The PenFed cards are chip & signature. Mine has been accepted at any unmanned gas station where I have tried it.

Yestravel, I have successfully used my PenFed cc in the US as a test run for my trip to France. In the US, it is treated as a chip and signature card.

In Europe, it is meant to be used as a chip and PIN card. I have only tried it at a toll booth once and at a rail ticket machine in Toulouse once. Both unsuccessfully.

Sarastro, have you used your PenFed card in Europe at unmanned gas stations?

The Pen FCU cards are no different than almost every other US card. They are signature preferred with pin capabilities. In theory, if you run into a situation where signature cvm is not recognized by a terminal, it is supposed to then fall back to pin. I've used the card at pos terminals in Europe and as expected, it defaults to signature. I have not tried it at any place which doesn't accept signature but the question remains just how many such places exist as of 01 July. That I can't answer.

BTW a thread on use of credit cards in Europe should not be left without reminding customers to not fall for the dynamic currency conversion scam. If you are asked to sign a credit card slip and it has a US dollar amount listed no matter what lies the merchant tries to sell you, refuse to sign it and tell the merchant to void the transaction and run it properly using the local currency (euro, sterling, kroner, francs). The merchant may lie to you with statements such as the dollar amount is only an approximation to assist you or you will be charged a conversion fee (you will usually be charged the fee if you fall for this scam) or it locks in the exchange or it is the same as if the banks do the exchange or they have no control over it; it is done automatically by the terminal or of course the universal no speak English. If the clerk refuses to void the transaction and do it properly ask to speak to the manager. If you still can't get satisfaction, do not offer to pay cash. Just write on the slip local currency not offered (an advantage of chip and signature as you can't do this with chip and pin) and tell the merchant you will be disputing the charge when you return home. When you return home, inform your bank you are requesting a charge back for failure to follow mastercard or visa regs (amex doesn't allow dcc) and either the bank will charge back the charge or pay you the difference. It is a scam that is metastasizing through countries such as Spain and Italy and Poland I've heard mentioned from its birthplace in the Republic of Ireland. Forewarned is forewarned.

<i>Sarastro, have you used your PenFed card in Europe at unmanned gas stations?</i>

I live in Paris and have a car. PenFed is my primary card (it has no FTFs). It has worked anywhere I have tried it and I have purchased gas at a number of different unmanned locations.

The PenFed card has an offline PIN. It might be more likely to work at locations where on line verification is not available.

Just for the record, the chipless American card that worked just fine at all of the toll machines last week was a Visa card from Target.

The Visa I used was a Marriott, but with a chip.

Yes, sometimes the "regular" chipless card works just fine and sometimes it doesn't which isn't reassuirng when one is traveling. Next trip I will try my PenFed card at the unmanned RER station at CDG.

Who's the bank issuing the cards that are working?

I just got back and had no trouble in Paris and Prague. I have several, some without chips and one with a chip but it's chip and signature. They all worked the same, the machine said "signature needed." I did use the one with a chip in a ticket machine in one of the metro or RER stations and it worked, also. I can't say if it would have worked without the chip or not.

I use lots of cards from different banks. The one I had with a chip was a SWA Visa card, which is made by Chase.

Just stopped at an Intermarche gas station which is unmanned. None of my credit cards worked at 2 different pumps. PenFed, Chase, BOA, nor Cap One. BOA worked at an Intermarche in Narbonne the other day, see above post.

Went to a Total with automatic pumps, filled up and paid inside with the BOA card.

Geez, sounds like the PenFed card is not worth having. thanks for reporting.

Hi NATIVENEWYORKER,

Just returned from a week in Dublin. Before going, I spoke to my local branch manager at SANTANDER BANK where I have two accounts - good to go, he assured me after processing them for overseas travel.

I tried to use the ATM at the Bank on Ireland in downtown Dublin. I needed cash - these cards did not work. I went into the bank where the attendant was very helpful, but still could not give me cash.

Went back to my hotel and had to get cash there - only needed about €400, €100 of which I had left and applied to my bill when I checked out.

These cards worked perfectly at the Kilkenny Shop, however.
I must say that I did not have any problem in London the past few years using ATMs.

Is there a difference between the euro and the pound in that regard?

<i>Just stopped at an Intermarche gas station which is unmanned. None of my credit cards worked at 2 different pumps. PenFed, Chase, BOA, nor Cap One.</i>

My PenFed card works fine at unmanned Intermarche gas stations. It has never been rejected at any unmanned gas station, anywhere in France.

if we are talking ATM cards, I also have one of those without a chip and one with (that one is a debit card, and chip and signature). Both worked in Czech and French ATMs with no problem, as I used them both.

latedaytraveler, I don't understand your question, what does th euro vs. pound have to do with your card not working in some Irish ATM? Prague doesn't use the euro, either, and I had no trouble there but the currency is irrelevant.

I used my chip and pin ATM card for small purchases in eastern Europe. I won't do that again! When I came home and balanced my bank statement, there were a lot--maybe 10--small transaction fees charged by my bank--Wells Fargo. It was quite irritating. I have enough trouble balancing my account without having to write down charges for 33 cents or 27 cents.

It's just less hassle to use cash.

Anybody been in the Netherlands this summer? As I understand it, they're going away from any form of payment (including cash) except for chip and pin cards.

Do all Americans balance their personal bank statements? Is it taught at school?

Some of us have got through life without ever having done it.

"Do all Americans balance their personal bank statements?" I do, but some others don't. Only a half of my extended family do. I find just too many "mistakes", "entry errors", and "fees charged incorrectly for my type of account" on my statements to trust any banks. Mistakes are always in their favor - statistically unlikely to be random events.

Hi NATIVENEWYORKER,

Just returned from a week in Dublin. Before going, I spoke to my local branch manager at SANTANDER BANK where I have two accounts - good to go, he assured me after processing them for overseas travel. I guess my cards are "chipless."

I tried to use the ATM at the Bank on Ireland in downtown Dublin. I needed cash - these cards did not work. I went into the bank where the attendant was very helpful, but still could not give me cash.

Went back to my hotel and had to get cash there - only needed about €400, €100 of which I had left and applied to my bill when I checked out.

These cards worked perfectly at the Kilkenny Shop, however. So they could be used as "charge cards" but not for cash withdrawal.

I must say that I did not have any problem in London the past few years using ATMs. Is there a difference between the euro and the pound in that regard?

I don't know why my PenFed card is not working. It has a zero balance and about $20-25k worth of credit so it's not like I have maxed it out. Worked in the US on a few trial runs before my trip. Applied for it specifically for gas, tolls, etc. on this trip.