Currency

Money

The currency in Wales is the pound sterling. The pound (£) sterling, divided into 100 pence, remains the national currency. There are coins of 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2; and notes of £5, £10, £20 and £50. Normal banking hours are Mon– Fri 9.30am–5pm, but some branches open on Saturday. Most banks and larger post offices can change foreign currency; US dollars and euros are the easiest currencies to change and will get the best rates.

Atms

Nearly all banks in Wales have ATMs linked to international systems such as Cirrus, Maestro or Plus. An increasing number of ATMs, especially ones you find in shops, make a charge for withdrawal (at least £1.50).ATMs accept a wide range of debit and credit cards. Shops, hotels, restaurants and most other places readily accept credit and debit cards for payment.

Credit cards

Various cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express (Amex) and Diners Club are widely accepted in Wales, although small businesses such as B&Bs prefer cash.

Travellers cheques

Travellers cheques issued by Amex, Thomas Cook and Visa are widely recognised. Eurocheques are not commonly used in the UK and many places refuse to accept them.