vivace98

Just returned from a 2-week trip in France and thought I share a few obeservations regarding using cash and credit cards -

Credit Cards -

Contrary to popular belief, US issued non-chipped credit cards are widely accepted in most places including ticket vending at the Metro stations. The trick when paying for train tickets on the ticket machine is to be patient. Sometimes I had to try a few times sliding the card through to get it read but was able to use it every time. The word to look for after sliding your card through is "Patientez", i.e. WAIT. I've learned to know to be "patient" and "wait" while that word appears. It usually means the machine is reading the card.

However, getting gas with non-chipped credit card is unforunately a no-go. I had to resort to pumping first and pay at the booth with a credit card or cash. The key is to avoid gas stations that are self-service/credit card only. I wasn't able to return my rental car with full tank because most gas stations that remained open past 9pm were self-service only.

ATM -

ATMs are plentiful in Paris as well as small villages. However, I had a negative experience this time with one ATM at Credit Nord. The ATM accepted the card and took it before completing a transaction. Fortunately, this happened during business hours and the bank teller was able to retrieve the card for me. I hope this was an isolated incident. The lesson for me is to carry multiple debit cards or credit cards set up with PIN for cash advance.. just as a backup.

Anyone with other comments to add? Hope this helps my fellow travelers!

Christina

I don't think too many believe US credit cards aren't accept in most places, like hotels, stores, and restaurants, never heard that. As for the metro machines, I think kerouac reported that they changed that recently. That isn't of much importance to me as I use a Navigo and in bigger stations you can easily fill it for a week with euro bills, it's no problem to use cash. The SNCF machines, on the other hand, would be the place where it would be convenient to use a nonchip CC.

I think your ATM experience is isolated as I've never had that happen in 25 years of going to Paris (an ATM taking my card and not returning it). Or whenever ATMs started. I don't believe I ever use Credit Nord ATMs, though, I use BNP or CIC or Societe Generale usually, or La Poste. In fact, I'm not even I remember ever seeing a Credit du Nord ATM in Paris, at least not around where I stay.

Sarastro

<i>US issued non-chipped credit cards are widely accepted in most places including ticket vending at the Metro stations.</i>

¨Most¨ is the key word here. It just takes one experience of having your credit card turned down because it doesn´t have a chip to change one´s attitude about how important this is. Unfortunately I have had one hotel and numerous restaurants flatly reject my offer to pay with a magnetic strip card.

I now have pin and chip cards.

zorrosf

Because an ATM once "ate" my card, I now only use ATM's attached to actual banks AND only during business hours (i.e., not on weekends or after hours). Takes a little more planning, but I remember the feeling of panic I had when I thought my card was gone and I still had several weeks to spend in Europe. An ounce of prevention...

aliced

I have warned on this site to use ATMs only at banks during operating hours because the case of the disappearing card is not unusual. We get double points on our chip & pin card for travel and dining; therefore, it is our No. 1 card for all travel. Why doesnt everyone just get one?? We always go over with at least $100-200 worth of foreign currency 'just because' it makes arrival day so much the easier. Recently in Switzerland we came across several small venues or kiosks that did not accept credit cards. Yes, "zorrosf" an ounce of prevention saves precious vacation minutes.

DebitNM

" credit cards set up with PIN for cash advance"

That is a very costly way to get cash; it should always be your absolute LAST possible resource when all else fails.

Underhill

My ATM card was captured at a bank in Nice, and the bank was closed. I went back the following day and was told that there was only one person authorized to return captured cards, and he wouldn't be there until the following day. Fortunately we were still there, and when I went to the bank a clerk pulled out a thick binder that was filled with captured cards. Lesson learned: carry more than one card.

aliced, We'd love to have a real chip-and-pin card, but so far they are few and far between in the U.S. There are several long threads on the Trip Advisor site on this topic.

sparkchaser

<i>That is a very costly way to get cash; it should always be your absolute LAST possible resource when all else fails.</i>

You got that right.

Sarastro

<i>We'd love to have a real chip-and-pin card, but so far they are few and far between in the U.S.</i>

It is true that pin and chip cards are not available to all US banking customers but they can be obtained with minimal effort. The following banks offer no annual fee, pin and signature cards with 0% transaction fees:

Andrews FCU - GlobeTrek Rewards
State Dept. FCU - Platinum Rewards
Bank of America - BankAmericard Travel Rewards
City National Bank - Platinum
Wells Fargo - By Invitation
PenFed - Platinum Cash Rewards

The only true pin and chip card offered in the USA, with no annual fee, is the USAA Mastercard. This card does pass along the Mastercard 1% foreign transaction fee but adds no other fees to purchases.

sparkchaser

Sadly only one of those is really available to the majority of people.

1. Andrews FCU enrollment is only available to: people living in Washington, DC, civilian and military personnel of Andrews Air Force Base, McGuire Air Force Base, and military installations in central Germany, Belgium, and The Netherlands; and select employers in Maryland and New Jersey.

2. State Dept. FCU enrollment is only open to a handful of people, mainly State Dept Employees and employees of select DC, NoVa, and MD organizations.

3. BoA. Avaialble to "anyone" but then you're in bed with BoA.

4. CNB Platinum is only available to people in California, Georgia, Nevada, New York and Tennessee who meet the income requirements.

5. The Wells Fargo By Invitation is only available "by invitation" to WF customers who have <b>large</b> sums of money in WF accounts.

6. PenFed (Pentagon Federal Credit Union) enrollment is only open to certain people (if you have to ask...).

DebitNM

Sorry, the Andrews FCU IS a "true" chip and pin card with no annual fee and NO foreign transaction fee. It "may" default to chip and signature when a human is involved in the transaction [not always] but it fully chip and pin when no human is around.

I have no problem if it asks for a signature [which wasn't the case in fully 95+% of transactions]. I do have a problem with the 1% USAA charges, I know it is a minuscule amount, but I prefer no fee at all.

Huggy

Hr

Sarastro

I have a PenFed Visa so I must be one of the <i>certain people.</i> It is extremely easy to obtain but might require your giving a one time donation of $10 to a veterans group. Just like the Andrews FCU card, it is not a true pin and chip card. Most transactions, i.e. at hotels, restaurants, or shopping outlets, require a signature. These cards will require a pin only, but not always, for kiosk purchases which is a very small percentage of total expenditures for most of us.

The PenFed card is accepted at pay-at-the-pump gas stations, using the PIN. At least it is always accepted at Carrefour stations where I typically purchase fuel.

I also prefer no fee at all but only the USAA Mastercard requires your using a PIN for EVERY transaction, you will never be asked for a signature. Without the PIN, this card cannot be used anywhere in Europe. Just as with credit cards issued by French banks, only cards requiring your using the PIN are true pin and chip cards.

Christina

<<Unfortunately I have had one hotel and numerous restaurants flatly reject my offer to pay with a magnetic strip card.>>

What hotel was that in France? I just find that really odd as I've never had that happen even in small hotels in small towns in France, after all, hotels are used to having people stay there from other countries, aren't that, that is the point of a hotel, the clientele is visitors. I've also never had a restaurant refuse it, even in small towns in France, although I could see that happening more than a hotel, perhaps.

<<Why doesnt everyone just get one?? We always go over with at least $100-200 worth of foreign currency 'just because' it makes arrival day so much the easier. Recently in Switzerland we came across several small venues or kiosks that did not accept credit cards>>

Well, you are doing things that don't make any financial sense to a lot of people (taking foreign currency with you "just because", as you must be paying a markup for it if you get it in the US. Also, it doesn't matter of small venues or kiosks don't accept credit cards immedidately upon arrival because you should be getting cash soon thereafter, I always do. ONe of the first things I do at the airport is use the ATM, and if somehow that doesn't work, I do it within an hour or two of checking into a hotel, they are all over the place in cities. I think some people (like me) don't get one because we don't really have a need for one and we already have enough credit cards that we have chosen because of their perks or terms. I am not a believer in owning 20 credit cards or whatever, and each one I have gives me something in particular which is the reason I chose it (ie, FF card for my favorite airline, etc.).

Dukey1

Christina, I am sure it was at your longstanding "favorite hotel"

Sarastro

<i>What hotel was that in France?</i>

Yes it was. It was a Logis de France in the Gorges du Tarn. It happened to me last summer. The processing equipment used by the hotel did not even have a reader for magnetic strips. Luckily I carried cash in anticipation of the possibility of such a problem. This small town had one ATM which was out of service or possibly just out of cash.

I have also had one restaurant in London, one in Mennecy (near Paris), and several near Montpellier which refused to take a magnetic strip card or couldn´t take one because of the processing equipment they were using.

Paris has a sufficient number of foreigners that magnetic strip credit cards are always accepted. Travel outside of well worn tourist paths and difficulties can arise.

chartley

I am always impressed by people who have never had any problems using a credit or debit card outside the country of issue. I have several U.K. issued chip and pin cards, but have nevertheless had various problems when travelling in Europe like having a card declined, being told the card reader wasn't working, or being asked for a signature instead of a pin. My brother-in-law, who has both U.K. and U.S.A. issued cards had problems using a U.S.A. card in a British restaurant only a few weeks ago, although this may have been because of communication difficulties in getting authorisation from his bank. Personally, outside the U.K., and with the exception of hotels, I always make sure I have sufficient cash in case there are problems with paying by card.

I am also surprised by the lengths people will go to avoid paying card charges. As far as I am concerned, banks naturally charge for the services they provide, and it seems odd that people will happily tip 20% for bad service while obtaining multiple cards to avoid the occasional 1% or 2% in charges for drawing money from their bank while 5000 miles from home.. If the cost of a holiday is really too much for you, then stay at home.

DebitNM

I do not belong to any of the specific groups indicated as mandatory for Andrews. You join a group for free and that gets you in. I am not at home so I can't recall the group but its right on Andrew s site.

Myer

The Andrews Chip & PIN card is a true chip & PIN card. It only defaults to signature when the vendor accepts either signature or PIN.

If the vendor is set up to only accept PIN then that's the way it works.

Instead of looking at chip & PIN as a curse, look at it as additional protection.

If you don't have to enter a PIN then you have lost most of the security of a PIN. If someone were to read your card or if you were to lose it, there's nothing to stop someone else from using the card.

The PIN requirement is on your side.

I returned from Italy yesterday evening. Unfortunately, every time I bought train tickets at the vending machine the transaction went through without asking for the PIN. In Provence the year before it always required a PIN at stations though not in the Paris Metro.

Also, I don't see a problem trying to save money by using cards that have no foreign transaction fee. They make money on the other side of the transaction. Why should they make it on both sides?

About applying for the Andrews card. I think anybody can apply.

In my case I was almost retired so I applied as a retired person. That freaked them out a bit. Someone with no visible income was an issue. Eventually they came around.

Sarastro

Credit cards issued by French banks (and the USAA Mastercard), always require a PIN for every transaction. There is NEVER a signature option. These are chip and pin cards.

Chipped credit cards issued by US banks (with a few exceptions, one noted above) require a signature by default. These are chip and signature cards. Some of the chip and signature cards are issued with PINs which might be required at kiosks or toll booths. At best, these could be called hybrid cards, but calling them true pin and chip cards confuses the fact that there are cards that cannot be used anywhere in Europe without the PIN.