| The US$ is the most
commonly accepted foreign currency in Venezuela, so it is recommended
to carry cash and traveller’s cheques in US$. At present,
banks do not change cheques or foreign currency, and tourists
have to go to exchange offices. As these are mostly found in
larger cities and airports, it is wise to obtain sufficient
Bolívares before taking a trip to the interior.
Credit cards are widely accepted, but a surcharge of up to
10% is often applied. Most commonly accepted are MasterCard/Eurocard,
American Express and Visa. You can also use a credit card
to withdraw money from automatic cash machines, which usually
dispense up to 100,000 Bs per day. If you require more, you
will have to make a transaction over the counter. Venezuelan
banks can get very crowded so allow at least 2 hours for this.
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