I need to access my Bank of America account and would like to just go by an ATM since I don’t have a Taiwan bank account yet. My BofA card is authorized for international use. Should I try a bank’s ATM or one at a 7-11 or Family Mart? Or does it matter?
Any ATM will do.
Banks here don’t seem to gouge non-customers like they do at ATMs in Canada or the US. Most ATMs charge their own customers nothing or next-to-nothing, and they only charge non-customers around NT$6 (US$0.50). Compare that with $1-$4 (US or Canadian dollars) back in North America.
If you’re a tourist, it’s best to stick to the main banks, both for accessibility to the system and getting your card back the next day if the machine eats it. At least Taiwan isn’t like Korea, where most banks turn off their ATMs after 9PM and metal gates automatically close. More than a few people, Koreans and foreigners (though not myself), have been trapped inside one.
I’m not a tourist, just haven’t set up an account yet. The Taipei Fu Bon Bank here locally wouldn’t even recognize my card. 7-11 was no problem. I haven’t tried any other banks yet.
Next, what bank would you recommend: Bank of Taiwan, Taipei Fubon, Taiwan Cooperative, Post Office, Chang Hua? There may be others in my town but I haven’t seen them and these are fairly convenient to home.
If you can chose (i.e. your company don’t set it up for you) don’t get Chang Hwa, I have them and they’re crap imho.
Chinatrust or Cathay look pretty decent to me, but I really don’t know.
The advantage with Chinatrust is that they have ATMs in all 7-11’s and you don’t have to pay a fee when you withdraw cash there.
Uhhh…NT$6 is only about US$0.18.
I wish there were NT$12 to the US dollar… I’d be raking in the dosh!
At the 7-11, you put your card in and get your money, and then the screen flashes, “Card Taken”. Which they think means to take your card. I hate that.
Trust me, it’s far from the worst messages I’ve seen on ATMs here. Try some of the smaller more obscure banks…