In the UAE, should international travelers carry cash dirhams or can they usually pay by foreign bank card, and which currency is best to bring?
Based on 1 discussion with 4 participants · Last activity: 13 days ago
TL;DR
Travelers say it’s common to bring USD, EUR, or AED to the UAE and also try paying with foreign bank cards that still work internationally. Still, it’s smart to confirm whether your specific card will be accepted and keep some cash dirhams, plus know where the nearest exchange office and ATM are.
What the community said
Before paying, it’s best to check specifically whether a Rosselkhozbank card will be accepted, since travelers flag this as uncertain and keep cash AED as a backup.
13 days ago Rosselkhozbank / AED
It helps to locate a nearby currency exchange and ATM in advance, so you can quickly get cash or convert money into dirhams if needed.
13 days ago currency exchange / ATM
From traveler experience, people commonly bring euros, US dollars, or UAE dirhams to the UAE, and all three are treated as usable options for local spending.
13 days ago EUR / USD / AED
If your foreign bank card still works internationally, travelers also use it in the UAE; the discussion mentioned Rosselkhozbank as one example alongside other functioning banks.
13 days ago Rosselkhozbank card