iris1745

Dukey--good question; I just looked at this report and it suggests my Chase [visa] charges more than mu Starwood AX. http://www.indexcreditcards.com/inte...ansactionfees/ I have heard many times that Capitol One is the best.

travelgourmet

Danske Bank ATMs are a good choice for using your US card. Nordea as well.

chrismo1

ATM's located next to a bank do generally not charge fees (and this is the vast majority), a few ATM's, typically located in supermarkets take fee.

chrismo1

>>>Ordinarily it is "advantageous" for a commercial entity to accept a credit card...why?

>>>It supposedly increases traffic flow and revenue opportunities (think about people who would NOT shop or eat in an establishment which did NOT accept credit cards)

Because Denmark's situation is not the same as the situation in the US. Danes do not use credit cards, they use the official Danish charge card, Dankort, which is totally free of fees for the customer and very cheap for the merchants compares to traditional credit cards. The reason is that this card is owned by all danish banks together, and much cheaper for the banks to run. Therefore, credit cards are mainly used by tourists. That is also the reason why credit card acceptance was very low in Denmark for non-touristy places before this fee was allowed. None of the supermarket chains in Denmark would accept credit cards before they were allowed to pass on the fee to the customers, now they all accept credit cards. A compromise was made, so that it was only allowed to pass on the fee on foreign cards. And of course, it's optional for the merchant if he wants to pass it on to the customer.

iris1745

Hi; While I don't expect to be using to much cash, these are all helpfull answers to pass on to our traveling companions. Thanks

chepar

There should be a sign posted if they are going to charge you the fee for using a foreign credit card.

Every city I visit I buy a touristy type of T-shirt from - the idea is that at some point I'm going to make a quilt with all of the shirts. The shop I bought my T-shirt from had a large sign at the register and since I didn't have enough cash on me, I had to charge it. The exchange rate between dollars to DKK is already painful, and with the added fee it was the most expensive T-shirt I've bought so far on any trip.

alamedadan

chrismo1,
I read a lengthy thread on Flyertalk about the Dankort card and the 3.75% fee charged on foreign credit cards in Denmark. Since we often shop at supermarkets (we will be renting an apartment for a week in Østerbro this summer), will we be able to use our American ATM/debit card in a grocery store without a surcharge, as long as the transaction is PIN-based, not signature-based?

travelgourmet

will we be able to use our American ATM/debit card in a grocery store without a surcharge,

No. Your American ATM/debit card will be processed just the same as a foreign credit card.

as long as the transaction is PIN-based, not signature-based?

I seriously doubt that you will be able to do a PIN-based transaction in Denmark with an American card. Heck, I have a Swiss card where I probably ended up signing 90% of the time I used it in Denmark. If you are going to supermarkets, I would probably plan on paying in cash. Many (if not most) of the clerks in Danish supermarkets will have trouble processing a non-PIN (really, non-Dankort) transaction. You might find some exceptions, but I wouldn't count on it.

chrismo1

It doesn't matter wether the transaction is PIN or signature based. You will pay the 3% fee in supermarkets in all cases. A few places will require a PIN, not accepting signatures, so get one. Even though you use a PIN, it is not treated as a cash advance.

travelgourmet

A few places will require a PIN, not accepting signatures, so get one.

You are unlikely to get a PIN-based card in the US, much less one that is compatible with the Danish systems.

Dayenu

"You are unlikely to get a PIN-based card in the US" - WHAT???

Not sure about debit cards - I don't own one, but my ATM-only cards have 4-digits pin, and the credit card has a 4-digit pin for cash advances (that I don't use and don't recommend for cash)

travelgourmet

Dayenu - I am speaking of debit and credit cards. Of course ATM cards have a PIN, as do many CCs, but they are generally not compatible with the PIN-based authentication systems used at points-of-sale in Europe.

Dayenu

Oh, I see.

wildbird1275

Am going to Denmark, Norway and Sweden end of April - am purchasing their currency before leaving - average cost of dinner or lunch? Are any on them on euro?

kayd

Use ATMs card to get different sound-alike local currency (krone, krona, krone) in each of those three countries, not Euros. Expect costs to be higher than you are used to in the US.

travelgourmet

average cost of dinner or lunch?

For dinner, count on upwards of $50 at any sit down place. Sometimes waaay upwards.

For lunch, count on at least $10, even at McD's or a kebab shop.

Agree that getting cash at the ATM is the way to go.

Paul1950

My source for the 1-3% is what MC and VISA charge me and what it says in the vendor agreements.

samejia

We just got back from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Make sure you try to get a pin for your credit card! At the Kronborg Castle in Helsingor, we were able to use our AMEX to pay for the entry tickets, but the gift shop in the same facility wanted a credit card with a pin. Luckily, my daughter has one since she's a student there this semester. They asked for a pin in the airport as well when we wanted to charge something before leaving and didn't want the extra cash from the ATM.

Dayenu

Is this the same pin that I have in case I would need cash?

(and before you say anything, I won't get cash, the bank just sent the pin to me, and I keep the letter at home)

travelgourmet

Is this the same pin that I have in case I would need cash?

No, it is not the same system and you will not be able to use a PIN for verification at a point-of-sale terminal. You will have to tell them that you don't have a PIN and have them process it with a signature.

AFAIK, there are no US-issued credit cards that are compatible with the Chip-and-PIN systems in use anywhere in Europe.