How much money can I withdraw from an ATM

I will be in India from the 10th November till 20th November, and I wanted to know about taking cash out of the ATMs there.

I have a USA issued debit card, and I would like to know how much money can I withdraw from an atm?

Do the different ATMs allow for different amounts of withdrawal?

 

There are two limits- one on your card and the other for the atm. Each atm differs in the maximum cash it can give you. The average range is 10000 to 50000 rupees per day, depending on the atm. The most common atm machines belong to the State Bank of India. And the best ATMs to use are HSBC atms because they have the highest withdrawal limits!

So, I would recommend getting an HSBC account if you don't have that already. Even if you don't I would recommend taking out the money from an HSBC atm whenever you need a big wad of cash. I remember this one ATM in Bangalore that had a withdrawal limit of around 150,000 rupees or a little over $2200.

Here are the details:

Bank- Per Day Withdrawal Limit

SBI- 40,000($600)
ICICI Bank- 50,000($750)
HDFC Bank- 25,000 ($375)
Axis Bank- 40,000($600)
HSBC- 200,000 ($3000)

 

It varies depending on the ATM and also on your debit card/account as far as I know. Most common limit for ATM I have encountered is Rs. 40,000. But some ATM has less or more than that. As far as limit on your card is concerned, you can find out about that inquiring your bank.

 

I have been to India many times and found that best way is to open a temporary bank account in India (if you are staying long enough) and transfer funds to your India account and use local debit card.

If you do want to use a US debit card, be prepared to pay very high currency exchange charges and transaction charges for ever transaction. In India I have not seen an ATM machine which lets you take out more that Rs10000 in a single transaction so if you want Rs50000 you would have five different transactions and you would be paying for five different transactions and it all adds up quickly.

Not worth it unless it is an emergency. I would suggest carrying Amex traveler cheques instead because they are safe and works out a lot cheaper.

Have a safe journey

 

Hello there, welcome to the forum!

There are many banks in India and their daily withdrawal limits differ from each other. Here, I'll give you an overview of the daily withdrawal limits per each bank. This list won't be as extensive as there are many banks, both public, private and rural in the country. But as much as possible, I'd list the banks that I was able to find information from:

Daily Withdrawal Limits for Different Banks in India

Bank Name	Daily Withdrawal Limit
State Bank of India	Up to Rs. 40,000 ($599)
ICICI Bank	Up to Rs. 50,000 ($749)
Punjab National Bank	Up to Rs. 25,000 ($374)
HDFC Bank	Up to Rs. 25,000 ($374)
Bank of Baroda	Up to Rs. 25,000 ($374)
Axis Bank	Up to Rs. 40,000 ($599)
Central Bank of India	Up to Rs. 40,000 ($599)
Union Bank of India	Up to Rs. 25,000 ($374)
Federal Bank	Up to Rs. 50,000 ($749)

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These are the usual daily limits for withdrawing cashing from ATMs in India using a debit card. Fees are about 1 percent to 3 percent per each transaction made. So if ever you need to withdraw money a couple of times, then be prepared to pay for the transaction fees which are quite high. If ever your daily limit is reached for a certain bank, you can just go to another bank to withdraw cash. Keep in mind though that in many rural areas in the country, ATM machines are quite limited and might pose an issue if you don't have enough cash with you.

If ever you have an American Express Debit Card, you might have some issues with withdrawing money in India. It's better to carry a debit card from Visa or Mastercard as they are likely to be accepted in more ATMs in the country. The money you withdraw would automatically be exchanged as well, depending on the current exchange rates. Take note that transaction fees can be as high as two to five dollars per transaction. So withdraw the money in one go as much as possible.

Many of the bigger hotels and restaurants do accept debit cards and credit cards in the country. So if ever you cannot withdraw money from your account, you can direct pay using your credit card or debit card. If you can, bring a separate debit card and credit card so in case one gets lost, you still have the other. Always, always take note of your credit card or debit card number. If possible, leave a photocopy of these numbers at home to your close family members. In case your credit card or debit card gets lost, you can easily cancel it to avoid mishaps and misuse.

There you go, I hope this helps you!

 

Hi briannagodess,

Thank you for sharing this useful information. I appreciate it!

Ankita