Paris ATM Pin Numbers
 

Fodor's 2004 says to get cash at ATM's in Paris, your PIN number must be 4 digits long. Is this really true? If so, do I need to change my present Citibank PIN from 5 to 4 numbers?

I believe this is generally true all over Europe - yes you need a 4-digit pin number.

Thanks. I actually called Citibank and they recommended changing the PIN to 4 digits which I've done.

One other tip to consider - ATM's in France (at least last summer) did not give you the option to withdraw from savings or checking - they just assume its one or the other. We found that the usual default was checking so make sure you have enough funds in your checking account before you leave! We ended up calling our bank to make a transfer.

Many ATMs in France, and I've used many, do have the checking option - some apparently do not. I've found that ATM cards hooked to savings accounts often don't work, while those to checking accounts do. I've had cards that worked here not work in some French ATMs; the difference being my magnetic strip was worn - machines there were more sensitive than my local ATM at home - make sure your card is in pristine condition.