Using Credit Cards for Services
 

Here in the US you can pretty much use a credit card for everything. I've only run into a couple of small businesses (and some taxis) where cash is necessary.

How will I fare in Amsterdam, Belgium, and Luxembourg for things like:

Museum entry/museum cards?

Sit down restaurants?

Quick serve/fast food restaurants?

Train tickets (although, I've been reading that the machines won't take our US cards, but will the service desk take them?)?

Bars/pubs?

Coffee shops in Amsterdam?

Retail establishments (i.e., chocolate shops, tourist stores, small businesses)?


Just trying to gauge how often I'll be needing to hit up the ATM.

Just returned from Netherlands, Germany, France. American credit card accepted almost everywhere except in machines. Tourist shops and fast food shops sometimes require purchases of a certain amount before accepting cards -- perhaps 5 - 10 euro. Cards were accepted at museums, restaurants, department stores, hotels, train stations, gas stations -- anywhere there is an attendant -- EXCEPT on buses. We never were refused or questioned by an attendant. The thorniest places are toll booths on the highways where you must have cash -- often exact cash.

Not all restaurants accept credit cards in the Netherlands, even in Amsterdam - see my comments in your restaurant thread.
Many fast food places don't take them either.

And no supermarket does. Lots of smaller shops don't either, or will charge you for using them.

American Express is not welcomed generally, because of the high costs involved for the retailer. Visa and Mastercard are OK - you will see a sign on the door normally if they accept cards.
Don't be put off by a PIN sign - that is something different - that is for Dutch debit cards.

If you have a Maestro debit card with a 4 figure pin it may well work. It could be worth a try.

Thank you crc and hetismij!

I am pleased to see that museums will accept the card, as that is one of my major expenses (aside from train tickets and food).

My card of choice is AMex, but I am bringing a Visa and Mastercard along as well (in addition to my debit card).

I wouldn't have known about this glitch personally, as it seems all Canadian credit and debit cards are being replaced with chips-encoded cards on renewal and mind had been renewed. But on a recent trip to France, my SIL from Texas was unable to use her credit card for some (not all) transactions, because she lacked the encoded chip.

Otherwise, what they said...only don't expect to be beloved by the folks in line behind you if you don't have cash in a small store,grocery, bus line, fast food place, etc.

I am not sure I understand the comment about toll booths on highways since many of them have at least one lane which is manned (or womanned) by a person and exact change is not required.

Non chipped cards can still be used in Europe - the magnetic strip can still be read. You sometimes need to prompt the person helping you but it is possible.

Credit cards are accepted (but not Discover, which isn;t supported in europe - or Diner's Club which is moribund) at almost all places in europe they would be in the US. Do not plan on using one for anything costing less than about 10 euros - or at some small family restaurants. But - basically it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks all :-)

Dukey -- maybe we got in the wrong lane and missed the manned booth, but a couple of times we looked for a manned booth and could not find/see one. We did not have exact change a couple of times so we overpaid a little when the machine would not give change. Not a huge deal, but irritating.