Currency and credit cards in Scandinavia
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Currency and credit cards in Scandinavia
We will be visiting Sweden, Norway and Denmark with a Windstar Cruise and wondered about whether we needed 3 different currencies for sundry expenses. We've heard about the "cashless society" and wondered if credit cards are used for even incidental purchases or tips. Do most places accept Euros or dollars? Your advice on this will be so helpful. We would prefer not to have to get small amounts of currency in each place. Thank you so much!
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There is not much tipping necessary in Denmark or Sweden, cash is very rarely needed. But you do need to be aware that in Denmark, foreign credit cards often incur an additional fee, mainly at restaurants. Some small establishments might not take your foreign credit card if below a certain amount but doubt you'll be in those kind of places.
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Norway and Sweden are pretty much cashless and you'll have no problem with a Visa or MasterCard credit/debit card, even for the smallest amount.
Denmark accepts their own bank cards, but supermarkets and perhaps other places add a small percent to Visa/MC and perhaps have a minimum amount for use of card.
Tipping is not common or expected, but restaurants have an irritating habit when presenting you with a card reader of asking you to fill in the final amount - just fill in the billed amount. If you are really happy with the service you could round up a little - 5% would be the max - but this goes to the owner! Restaurant staff have work contracts and are paid a reasonable wage.
Denmark accepts their own bank cards, but supermarkets and perhaps other places add a small percent to Visa/MC and perhaps have a minimum amount for use of card.
Tipping is not common or expected, but restaurants have an irritating habit when presenting you with a card reader of asking you to fill in the final amount - just fill in the billed amount. If you are really happy with the service you could round up a little - 5% would be the max - but this goes to the owner! Restaurant staff have work contracts and are paid a reasonable wage.
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People use cards even for a cup of coffee in Copenhagen.
If you are from the U.S., there is a little warning. Not all the card machines take magnetic stripe cards. The readers just don't have that capability.
Fortunately, U.S. card issuers have finally added CHIPs to the cards, so your card can go into the CHIP slot.
Unfortunately, if you are dealing with machines, not with a person, you need a PIN. Only a handful of U.S. issued cards actually can perform unmanned transactions using PIN. Most U.S. cards cannot do this. For example, if you are at Tivoli gardens and did not get unlimited ride day pass (if you are in that age group ) and want to buy a single ride ticket, then you cannot use unmanned vending machines in the park. You have to go to a manned ticket booth to sign your slip. If you ask your bank or their toll-free number, you will unlikely to get a straight answer on whether your card is indeed capable of performing an unmanned PIN authorized purchases. You will get an ambiguous replies: "should work", "all you have to do is to enter PIN if asked." It does not work that way if the card is not capable in the first place.
If you are from the U.S., there is a little warning. Not all the card machines take magnetic stripe cards. The readers just don't have that capability.
Fortunately, U.S. card issuers have finally added CHIPs to the cards, so your card can go into the CHIP slot.
Unfortunately, if you are dealing with machines, not with a person, you need a PIN. Only a handful of U.S. issued cards actually can perform unmanned transactions using PIN. Most U.S. cards cannot do this. For example, if you are at Tivoli gardens and did not get unlimited ride day pass (if you are in that age group ) and want to buy a single ride ticket, then you cannot use unmanned vending machines in the park. You have to go to a manned ticket booth to sign your slip. If you ask your bank or their toll-free number, you will unlikely to get a straight answer on whether your card is indeed capable of performing an unmanned PIN authorized purchases. You will get an ambiguous replies: "should work", "all you have to do is to enter PIN if asked." It does not work that way if the card is not capable in the first place.
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I haven't been to Norway or Denmark, but as further reassurance - I was just in Stockholm for a couple of days before and after a cruise a couple of weeks ago. We never got cash and used our cards the whole time - no problems at all.
My cards have chips and no PINs, but I had no problems; I just had to sign where others would have entered a PIN. One thing we did run into is that a few places would require ID for a purchase (this might be related to not having a PIN, I'm not sure), so have some on you just in case.
My cards have chips and no PINs, but I had no problems; I just had to sign where others would have entered a PIN. One thing we did run into is that a few places would require ID for a purchase (this might be related to not having a PIN, I'm not sure), so have some on you just in case.
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I always had a small amount of cash for small purchases when I was in Denmark and Sweden. Yes, each country has their own currency. I used my credit card a lot.
I would use my cash for a coffee and sweet, things like that.
I really didn't have any left when I left the country. The only time I had some left was when we went to Malmo from Copenhagen. I got cash in Malmo but didn't worry because we were in Stockholm in a few days.
I would use my cash for a coffee and sweet, things like that.
I really didn't have any left when I left the country. The only time I had some left was when we went to Malmo from Copenhagen. I got cash in Malmo but didn't worry because we were in Stockholm in a few days.
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Denmark is largely cashless, but that is because every man, woman, and child pretty much has a Dankort. Dankort is a local Danish debit card network and many shops used to not accept credit cards, whether they had a PIN or not. When people encounter machines that don't take their card, as often as not, the issue is that Dankort is the only card taken, not that you don't have a PIN.
However, within the past 5-7 years, credit cards have exploded (due to exceptionally low interest rates), so places that only take Dankort are increasingly rare, especially for the tourist. Any tourist shop, pretty much all taxis, all the major grocery stores, all department stores, and any restaurant that does a solid tourist trade will take credit cards. Taxis and restaurants both tend to add the credit card fee. Department stores do not.
As for tipping... It isn't common in Denmark, but it isn't uncommon. Among my Danish co-workers, an informal poll suggested that opinion is split around 50/50 on the topic. If you are at a nicer restaurant and want to tip, roughly 5% is fine, though I have gone higher at places where the service is excellent. If you use a credit card, you will sometimes be handed the reader and will be asked if you want to add drikkepenge (drinking money), which is the term for a tip.
However, within the past 5-7 years, credit cards have exploded (due to exceptionally low interest rates), so places that only take Dankort are increasingly rare, especially for the tourist. Any tourist shop, pretty much all taxis, all the major grocery stores, all department stores, and any restaurant that does a solid tourist trade will take credit cards. Taxis and restaurants both tend to add the credit card fee. Department stores do not.
As for tipping... It isn't common in Denmark, but it isn't uncommon. Among my Danish co-workers, an informal poll suggested that opinion is split around 50/50 on the topic. If you are at a nicer restaurant and want to tip, roughly 5% is fine, though I have gone higher at places where the service is excellent. If you use a credit card, you will sometimes be handed the reader and will be asked if you want to add drikkepenge (drinking money), which is the term for a tip.