Working with money in Algeria is somewhat challenging for most travelers and there are not many foreign exchange outlets available. It is highly recommendable to prepare in advance when considering a trip to the country and mark the best available options for currency exchange. Great Britain Pounds are readily accepted and US Dollars at most bank exchange locations. Credit cards are often rejected and this would require that you always bring cash. Therefore, it is a good idea to exchange a reasonable amount into Algerian dinars at one venue or a small amount to begin and exchange more as you need.
The local currency is the Algerian Dinar (DZD/AD) which is made of 100 centimes. Coins are available in 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 groupings while notes are available in 1000, 500, 200, 100 and 50 dinar denominations. Money exchange can be done at the local bank branch in the city you are visiting. Note that banks are usually open from 9 am to 3 pm from Monday to Thursday.
Though efforts have been made to make foreign exchange easier in Algeria, opportunities to exchange your money into the local currency remain quite limited. Therefore, it is usually best to exchange enough money at a time to carry you through your next money changing opportunity. The banks you will come across in Algeria are Banque d’Algerie (Bank of Algeria) and Banque National d’Algerie (National Bank of Algeria). They will be able to perform this service for you quite effectively.
You can check in advance with your bank what the current exchange rate is to your currency.
