Convert GBP to EUR Pound sterling ↔ Euro Free Online Secure
Type an amount in Pound sterling and read it in Euro at once. The page uses the European Central Bank's reference rate, and tells you which day that rate is from.
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Common amounts — Convert GBP to EUR (Pound sterling ↔ Euro)
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The last thirty days
Where these codes and rates come from
The three letters in EUR, USD or JPY are not an abbreviation someone invented for a website: they are ISO 4217, a standard in which the first two letters are the country's own code and the third is usually the initial of the currency. The figures on this page come from the European Central Bank, which publishes one set of reference rates each working day, around 16:00 Central European time, agreed between the central banks of the Eurosystem. They are a daily snapshot meant for statistics and accounting, not a live trading feed — which is exactly why they are the same number for everyone, rather than whatever one bank happened to quote at one moment.
Where you meet an exchange rate
You meet an exchange rate four or five times a year without thinking about it: booking a trip, paying an invoice issued abroad, buying from a foreign shop, reading a salary offer in another currency, or checking what a card charge really cost. In all of these the reference rate is the honest middle, and the price you actually pay sits a little to one side of it. Knowing the middle is what lets you see how wide that margin is.
Questions people ask
Is this the rate my bank will give me?
No, and no page can promise one. This is the European Central Bank's reference rate: the midpoint published once a day for statistics. A bank, a card scheme or an exchange office adds its own margin on top — usually between half a percent and three percent, sometimes more at an airport counter. Use this figure to judge the offer you are given, not to predict it.
How often does the figure change, and what happens at weekends?
The European Central Bank publishes once each working day, in the afternoon, Central European time. There is no publication on Saturdays, Sundays or TARGET holidays, so on those days the page shows the last working day's rate and says which day it belongs to. The chart alongside is one year of the same daily series.
Is the answer exact?
Where both units are defined in terms of one another by whole numbers, yes — the page says so above the figure, and the only rounding is in how many digits are shown. Where the ratio has no finite decimal, the page shows twelve significant digits and says the relation is approximate rather than pretending otherwise.
Does anything I type leave my device?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no server to upload it to. Load the page once and it keeps working with the network switched off.
Down the Eurostar line: six stations where pounds become euros
Since 1994 a train has run under the Channel, and a traveller who boards at London St Pancras leaves one currency behind at the platform and arrives, a couple of hours later, in a country where prices are written in another. The pound sterling and the euro are neighbours that never merged, and the small calculation between them is one of the most common in Europe. This page makes it for you. It takes the European Central Bank's reference rates, in which the pound is quoted against the euro every working day, shows the result with the date, and keeps your amount inside your browser. The text that follows travels down the Eurostar line and stops at six stations, each with its own reason to Convert GBP to EUR before you leave home.
How the converter works
One number in, one number out
Whether the sum is twenty pounds or twenty thousand, the step to Convert GBP to EUR is identical, and so is the date check.
Type an amount in pounds and the page shows the equivalent in euros. Under the result is the date of the rate, and at weekends it states plainly that you are looking at Friday's figure. You will also find a table of round amounts and a line showing the last thirty days. For the opposite direction, from euros back to pounds, there is Convert EUR to GBP.
The reference rate is a yardstick
The European Central Bank publishes a rate once a day, around four o'clock in the afternoon in Frankfurt. It is the middle of the market, so it does not include the margin added by banks, card networks and exchange counters. That is exactly why it is useful: it is the number against which you measure every offer you are given. Each time you Convert GBP to EUR here, you obtain that number.
Station one: London St Pancras
Before you board
The first conversion happens in the station itself. The kiosks in the concourse sell euros at a rate that includes a generous margin, and the coffee shop beside them accepts cards without complaint. The sensible plan is to carry no more cash than you need for the first hour on the other side and to rely on a card with no foreign-transaction fee for the rest. If you want a small float of notes, order them from your bank a few days ahead, when the rate is usually better than at the airport or station.
The ticket itself
Eurostar tickets are normally sold in pounds on British sites and in euros on continental ones, and the price of the same journey can differ for that reason alone. A traveller comparing the two should Convert GBP to EUR on the British price and compare. The difference is sometimes a few euros either way, and it can be worth knowing before you pay.
What the tunnel is, in numbers
The Channel Tunnel is about fifty kilometres long, and roughly thirty-eight of them are under the sea. Trains cross at up to a hundred and sixty kilometres an hour inside it and much faster outside. If you prefer miles, Convert km to mi turns fifty kilometres into about thirty-one.
Station two: Lille Europe
The first stop in France
Lille is a short ride from the tunnel and a favourite weekend break for British visitors, with its Flemish squares, its brasseries and its large market. Prices in the shops are written in euros, and a Saturday visitor can enjoy a very good lunch for the price of a sandwich in London. The question of what a plate of moules-frites really costs in pounds is answered by a quick Convert GBP to EUR: take the menu price and divide by the rate, or enter the euro figure in the reverse tool.
Markets and cash
At a market stall, it helps to Convert GBP to EUR for the three or four prices you will meet, so that you can haggle with confidence.
The big market at Wazemmes on Sunday morning is cash-friendly, and many stalls prefer coins and small notes. Withdraw a modest amount from a cash machine rather than exchanging a large sum in advance. Cash machines in France dispense euros directly from your account, usually at a rate close to the reference one, plus any fee your own bank charges.
Station three: Paris Gare du Nord
The capital and its small prices
Paris is among the most visited cities on earth, and a short stay there is the commonest reason to Convert GBP to EUR. Hotel rooms, museum tickets and restaurant meals form the main costs. A museum pass, a metro carnet and a few coffees on a terrace can be added up in euros, then converted back to pounds so you see what the weekend costs in your own currency.
The metro and the daily budget
The Paris metro runs on contactless tickets, and a day's wandering rarely costs more than a few euros in transport. A daily budget for two, including a modest hotel, three meals and the sights, often lands between three hundred and five hundred euros. Divide it by the rate on this page to obtain the figure in pounds, and then decide whether you have room for a river cruise.
Tipping and service
In French restaurants the service charge is included in the price by law, so a tip is a courtesy, not an obligation. Leaving a euro or two on a small bill is common; adding a British-style ten or twelve per cent is generous. Remember that your card may offer to charge you in pounds at the terminal. Decline, and let your own bank apply its rate.
Station four: Brussels Midi
The home of the institutions
Brussels houses the European Commission, the Council and, on most weeks, the European Parliament. British professionals who work with the institutions travel there often, and their expenses are claimed in sterling after being paid in euros. An accountant reconciling these claims will Convert GBP to EUR in the other direction, using the rate of the day each receipt was issued.
Chocolate, beer and waffles
Treat the sweets budget as seriously as the hotel: Convert GBP to EUR for the box of chocolates before you reach the counter.
Belgium is known for the three, and each is sold at prices that visitors find fair. A box of good chocolates costs between twenty and forty euros, a glass of Trappist beer a few euros and a waffle from a stall around five. Cards are accepted nearly everywhere, but some small cafés still prefer cash, particularly for small sums.
Station five: Rotterdam Centraal
Ports, bikes and a modern skyline
Rotterdam is Europe's largest port, a city rebuilt after the Second World War with bold architecture. For British freight forwarders and importers, it is the end of a long chain of invoices in euros. A haulier who is paid in pounds but pays fuel and tolls in euros keeps an eye on the rate every day, and may hold a euro account to avoid the cost of changing back and forth.
Cycling and costs
Hiring a bicycle in the Netherlands costs between ten and fifteen euros a day. The Dutch ride in all weather, so a waterproof jacket is more useful than sunscreen. When you plan a week of cycling, Convert GBP to EUR for the hire, the hotel and the daily food, then add a ten per cent cushion for the unexpected.
Station six: Amsterdam Centraal
The last stop, and the first price shock
Amsterdam is a popular destination for British stag weekends, school trips and art lovers, and it is often costlier than people expect. Hotel prices are high, and city tax is added on top, as in many European cities. Museum tickets must frequently be booked online in advance, at a time slot, and the price shown is in euros. Convert GBP to EUR before you reserve and keep the confirmation in your phone.
Canal boats and bicycles
A canal cruise costs around fifteen to twenty-five euros, and tram tickets are bought by tapping a card at the start and end of the journey. For longer stays, a day pass is cheaper than single rides. All of this adds up, so add a line for local transport in your budget.
Beyond the train: the pound and the euro since 2020
What changed after Brexit
Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, British visitors to the continent have been treated as third-country travellers. Passports must be valid for the period required, and stays in the Schengen area are limited to ninety days in any one hundred and eighty. Goods bought in the EU are subject to different allowances when brought back. None of these rules changes the exchange rate, but they shape the way people plan trips and shop, and they have made the pair more visible in daily life.
The pound against the euro in the long run
Over the years the pair has been a patient teacher: anyone who has had to Convert GBP to EUR in a bad month remembers the lesson.
The pound has traded in a wide range against the euro since the single currency began, with sharp moves around the 2008 financial crisis and the 2016 referendum. A traveller or business that sees the rate moving can respond in two ways: spread conversions over time, or fix the rate with a contract. For most households the first is enough.
Healthcare and insurance
British travellers can use the Global Health Insurance Card for state-provided care in many European countries, but it does not replace travel insurance. A policy bought in pounds will pay claims in euros, so keep every receipt and note the date.
Business between Britain and the euro area
Selling to the continent
A British firm quoting in euros should Convert GBP to EUR on its cost sheet each quarter, to see whether the margin has survived.
A British firm that exports to France, Germany or Spain must decide whether to invoice in pounds or euros. Invoicing in euros makes the price clear to the customer, but the exporter carries the exchange-rate risk. Invoicing in pounds shifts the risk to the buyer, who may then ask for a discount. Many small firms choose euros for the main customers and review prices every quarter.
Buying from the continent
A British shop that imports Italian ceramics or Spanish olive oil pays suppliers in euros. If the pound weakens, the same invoice costs more pounds. A shopkeeper can protect the margin by adding a small clause to the price list, stating that prices may change with the exchange rate.
Property, pensions and salaries
People with a flat in Spain or Portugal, a pension paid in pounds or a salary from a continental employer live with the pair every month. For them, the simplest discipline is to Convert GBP to EUR on the same day each month and record the rate in a spreadsheet. Over a year, the average is a fair summary of what the arrangement cost.
Four ways to get your euros, ranked by common sense
The card with no foreign fee
For almost every purchase, a debit or credit card that charges no foreign-transaction fee is the cheapest and simplest option. The card network converts the amount at its own daily rate, which is typically close to the market mid-rate, and the sum appears on your statement in pounds. The number to watch is the fee your bank adds, which can range from nothing to three per cent. Check the terms before you travel, and pack a second card in a separate place.
The cash machine on the other side
A withdrawal from a cash machine in the euro area gives you notes at a good rate, but your bank may charge a fixed fee or a percentage. One larger withdrawal costs less than several small ones. Decline the machine's offer to convert the amount into pounds; the dynamic conversion it proposes is almost always worse.
How to spot the bad offer
If the screen shows two amounts, one in euros and one in pounds, and asks you to pick, choose euros. A quick check with a calculator that lets you Convert GBP to EUR will tell you in seconds how generous the pounds offer really is.
The currency order from home
Ordering euros from a bank or online exchange service a few days before you leave is cheaper than buying at the airport. The rate is better, and you can often collect notes in a branch or have them delivered. Do not order more than the cash you expect to use; unused notes are sold back at a worse rate.
The airport kiosk, last and least
The kiosk in the departure hall pays rent for its position and recovers it from the rate it gives you. It is a service of convenience, to be used only for an emergency. If you do use it, ask what you will receive in total, after all fees, for the amount you hand over.
Three itineraries and their budgets
A day return to Paris
Make the habit part of the packing list: Convert GBP to EUR, write the figure on a note and slip it into the passport wallet.
Leave early, return late, spend about ninety euros on lunch, a museum and a few coffees. Add a taxi or metro tickets, and you end near a hundred and twenty euros. The conversion is easy: Convert GBP to EUR for the whole day, and keep the figure in mind for the next time you plan something similar. The biggest cost is usually the ticket, not the day itself.
A long weekend in Amsterdam
Two nights in a modest hotel, three dinners, two museum visits and a canal cruise add up to about six hundred euros for two. Put the sum into the converter and add ten per cent for surprises, then divide by two for an individual cost. A week is not twice as costly, since the hotel price per night often falls with a longer stay.
A month in a flat in Lisbon
Remote workers and retirees choose to spend a month or more in southern Europe, renting a flat for a monthly sum in euros. They convert the monthly rent into pounds on the day of payment and note it. Over three months they learn how the pair has moved and whether a standing arrangement would have been cheaper. A flat in a central district might cost between one thousand and fifteen hundred euros a month, and groceries are modest.
Reading the pair over time
What drives the rate
The pound and the euro respond to interest rates set by the Bank of England and the European Central Bank, to economic growth in each area, to trade and to political news. When British rates are higher than euro-area rates, the pound tends to attract money and gain ground; when the gap narrows, the opposite can occur. Forecasting is notoriously unreliable, so the best defence is to avoid depending on a single day.
Why a month of data tells you a little
The thirty-day chart on this page shows whether the rate has been calm. If it has moved by less than one per cent, the date of your conversion hardly matters. If it has moved by four or five per cent, consider splitting your conversion into two or three parts. The chart is a measure of caution, not a promise about the future.
The cost of waiting
People often delay a conversion in the hope of a better rate. Sometimes they are right, sometimes wrong, and over many occasions the gains and losses tend to cancel out. Meanwhile, the time spent watching the rate has a cost of its own. A simple rule, such as converting on the first working day of each month, spares you the effort.
Other conversions on the way
Currencies in the same region
Travellers heading north from the euro area can compare with Convert GBP to SEK, and those heading east with Convert GBP to PLN; a long-haul trip to the south-east is covered by Convert GBP to AUD.
If the trip continues into Switzerland, Convert GBP to CHF gives the franc. For a flight across the Atlantic, Convert GBP to USD does the dollar, and for a euro-based comparison with the American currency there is Convert EUR to USD.
Clocks and distances
Britain is on Greenwich Mean Time in winter and British Summer Time in summer, an hour behind most of the continent. To check a call or a train connection, Convert GMT to CET gives the offset. For road trips on the continent, Convert mi to km translates the British habit of miles into the continental kilometres on the signs.
Mistakes to avoid
The terminal that offers to convert
When a card machine asks whether to charge in pounds or euros, pick euros. The terminal's conversion is usually much poorer than the one your bank would make, and the saving on a single dinner is only a few euros, but on a long holiday it builds up.
The old rate
A rate noted last month is not a price. The date shown beside the result protects you from using an outdated figure.
The wrong direction
If a result looks odd, run the check twice: Convert GBP to EUR, then use the reverse page, and the two answers should bring you back to the start.
It is easy to divide when you should multiply. If you are unsure, remember that a pound has been worth more than a euro for most of the euro's history, so converting pounds into euros should give a larger number, not a smaller one.
Arrival
The only data this page fetches is the table of daily rates; the amount you type never leaves your device, and you do not need an account. At every station of the line, from the departure hall to the terminus, the habit is the same: Convert GBP to EUR, read the date, compare any offer against the figure, and keep the note. The rest of the journey is for enjoying.