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

Sometimes it really is the card. In September 2026 a traveler said her card would not work either by tap or when inserted, while another card went through immediately. Before that, the first card had worked both at an ATM and for payments. That is why it is useful to carry a backup card.

In early August 2026 a traveler with a Russian-issued UnionPay (UP) card was declined at two ATMs, although a few days earlier she had withdrawn cash from one of them without problems. She could not tell whether the card or the machine was at fault — for example, the ATM might have run out of cash — and asked whether anyone else had the same issue that day.

Before the trip, check on your bank's official website whether your card works abroad. In July 2026 a participant said he nearly traveled relying on what bank staff told him, but the website said something different.

In July 2026 a traveler said a BQ-network ATM refused to exchange her money about five times. That evening she tried the ATMs again, and the same BQ machine accepted her banknote on the first try — she had done nothing to the note. The takeaway from her experience: a refusal does not always mean a problem with your money or card, so it is worth trying again later or at another machine.

ATM behavior can be unpredictable. Right after the same BQ machine accepted the traveler's banknote (July 2026), other tourists came up with a fresh $100 bill — and it would not take theirs. So if one machine refuses, it is worth trying several different ATMs.