2026-10-21
Image: Daylon124 / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0
In short
- Always pay in the local currency, and set foreign use and limits in your banking app.
- Hotel and car-hire deposits temporarily reduce your available balance.
- Carry two cards, ideally from two different card networks.
Before you leave
- Enable foreign and contactless payments and set a daily limit that fits your trip budget.
- Know your card’s conversion mark-up; look for the foreign-exchange charge in your bank’s price list.
- Save your bank’s card-blocking number offline and keep card details somewhere other than your wallet.
While paying
Within the EU shops generally may not add a surcharge for most consumer card payments; outside the EU they may, so ask before paying. In the EU, banks must also show currency conversion costs as a percentage mark-up over the ECB reference rate.
If the terminal asks whether to pay in forints or the local currency, choose the local currency (see our ATM and DCC guide).
Hotel and car-hire deposits
Hotels and car-hire firms often pre-authorise an amount on your card. It is not a charge, but it can reduce your available balance for days or even weeks. Car hire usually needs a credit card in the driver’s name.
Checklist
- Foreign payments and limits set?
- Two cards, blocking number saved offline?
- Enough balance for deposits?
Reviewed: 2026-10-21.
