Cirrus, Plus - does Interbank system matter?
Sep 10th, 2013 | 04:53 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 412
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Cirrus, Plus - does Interbank system matter?
The ATM cards I usually use are Cirrus and/or Plus.
(They also say Pulse, Nyce and Interlink but I think these systems are domestic?
And one says Maestro but that seems to be linked to Cirrus.)
Does any of this make a difference for different European countries?
Is there a system I don't have that I should?
Thank you.
(They also say Pulse, Nyce and Interlink but I think these systems are domestic?
And one says Maestro but that seems to be linked to Cirrus.)
Does any of this make a difference for different European countries?
Is there a system I don't have that I should?
Thank you.
Sep 10th, 2013 | 07:12 AM
#3
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 7,561
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Of course it makes a difference. If you use a cirrus card in an atm that takes plus and not cirrus, it won't work.
That said, look at the logos. What does the Cirrus logo remind you of? MasterCard, perhaps? And what does Maestro's logo resemble? Again, MasterCard.
Fact is, Maestro and Cirrus are owned by MC and Plus is owned by Visa (more subtle here - the logo is boxed like Visa's; before Visa bought the Plus network, the logo was not boxed). Therefore, your cards are linked to THE networks that are ubiquitous in Europe.
If you have a card that is linked to both networks, you'll have a hard time finding an ATM that will not work. If you have a card linked to one and not the other, your worst case likely will be to find an ATM that works down the street from one that does not take your card.
That said, look at the logos. What does the Cirrus logo remind you of? MasterCard, perhaps? And what does Maestro's logo resemble? Again, MasterCard.
Fact is, Maestro and Cirrus are owned by MC and Plus is owned by Visa (more subtle here - the logo is boxed like Visa's; before Visa bought the Plus network, the logo was not boxed). Therefore, your cards are linked to THE networks that are ubiquitous in Europe.
If you have a card that is linked to both networks, you'll have a hard time finding an ATM that will not work. If you have a card linked to one and not the other, your worst case likely will be to find an ATM that works down the street from one that does not take your card.
Sep 10th, 2013 | 08:01 AM
#5
Joined: Mar 2003
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My BofA debit cards used to have the Cirrus and Plus logos, as well as a few others, but no longer, and I've never had a problem when using with any of the major banks in Spain. In France we only use the BNP ATMs and Barclays in the UK, where BofA has an agreement.
