A magnetic card reader is provided and includes the holder which is movable both in the card-inserting direction and the card-ejecting direction in the card pathway. The magnetic card is held in the holder which is energized in the card-ejecting direction. Therefore, when the card latch lever is retracted, the auto eject operation of the magnetic card is implemented. The distance between the card-receiving surface on the holder positioned in the insertion-waiting position and the reading-writing position in the X direction is longer than the length from the edge of the magnetic card on the back side X2 to the edge of the magnetic data recording range on the front side X1. Therefore, the magnetic card is prevented from hitting the card-receiving surface and therefore from receiving impact while the magnetic data recording range on the magnetic card is passing the reading-writing position.