HeatherMG

My boyfriend and I will be traveling across Europe this summer -- primarily the UK and France. We had planned on using our Discover Cards rather than our Visa or Mastercards because of the cash-back bonus and also, Discover has given us better conversion rates. However, we have heard from several people that Discover is not widely accepted in the UK and we may have trouble finding places that will take it. Has anyone found this to be the case before? I'd hate to find ourselves over there when our cards either don't work or won't be accepted. (Although, we will be taking backup cards!)
Many thanks,
Heather

LoveItaly

Hi Heather, either go on their website or call them. I may be wrong but a couple of years ago I am sure that I was told that one cannot use their Discover Card in Europe.

PalQ

I have never seen anywhere in Europe i could use my Discover card except one place - the US Embassy in Paris where i could use it to pay for my son's passport. Leave it at home.

HeatherMG

LoveItaly, PalQ, thank you! No wonder they offered us such a good conversion rate -- they knew we couldn't use it anywhere!

nibblette

Discover useless overseas. Visa most common card, followed very closely by MC. Am Ex less useful and Diners even less.

TexasAggie

I've never seen Discover accepted anywhere in Europe. Visa and Mastercard are accepted widely, American Express is accepted in heavily touristed areas, and Diner's Club... well it seems to pop up in strange places.

janisj

as the others say - No Discover - it is strictly a North America/Caribbean card

nytraveler

Discover cards are supported only in the US as far as I'm aware. You can call them to confirm if you like - But I thik you really need Visa or MC or AMEX (for more upscale places).

JN

I contacted Discover before our last trip. As others have said, the company does not do card business in Europe--only North America.

leonberger

Ditto. Leave home without the Discover Card.

Visa seems to be accepted everywhere, as others have said. Master Card pretty well accepted, some AmEx.

Interestingly, we have several times used our personal checks in England (for fairly large-ticket items, several hundred dollars and up). The merchants preferred the checks, and didn't even ask for ID. The first time it happened (at the Silver Vaults in London, probably 15 or so years ago), we asked why they didn't need ID and were told that they'd never been stiffed with a check from the US.

Interesting. (But, of course, I wouldn't count on being able to use personal checks either! Take that Visa card - and your ATM card.)

Gaye

HeatherMG

Thanks everyone for your responses! It looks like our Discover Cards will be gathering dust this summer. We'll have a Visa and a Mastercard between the two of us, and with our ATM cards, I think we'll be okay. Now, I just hope the ATM cards work!

Thanks again,
Heather

smalti

Hi, Heather!

I believe your ATM card requires a 4-digit PIN to work in some European countries, or at least so I've read.

Have a wonderful trip!

HeatherMG

Thanks, smalti! We each have a 4-digit PIN, so I think that we'll be fine in that regard.

And thanks for the good wishes -- first time abroad for us both, and we're very excited! And I'm much less stressed now that it's starting to come together!