Fodor's guide claims that Italy uses a 5 digit PIN for ATM's. Citibank claims this is incorrect & 4 digits is the accepted format. Who is correct? Want to be able to use ATM's in Sicily.

I've used my Bank of America card in Italy and other countries in Western Europe, 4-digit PIN, and the ATM machine spits out money.

Last year I used 4 Digit PIN in Italy and France with no problems whatsoever. Most of the machines are trilingual so it is easy. I think that I had a problem with one Italian bank so it could have been that they expected a 5th digit. Just walked a block to the next bank.

Hi panda

We used 2 cards in Italy last Sept, each with 4 digit PINs, without any trouble.

Only Italy experience is a couple trips to Venice but my BoA ATM card w/ 4 digit pin worked just fine.

Hi pandagirl,

You might be interested in the attached thread on the same subject.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...Text=italy+atm

Jim

I, too, am seeking a clarification on the number of digits for a PIN. Fodor's themselves are discrepant...Fodor's Italy, 2004 says, "Five is the required number of digits for a PIN number in Italy." (page 56), but Fodor's Rome (earlier edition than 2004) says a 4 digit number is required. I'm wondering if the banks have recently changed the requirements.

I work for a bank...for many many years we have recommended that our customers choose a 4 digit PIN so that it will be accepted in international ATMs. Some machines MIGHT accept a 5 digit, but all will accept a 4 digit.

Anne

I used a 4 digit pin in both Venice and Rome and hadf no problem. The key is to make sure it is all numbers (no letters)

Just returned from Rome last month (and Venice and Paris last year and used both 4 (Wachovia) and 6 (Chase) digit pins without any problem.

I think the PIN would be connected with your account back home, so if your account is 4-digit, it should work fine.

I used ATMs in Rome (too many times, in fact!) with no problems whatsoever.

Four digits will work all over Italy...I know because I've used them everywhere. But BEWARE...sometimes you may get a message about the account not being reachable, or that the tranasction couldn;t take place, etc.....this happened to me several times in Rome. I simply went to a different machine run by a different bank and it worked fine. However, if you have some sort of back-up it might be a good idea just in case.

Don't forget to call your bank before you go and alert them to the fact that you will be using your bank card in Italy.

I too strongly recommend calling your bank and CC companies to tell them of your travel plans and dates. Although, on several trips I've forgotten to do this and still had no problem. The best thing is to bring 2 credit cards with ATM pins as a backup to your regular ATM or debit card.

I was in Italy two years ago with a four digit PIN and had no problem. I think Fodors is wrong on this one. Every other guidebook I have ever read says 4.

Alan - I have never called my bank, or my credit card companies, to tell them I was traveling, and I have never had any problem. I just got back from 2 weeks in Spain, and used my ATM 4 times and my credit cards a bunch of times. Why tell strangers your house will be empty?

Karen

kaudrey
Letting your bank and cc companies know of your wherabouts is just a precaution. My fiance has forgotten to do this before traveling and has had his ATM cards deactivated because the withdrawals were out of the ordinary due to his location. He had to wait until he returned home to have them reactivated. Definitely not something I want to happen on my trip to Italy this summer so I will be letting the appropriate companies know where I will traveling.

Karen,
I have never had any problems either, but I had heard stories about card deactivations just like gradstudents and I did not want it to happen to me. I have called my banks and credit card companies before my last two trips and they said that it should always be done as any overseas purchases/withdrawls are always red flagged and depending on the institution they might deactivate your card, especially after a large transaction like a hotel charge. I just figure better safe than sorry....