You’ve optimised your daily journey from Reading to Paddington down to the minute. You know the best carriage to be on and how to save on your season ticket. But what about your other commute? The quarterly trip to the Berlin office or the client meeting in New York? With business travel becoming more purposeful and expensive—often driven by essential training, development, and events—you’re expected to make every trip count. For this new global commute, your high-street bank account just can’t keep up.
The 3% commuter tax your bank is charging
The most frustrating part of a business trip isn’t the jet lag; it’s the cost that lingers long after you’ve unpacked. If you’re using your standard UK high-street debit or credit card for business expenses abroad, you’re likely paying a hidden commuter tax in the form of a non-sterling transaction fee, which can hover around 3%, plus an uncompetitive exchange rate.
Let’s make this tangible. That €500 hotel bill in Paris? Your bank quietly adds about a €15 fee. That client dinner in New York? Another 3% gone. Over a year of regular international travel, this insidious cost adds up to hundreds of pounds of wasted money. For cost-savvy professionals, this is paying the maximum, not discounted, fare.
The expense report nightmare
If your bank is costing you money, it’s also costing you time. The truth is, travel and expenses are often lumped together, but they are distinct. The seamless trip quickly devolves into an administrative nightmare when you get home. Your finance team is chasing receipts, but your bank statement shows a confusing GBP amount while the receipt is for a different foreign currency.
International receipts are the biggest time-sink, with professionals spending several hours reconciling expenses. This administrative drag is a hidden cost, making the productive goal of a business trip feel like part-time currency conversion.
The solution: The new season ticket for global business
Fortunately, a modern solution exists. Just as your business entity has moved past paper tickets for its daily operations, it’s time to upgrade your financial infrastructure for your global commute. New financial platforms offer an account that isn’t tied to just one currency. Instead, you can hold euros, US dDollars, and pounds all in one place, ready to use.
By using a smart card linked to a multi currency business bank account, you spend euros from your euro balance and dollars from your dollar balance—with zero transaction fees and with the confidence of knowing the exchange rate upfront. This level of clarity and control means your expense report will match your receipts, which makes your global commute as seamless as tapping your Oyster card.
Conclusion
As professionals, we optimise every part of our working lives, from our laptops to our travel routes. It’s time our businessbank accounts did the same. Ditching your old high-street account for a modern alternative is the single best upgrade you can make for a faster, cheaper, and more efficient global commute.
