Can I just drive down to my bank and convert US dollars to Canadian dollars?

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Donald M

Yes u can,,U can pretty well exchange any currency in the banks , and other places like, travel agencies and moneymarts, western unions, and sometimes even corner stores,,and most all retailers will accept Ameican money,,ATM machines will dispense your money in canadian and give U the coversion rate for the day

marie9

It all depends on how much you want in that currency. Your bank might have to order the currency but if it's only a thousand or so there shouldn't be a problem. I live in Canada and you can also change your money at any Canadian bank. They will charge you a small fee but it will be less than than any currency exchange office.
I recently changed my Canadian money for American dollars for a futur trip in january and they charged me around 3 cents more for every dollar plus the current exchange rate.
Don't trade your money at the airport they are the worst.

old lady

Bank of america is a US bank, and you are on a Canadian site. Your best point of reference would be to call your bank and ask them. If your bank is large enough, you can probably just go in and convert currency, but smaller branches don't carry foreign currency as a rule.

The Shadow

Yes, they will convert the money for you. However, not all branches may keep currency on hand. Sometimes, you have to order it and wait for them to get it from another location. Leave yourself a few days if you use this option.

However, there is a much easier way to do it. Just show up in Canada and make a withdrawal from an ATM machine. You will get a much better exchange rate than you will get exchanging currency through a teller. Yes, you will have to pay an ATM fee, but it's usually no worse than paying a commission. (Ignore the advice from people who say to go to a money exchange that does not charge commissions. They just get you with a worse exchange rate to make up for it. These guys do not work for free.)

You should call your bank before you go and let them know that you are traveling. Otherwise, their fraud department might consider foreign transactions to be "suspicious". You'll have no trouble as long as you tell them.

I've traveled to numerous countries in Europe and Asia doing this and it works great.

Karen L

I'd call first to be sure. Many US banks don't keep Canadian currency on hand so they might have to order it in. I tried to change Canadian $ into US once in Northern California, and they looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

Mary L

Whether they convert the cash immediately or need a few days will depend on whether they actually have that foreign currency on hand. Why not give them a call?

cdnstang93

take it in to exchange and they will hand you canadian dollars.....at a high exchange rate

lilmissladeda

I live in canada, and when i took a trip into the states thats all i did, i walked in with my cash and was like i'd like to get american money. and they figured everything out and gave me my new cash

I think most banks have other currencies, along as it isn't something odd and hardly used. perhaps not hundreds of thousands of dollars, i had roughly 600 dollars when i went in and it was no problem.

trixaz_8

oh yeah u cud :) rich man !!!!!!!!

Maybe???

Most banks have a small supply of Canadian dollars at hand, but if you buy them at your bank, they will give you a low exchange rate. After all, it is one of the ways they make money.
You'd be better off to take your American money with you to Canada, and exchange it there for Canadian dollars at an exchange office(NOT a bank) that does not rely on commission.
This way you will get a higher exchange rate than you will ever get at any bank.

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