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-   -   Discover Card in Paris (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/discover-card-in-paris-438046/)

freberta Sep 22nd, 2008 10:07 AM

Discover Card in Paris
 
I am in the process of notifying my credit card companies of our upcoming trip to Paris. We have always travelled with Visa and MasterCard, but this year we also have a Discover card that we would like to bring along, just in case. How widely accepted is Discover? Thanks.

nytraveler Sep 22nd, 2008 10:08 AM

Discover is not supported in europe. No one at all will take it.

Lynn_Gibson Sep 22nd, 2008 10:22 AM

I'll second nytraveler's post. I've traveled a couple of times in Europe with a friend who has a Discover card. She tried to use it numerous times on both trips in several different European countries (she just wouldn't give up) and it was never accepted.

kelliebellie Sep 22nd, 2008 10:25 AM

I couldn't even use it in Canada.

StCirq Sep 22nd, 2008 10:26 AM

It's useless. Might as well leave it home.

gracejoan3 Sep 22nd, 2008 10:27 AM

Also, you may not know it, but Capital One is the only one that does not charge transaction fees. It is the one most use.

I always use it and bring some others with me as extras, but never use them.

I am in Paris now for a month...

Enjoy..
Joan

TDudette Sep 22nd, 2008 10:33 AM

Make certain your cards have the chip required to operate certain ticket machines! This has changed since we used our Visa in France 2 years ago!

Alec Sep 22nd, 2008 10:34 AM

Other than at US embassies in payment for consular fees, Discover card isn't accepted anywhere in Europe, so leave it at home.

janisj Sep 22nd, 2008 11:08 AM

&quot;<i>Make certain your cards have the chip required to operate certain ticket machines! This has changed since we used our Visa in France 2 years ago!</i>

Since virtually no US-issued credit cards have that type of embedded chip, it seems sort of useless to advise one to make sure the chip is there.

Just understand US ccs will not work in some ticket machines or at unmanned gas stations. They will work in shops, museums, restaurants and at staffed ticket windows . . . . . . .

freberta Sep 22nd, 2008 11:54 AM

I want to thank you everyone for their responses. We got our Discover card to purchase gas here in the U.S. and that's all we use it for. I never recalled seeing the Discover logo anywhere in Europe, but I wanted to make sure. We have our Capital One cards and I just notified them today of our trip. I'm also bringing a Citibank MasterCard as my backup, but they do charge 3% on all international transactions.

Again, thanks.

TDudette Sep 22nd, 2008 02:01 PM

&quot;Since virtually no US-issued credit cards have that type of embedded chip, it seems sort of useless to advise one to make sure the chip is there.&quot;

I obviously didn't know that or wouldn't have suggested it [-X.
I called Capital One and service person didn't know about it either but said she'd check to find out if it's poss to get one.

Will report back as soon as I hear.

FrankS Sep 22nd, 2008 02:10 PM

Discover is the best card for an American on a European trip







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You are guaranteed to have a least one card not max'd out when you get home


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