Why do foreign bank cards get randomly declined at ATMs in Sharm El Sheikh?

One traveler's foreign card (UP / Russian Agricultural Bank) was declined at two different ATMs with no error message, even though the same machine had worked fine a few days earlier — likely a temporary network issue, not a card problem.

Before the trip, check your bank's official website for info on using the card abroad rather than trusting what branch staff say in person — travelers have found the two sources contradict each other.

One traveler managed to exchange cash at the same BQ-network ATM that had rejected her card about 5 times in a row earlier — it worked on the first try when she came back that evening, with no changes to the card or the banknote.

Even with a crisp $100 bill, the same ATM refused it for the next person in line right after accepting a bill from someone else — behavior is unpredictable, so it's worth trying several different machines.