Caracas Practical information

Money & costs

Money

Many banks have ATMs on the Cirrus and Plus networks, although extracting cash can be a hit-or-miss proposition. It is always safer to withdraw money within the bank, if possible. The following are convenient central branches:

Banco de Venezuela Center (Av Universidad, cnr Sociedad); Centro Comercial Sambil (Nivel Acuario); La Candelaria (Av Urdaneta, cnr Candilito); La Castellana (Av San Juan Bosco); Sabana Grande (Av Francisco Solano, cnr Pascual Navarro)

Banesco Altamira (Av Altamira Sur); Center (Av Universidad, cnr El Chorro); La Candelaria (Av Urdaneta, cnr El Candilito); Las Mercedes (Calle Monterrey); Sabana Grande (Blvd de Sabana Grande);

BBVA La Castellana (Av San Juan Bosco, La Castellana); Parque Central (Parque Central, Torre Este); Sabana Grande (Blvd Sabana Grande, cnr Calle San Antonio); Centro Comercial Chacaíto (Av Francisco de Miranda)

Citibank Sabana Grande (Centro Comercial El Recreo, Av Casanova)

The usual places to change foreign cash are casas de cambio (money-exchange offices), such as Italcambio (562-9555; www.italcambio.com in Spanish) Altamira (Av Ávila; 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-noon Sat); La Candelaria (Av Urdaneta); Sabana Grande (Centro Comercial El Recreo, Av Casanova; 10am-9pm Mon-Sat, noon-8pm Sun).

Amex (800-100-4730) offers local refund assistance for traveler’s checks. For wire transfers, Western Union is represented by Grupo Zoom (800-767-9666; www.grupozoom.com in Spanish), with about 75 offices scattered around the city.