thomas Cook at 51 &
118 Grafton St, and 4 North Earl St, American Express at 41 Nassau St,
and Dublin Tourism's main office on Suffolk Street.
In the North , the main high-street banks are linked with British ones:
National Irish Bank (associated with HSBC in Britain); Ulster Bank
(associated with NatWest) and Bank of Ireland. Main banks in large towns
are open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm, with some opening for longer
hours and on Saturdays; outside the cities some may close between
12.30pm and 1.30pm. In very small villages the bank may only open on two
or three days a week - so, as in the Republic, aim to get your cash in
the bigger centres. Belfast International airport has a branch of Thomas
Cook, there's a bureau de change at City of Derry Airport, but no
foreign exchange facilities at Belfast City airport. In Belfast itself,
you can change money at the Post Office, 7 Shaftesbury Square, or at
Thomas Cook, 11 Donegall Place (tel 028/9088 3900). Thomas Cook also
have a branch in Derry at Unit 7, Quayside Strand Rd (tel 028/7185
2500).
Emergencies
If, as a foreign visitor, you run out of money or there is some kind of
emergency, the quickest way to get money sent out is to contact your
bank at home and have them wire the cash to the nearest bank.
For Americans and Canadians - or any Amex cardholder - one of the
quickest ways to get money from home is through American Express. The
company allows cardholders to draw cash from their checking accounts, up
to US$1000 every 21 days (over the counter) or seven days (from an ATM),
as well as offering its own Moneygram Service (tel 1-800/543-4080;
www.moneygram.com ), through which money can be sent to Europe. Another
option is to have cash sent out through Western Union (tel
1-800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com ) to a nearby bank or post office
(this service is available to any traveller, not just North Americans).
Make sure you know when it's likely to arrive, since you won't be
notified by the receiving office. Remember, too, that you'll need some
form of identification when you pick up the money. Moneygram fees start
at US$24, and Western Union US$29 for a wire of US$300; the fees do rise
quite steadily and this is an expensive - albeit necessary at times -
way to get money.
Finally, Americans in dire straits can arrange to have money sent to
them via the State Departments' Citizen's Emergency Center (Mon-Fri
8am-10pm, Sat 9am-3pm tel 202/647-5225, at all other times 202/647-7000;
www.travel.state.gov ).
For Australians and New Zealanders , your best bet is to take a Visa or
Mastercard, or a key (debit) card with cirrus or plus transaction
facilities, with you. Otherwise you have to make arrangements for a
possible international money transfer before you leave by nominating a
bank and account number in Ireland, entrusting your bank account number
with someone at home and paying a fee of A$25/NZ$30.
Youth and student discounts
There are various official and quasi-official youth/student ID cards
available that soon pay for themselves in savings.
Full-time students are eligible for the International Student ID Card
(ISIC). This entitles the bearer to discounts at some museums, theatres
and visitor centres, but is perhaps most useful with an additional
Travelsave Stamp (£8/¬10.16), available at any USIT office in Ireland,
offering reductions of up to fifty percent on Irish Rail services, along
with discounts on Bus Ðireann, B&I ferries and Northern Ireland
Railways. The card, which costs £6 in Britain, £7/¬8.89 in the Republic,
US$20 in the US and A/NZ$16.50 in Australia and New Zealand, is
available from branches of USIT in Ireland and Council Travel, STA and
Travel Cuts around the world or online at www.ciee.org,
www.statravel.com and www.travelcuts.com respectively.
The International Youth Card is available to anyone under 26 and can be
obtained at any USIT office (£7 UK, £8/¬10.16 Republic); take along
valid ID and a passport photo. The card gives discounts on flights, and
in the Republic, for an additional £7/¬8.89, entitles you to up to fifty
percent off train fares, though generally very little reduction on short
journeys.
You have to be 25 or younger to qualify for a G0-25 Card , which buys
discounts on air fares; the card costs $15 in the US, $16.50 in
Australia and New Zealand, and £7 in the UK. It can be purchased through
Council Travel in the US, Hostelling International in Canada , STA in
Australia and New Zealand , and USIT in the UK, or online at the
addresses we've listed.
STA also sells its own ID card that's good for some discounts, as do
various other travel organizations. A university photo ID might open
some doors, too.
Useful web sites
The Internet is an excellent point of reference before travelling to and
when you are in Ireland, not only for accessing general information
about the country, but also for researching and booking accommodation
and activities. In Ireland itself (even in the supposedly remote west)
an Internet point is never far away, though the further west you go the
more expensive it tends to be
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