Mola Viajar: our experience with Revolut

We’re Mola Viajar, a leading travel blog in Spain founded in 2008. What began as a channel to share our adventures with friends has now become our profession — helping people make the most of their travels. Today, we want to share with you our experience travelling to London with Revolut.

The advantages of using Revolut in London

If you’re planning a trip to London, knowing how to handle payments can be a significant advantage. In the city, as in the rest of the UK, the official currency is the British pound, which is different from most other countries.

This means you’ll likely need to exchange currency. To minimise these costs, this post explores the benefits of using Revolut in London. From paying for public transport to shopping and dining, Revolut simplifies everything.

Can I use a European card in London?

Yes, you can use your European card in London. Before you do, you should check your bank's exchange rates for international transactions, and any additional fees they may charge for currency exchange and cash withdrawals abroad.

We recommend that you opt for a bank with competitive exchange rates¹, like Revolut.

Tips for payments in the UK

Use contactless payments: these are common for smaller purchases. They're compatible with phones or wearables, and are available with Revolut.

Carry some cash: while not essential in London, cash can be handy for unexpected situations. Below, we'll tell you why Revolut is our favourite way to withdraw money at ATMs in London without additional fees.²

Public transport: when you use your Revolut card to pay for public transport in London, you'll get the same competitive fees that Revolut provides elsewhere.

Avoid scams: track expenses in real-time via the Revolut app, and block your card straight away if you notice anything suspicious.

What if I want to withdraw cash?

If you need to withdraw cash during your trip, you have several options, and we've tried them all — check out this Instagram reel where we show 3 different situations and their results.

Bureau de change
You can go to a bureau de change with euros in cash, and exchange currency there. We recommend going to a reliable provider for this. 

ATM
But our preferred option is to an ATM and withdraw money with your card. When withdrawing from ATMs, there'll be differences in fees depending on the bank you withdraw money from.

To withdraw cash in London, we recommend using an ATM instead of going to a bureau de change and, of course, we recommend that you do it with Revolut.

Why choose Revolut?

The Standard plan has no subscription fees: Enjoy competitive exchange rates¹ and withdrawal fees², even with a free plan. If you want to extend these options or have more benefits, you can opt for one of Revolut's paid plans — Plus, Premium, Metal or Ultra.³

Competitive exchange rates: Revolut uses a very competitive exchange rate¹ for its transactions, that you can see in real-time in the app, which makes sure you get the most bang for your buck.

Mobile management: manage your money via the app, so you can skip the bureau de change and go straight on to your next activity. 

Security features: Revolut offers security features like instant card freezing and real-time notifications for every transaction, to keep you in control of your cards and account at all times.

Our final thoughts

In short, Revolut is an invaluable tool for travelling to London, offering convenience, competitive exchange rates and withdrawal fees and flexibility in your transactions.

Services provided by Revolut Bank UAB, Sucursal en España (Bank of Spain code: 1583). 18+. More information in https://www.revolut.com/es-ES/

¹Currency exchange available in over 36 currencies with no additional fees, from Mon-Fri, within you plan's fair usage limits.

²Withdrawals of up to €200 are free for Standard users. ATMs outside the supported network may incur additional fees.

³Subscription fees and T&C of the paid plans apply.