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From 2odessa.com The most comprehensive guide to Odessa, Ukraine

Exchange Sign 2002

Exchange Sign 2007

Currency exchange kiosk

Exchanging money

Most stores and restaurants accept credit cards now.

Few stores and restaurants accept traveler's checks although the number is steadily increasing every year.

Travelers should bring foreign currency, either US dollars (more widely accepted) or Euros. Exchange kiosks also accept Russian Rubles.

EDITORS NOTE: Many other photos need to be done, below

The number of currency exchange kiosks Ab-man Val-yat (Обман Валот) in Odessa is immense. The exchange rate is suspiciously the same throughout the city. If traveling through Kiev to get to Odessa, it is advised to exchange money in Kiev, as the exchange rate is usually much lower in Odessa.

Exchanging kiosks at bus stations, airports and train stations often offer a worse exchange rate.

Exchange kiosks often give a receipt for money exchanged. Exchange kiosks that do not automatically give a receipt will give a receipt if asked. Exchange rates by law are always posted above the kiosk window with an official Ukrainian stamp (Ukrainians have a passionate infatuation with "official" stamps) There is never any extra commission charge for exchanging money.

Getting a better exchange rate

Currency exchange kiosks / Ob-man Val-yat (Обман Валот) that do not have a post board on the street or simply say "Работа"(working), or that do not have a post board, have better exchange rates.

Many of the shops on Sadovaya (Садовая) sometimes have non-posted better rates than the rest of Odessa. Refan, a small store at Preobrazhenskaya 46 (Преображенская) near to Centralnaya (центральная) hotel also sometimes has a better exchange rate. Refan is open 10am - 7 pm Monday - Saturday and 11 am - 6 pm on Sunday.

Vendors in the bazaar explain the reason why money exchangers with higher rates do not post those rates is to try and avoid taxes, if the aggressive Ukrainian tax police see the higher rate posted, they will demand more money.

Warning:

NEVER exchange money with someone on the street, the number of scams with these transactions are huge. Counterfeit money is very common problem in Ukraine.

Get a better exchange rate for a risk

Grecheskaya Ploshat (Square) (Греческая Площадь) Book Bazaar:

The book and CD bazaar on Aleksandrovsky Ave has many vendors with huge fistfuls of rubber banded Hryvnia. These vendors exchange money at a much more favorable rate (around 10 kopecks better on the dollar). Though technically illegal, like many things in Ukraine, it is not enforced. The police turn a blind eye because the moneychangers pay regular bribes.

Unless you are able to spot counterfeit money or are with a native Ukrainian who knows how to spot counterfeit money, do not risk exchanging money at the bazaar. If you do decide to exchange money at the bazaar, Valery, at stall 28 is an honest money exchanger.

Banks hours

Bank hours tend to be from 10 am to 3 pm, often with a one hour lunch. Banks are closed on Saturday and Sunday.

ATMs

Russian: Банкомат

There are dozens of Automated teller machine (ATMs) located around the center of Odessa. Many are located in hotels and restaurants.

Many ATMs give both Dollars and Hryvnia.

The average service charge for using an ATM is between $6-$12, in addition to your home bank service charge.

Strangely, service charges vary widely at different ATMs owned by the same company.

The cheapest ATM we have found is the Prevat Bank (Приват Ванк) ATM, inside the Galeria Vop-on-tsov Restaurant/Bar (Бар-Галерея Воронцов) Deribasovskaya 24 (Дерибасовская), for $6 service charge.

Travelers Checks and American Express

Londonskaya (Лондонская)
Primorsky Boulevard 11 (Приморский Бульвар)
Tel: 37-14-51
Londonskaya hotel accepts both American Express and Thomas Cook Traveler's checks, the service charge is 2-3%.

Sending and recieving money

Western Union
800-325-6000
www.westernunion.com
The number of Ukrainians that live abroad has skyrocketed since the fall of the Soviet Union. This can be seen in the number of Western Union offices throughout Ukraine, because many family members abroad have family that have stayed behind in Ukraine.

Cash may be directly transferred to or from Western Union to an office outside of Ukraine. Most US and major European cities have a Western Union office.

The commission charge for using Western Union, paid for by the sender, is often very expensive. See examples of some of the prices below.

Within Ukraine (from a Ukraine location to another Ukraine location) a customer may transfer Hryvnia, which is significantly cheaper, than transferring dollars.

Locations are listed below.

Post Office money transfers in Ukraine:

Post office money transfers within Ukraine are available at all post offices. Fill out a special form, listing recipient's name, address, and telephone. The service charge in nominal. Transfers are in Hryvnia only. Money transfers take less than a week to arrive.

Currency

Photo showing the different sizes of the Kopecks Photo from Uazone.net For photos of all major currency of the last 10 years, click here.

The basic unit of currency in Ukraine is the Hryvnia. The Ukrainian Hryvnia is divided into 100 kopecks

Coins come in denominations of 1,2,5,10,25, and 50 kopecks. Though most Odessites seldom use the 1 and 2 kopeck, prices are usually rounded up to reflect this.

Banks come in denominations of 1,2,5,10,20,50,100, and 200. The 200 Hryvnia bill is rare.

The Hryvnia was introduced in September of 1996. The actual bills were printed in 1991-92 but was not introduced until mid 1996 because of high rates of inflation and a general lack of stability. Prior to the Hryvnia, Ukraine was using "Coupon" as the national currency, which was just a stage in transition from Soviet Ruble to Ukrainian Hryvnia. Because of hyperinflation the bills became so useless that some Ukrainians used them as toilet paper.

In 1996 a new design was developed with watermarks and a metal strip on each bill. Currently, both kinds of bills are used, but the old currency is being phased out by the newer currency--similar to the policy the United States now has for its newer bills.

Please note:

• It is advisable to always carry lower denomination notes for taxis.
• Many shops never have enough small change, and will often ask customers for change. Many grocery stores ("store" is "magazine" in Russian) offer small candy or gum in lieu of exact change.

Counterfeit money

There is an immense problem of counterfeit money in Ukraine. A good rule of thumb is to always accept only newer larger bills (10's and 20's) since they are harder to counterfeit. After a sale, any business or kiosk will trade older bills for newer ones if asked.

Newer Ukrainian bills have several features to assure that they are not counterfeit:

• The portraits, emblems, and some inscriptions are printed in relief, and can be felt with the fingers. This is especially prominent on the 50 Hryvnia gold seal.
• Embedded in every note is a metal strip, which says the denomination, this is especially prominent on the 20 Hryvnia bill.
• The bills are printed on special paper with portrait watermarks. These portraits can be seen when put against the light. (this can be forged though)
• The writing on the bills changes if you hold the money at different angles.

Also pay careful attention that you are not given torn or heavily worn money, especially dollars, because many businesses will not accept this.

List of Banks

To withdraw money on a MasterCard or Visa (American Express is not accepted throughout Odessa), or:

• if you forgot your ATM card number or

• want a normally 3% flat finance charge on Visa or MasterCard Bankcards,

many of Odessa's banks offer cash withdrawal.

Not all bank branches offer this service so it is better to call ahead.

This service is also available at Londonskaya (Лондонская) Hotel Primorsky Boulevard 11 (Приморский Бульвар), 24 hours a day, with a 3% service charge.

Listed here are some of Odessa's banks:

Western Union

Western Union prices and offices/kiosks in Odessa

This list is from the web page. This lists only Western Union offices in the immediate center. More offices are available on the Western Union web page: www.westernunion.com

Bank locations

Photos

ATM

ATM on Katrina street

ATM on Odariya Street (Одария)

ATM on Rishelevskaya Street

External links

• List of ATMs in Odessa
  (In Russian--Use this Google translate, or alternatively, babelfish)