Using U.S. Credit Cards and ATM Cards in France
 

Based on what I read from different posts, I just want to double check with experienced travelers the use of U.S. credit cards and ATM card in France. Please correct me if I am wrong. Is it true that ATM cards without chip issued by a local bank in U.S. can still be used in all ATM machines in France ? Also, are U.S. credit cards without chip still accepted for purchases except at the toll booth, gas station, and ticket machines? Your confirmation will help ease my mind. I appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.

I've never had a problem using credit cards in Europe, except as you mentioned. I'm from the US, been to The Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Italy, France, Belgium, Spain, and Greece, no problems.

Yes.

Yes.

ATM cards from US banks can be used in ATMs in France.

"All" may be stretching it, that depends on your bank and the ATM you're using. Sometimes people report that their ATM card did not work in a certain ATM for whatever reason. But an ATM card using the proper network is usable in France ATMs.

Credit cards from US banks (none of which have a chip afaik) can be used in France, too -- but as you already know, not in machines or anywhere there is not a person to swipe the magnetic strip. And when I say "credit cards from US banks" that means visa/mc. Amex is accepted at fewer places (the same is true in the US), and Discover is not accepted anywhere ime. And some smaller places still want cash.

there in December and no problems with ATM or credit cards...one pharmacy at first gave me the keypad to enter my PIN and as soon as I looked at her she realized and printed a receipt for me to sign...worry about something else...you'll be fine

We had no problem whatsoever using atms in France or anywhere else in Europe for that matter for over three months. Just keep some euros on you at all times just in case you card doesn't work. I agree with denisea, don't worry about it.

Thanks to you all for the confirmation. I feel better already. Thanks a lot.

That's what we're here for. ;)

Not being able to use a U.S. credit card on a SNCF train ticket machine always makes me mad. I see long lines at ticket counters and empty SNCF ticket machines, and I have to wait in line to use my magnetic strip only CC. I don't know if there are SNCF ticket machines that take bills. I have only seen ones that take coins, and of course, I rarely carry enough coins to be able to buy two €14.00 tickets.

The new generation of ticket machines takes banknotes.

I've used ticket machines in Paris that took banknotes, even in the metro stations

Notify your bank and credit card companies of your travel plans!

ParisAmsterdam is correct --
(1) you MUST notify bank & CC companies of your Usage plans or your accounts will be "frozen" because they suspect theft. Don't just say y ou are going to use your ATM card to withdraw in "france." Say Europe. A friend of mine said she'd be withdrawing funds in Greece. Then, during a Frankfurt connection, she needed a few bills & used it in the Frankfurt airport ... and BANG! account frozen. Took frantic phone calls etc to unfreeze.

(2) Another proviso --
Ask your bank to raise the daily withdrawal limit (usually $500) to $750 or more... this is not because you plan to use $750 in cash daily... it is so that you can go infrequently to an ATM.

FINALLY -- Think carefully about your credit card usage. Here in the USA, we now use our credit cards constantly -- for gas, groceries, drugstore items, pizza etc -- especially if we pay off our balance monthly. In that way we incur no interest costs and we build up those precious "reward points" or "frequent-flier points." These usually accrue at the rate of about 1% to 1.5%. So every $7,000+ you get $100 credit or rebate or whatever.

This kind of advantage does NOT apply to Credit card use abroad. Almost every single card (except the super-platinum type tht charge a hefty annual fee), every "ordinary" credit card charges you 3% of any charge overseas. That's right. 3%. So if you pay a hotel bill equivalent of $300, that's really $309.

I see 2 reasons therefore to use a CC and incur this egregious & greedy charge:

(A) You reallly don't have quite enough $$ to pay for your trip, so you're charging some of your expenses in order to pay back on the installment plan ... or
(B) You are purchasing something quite substantial (important jewelry, art, Oriental Rug?) and want the protection of being able to block payment if your product is unsatisfactory.

... many people say, I don't care, I'll charge because I get those reward points. Check out the percentage. If your "reward point" percentage is 1%, and the charge fee is 3%, you are making a gift to your CC-issuer of 2%. That's your privilege but you should know you are doing this.

Two more points:

1. Very occasionally I've had trouble withdrawing money from an ATM machine in rural France on a Sunday morning. I think there's some international bank-to-bank accounting or something going on at that time. Always cleared up a bit later in the day.

2. Use bank ATM machines, not private ones, preferably when the bank itself is open so you can go inside if something should go wrong with your transaction.

To the OP: All I can say is that I have pretty much zero problems using my American credit cards anywhere in Europe, including France. I simply tell the clerk, at the beginning of the transaction, that it doesn't have a PIN. If you do that, and keep a bit of cash for things like transport tickets, you should be fine.

<i>... many people say, I don't care, I'll charge because I get those reward points. Check out the percentage. If your "reward point" percentage is 1%, and the charge fee is 3%, you are making a gift to your CC-issuer of 2%. That's your privilege but you should know you are doing this.</i>

Those that are properly using their rewards cards (and resulting points) receive a better percentage than 1%. I easily beat a 3% return with my SPG Amex - my usual redemptions would be in the 4% to 6% range, and I have managed up to 10% on occasion. Frankly, if you are only getting a 1% return on your rewards card, then you probably should be reconsidering your card choice, and focus on the lowest possible fees.

<i>I see 2 reasons therefore to use a CC and incur this egregious & greedy charge:</i>

There is also the issue of convenience and the reduced risk of loss.

Agree with trying to use bank ATM machines, inside the bank if possible. Less chance of your information being stolen. After our trip to Germany in September of 09 our CC information was stolen and we then had charges from Brazil. The CC company was alert and picked up on the charges as we had informed them of our trip to Germany. Very important to tell your CC company where you will be [as previously suggested].

Re above
<i>"Almost every single card (except the super-platinum type tht charge a hefty annual fee), every "ordinary" credit card charges you 3% of any charge overseas. That's right. 3%. So if you pay a hotel bill equivalent of $300, that's really $309." </i>

This is not quite true -- Capital One is one card that offers no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, reward-earning, options.

And, for the nth time, use a credit union. In my experience credit cards from credit unions have no yearly fee and do not charge 3%. They pass on the system 1% over the interbank rate. I have 2 such credit cards. And now my Chase BA mileage card doesn't charge 3% either, though it does have a yearly fee.

Capitol One, Schwab One, TD Bank, Navy FCU, and a host of smaller banks and credit unions will not charge the 3% international transaction charge, in fact they charge nothing at all. It´s foolish and completely unnecessary to pay international service charges.

Just "seconding" what others are saying. There are many cards that don't charge 3%. Some only pass on the standard VISA/MC network 1%, and some absorb that 1% and charge nothing. Shop around.

Regardless or what cards you do decide to bring and use: be sure to get a phone number for your bank and credit cards that is not toll free, 800 numbers do not work from overseas IME, you must have the actual area code and number in case you need to call them.

A couple of more things on ATM cards:

European machines accept no more than 4 digit PINs.

If your U.S. account is with a major bank, ask if they have any European affiliates; for example Bank of American and BNP Paribas. Withdrawals at those branches incur no annoying transaction fee (but you'll still pay the exchange fee).

FYI, I asked my Canadian bank (I live in the U.S. but have accounts there) for a credit card, which would have a chip. No dice, they won't issue cards to non-citizens.

<i>European machines accept no more than 4 digit PINs.</i>

I have read more than several accounts from those who have successfully accessed French bank ATMs with 6 digit PINs. The 4 PIN myth seems to be self perpetuating folklore unless Alan_CT you have first hand experience to the contrary.

I don't know what bank Alan_CT uses bu my bank, Toronto Dominion/Canada Trust tell me they will happily open an account for an American.

It does need to be done in person and requires a passport and one other item of photo ID. They will then issue a chip ATM card.

Well, i hate to be the lone dissenting person, but YES, i had problem using a US bank-issued Star and cirrhus network bankcard at every bank's ATM in Paris two yrs ago. It could hav ruined the trip (no cash!) but luckily daughter had a newer card that did work. As it was, we just lost a few hours of attempting ATM use all over the Marais.

As soon as i reached London---voila! NO problems at all with that same card.

This was two yrs ago. The card was then already 2 yrs old. I suspect its age had something to do with it. All the banks told me, "Oh, it is missing zee e 'puce' " (means "flea" --what they call the chip.

So i woud recommend to OP that you have a fairly NEW bank card!

I don't think it has anything to do with the puce, I've had no problems at all using my ATM card in France just last July and it was real old, actually (about 15 yrs old). I did have a problem with that card in one particular bank's ATMs in Paris about ten years ago, but it was only that one bank chain (CIC I think or something like that), I could use the same card at BNP or other banks. But you never can tell about these things, I've had a problem using my ATM card once in the US, also, so I think it can happen anywhere and I agree it is useful to have a couple cards for options. I wouldn't worry at all about a card that is only two years old. I never get new ATm cards that frequently.

I agree with CaliNurse. My husband and I are in France right now, and we've had trouble with all of our American credit cards (his Chase Amazon Visa, our Visas from Wells Fargo, and our debit cards) almost everywhere except at hotels. The credit cards are not accepted anywhere, even including places like McDonalds. (We also went to Spain, and had no problems at all there- its only France.) Fortunately we've been able to get cash using one of the debit cards at certain ATMs (not all of them), or we'd be in big trouble. One restaurant refused our card and we were short on cash, so I had to stay at the restaurant while my husband went running around looking for a bank machine.

Our biggest issue has been getting gas- our cards don't work at gas stations and there are very few stations that have people working at them to let us pay with cash. One time we actually had to stop a local and ask if we could use his card to buy gas while we gave him cash! Fortunately he was very nice. He also said its very common for American cards not to work there.

I would strongly suggest taking out a significant amount of euros in cash at the beginning of your trip so you don't get stuck.

Rather than digging up an old, somewhat dated thread on credit cards Kba, perhaps a new thread would have proven utilitarian.

It has been rather well documented on this and other travel forums that French pay-at-the-pump gas stations require credit cards issued on French banks. It has been a long time since I have used a pay-at-the-pump station in the USA that did not require my entering the billing zip code. Our friends from France, traveling in the USA, have made the same complaint about try to use their credit cards at gas pumps here.

To purchase gas, you will need to find an attendant accepting payment. Typically there are two lines at many gas stations: a pay-at-the-pump line and a pay the cashier line. You will need to plan fuel usage with the knowledge that obtaining fuel late at night, on holidays, or on week ends may not be possible.

Additionally, there are few locations in large cities and known tourist areas where magnetic strip credit cards are not accepted. Travel away from well worn tourist paths and you may find a hotel that will not accept your credit card.

We were able to use our Andrews Federal Credit Union Chip and Pin cards without any problems. It is a true Chip and Pin card although it does tend to require a signature WHEN there is a person processing the card. IF we used it at unmanned situations [tolls, parking, gas ,railway tickets etc] it functioned perfectly as a true chipped card. The only instance where it did not work was at 2 grocery stores [same store, different location - Intermarches].

We used the card along the Cote d'Azur from Nice to Bordighera Italy; all through The Luberon and in Montpellier, and in Paris.

Do a search here, using the words: chip and pin and find all the similar threads on the topic.

Oh, the Andrews card is available to anyone and has no annual fees, nor any foreign transactions fees. We also set up a banking account to use to get cash from ATM's. This also has no fees and worked seamlessly.

And by the way, normally you should be buying your gas at a supermarket, which is much cheaper than a gas station - and where, outside of SUndays and sometimes lunch hours, there is usually someone to handle the transaction.

<<I would strongly suggest taking out a significant amount of euros in cash at the beginning of your trip so you don't get stuck.>>

Bad idea. Kba probably failed to notify his/her bank about being overseas. We spent 3 weeks in France in September, and I've made more than 100 trips to that country over many years and never had a problem with any credit or debit card, except for an occasional Sunday morning transaction at a French ATM machine (which I have always assumed to be related to banks doing some kind of routine maintenance on their accounts/machines).

Taking loads of cash is unnecessary and risky.

We just returned from four weeks in France. We had a new Bank of America Travel Reward card that is chip and signature. We were in Normandy, Brittany, the Loire, Burgundy, and Paris. We used the card everywhere we went and only had trouble a couple of times. We were able to use this card on the tollways with an attendant except a couple of times and then were able to use our American Express card. That doesn't make any sense, but a friend who was in France in May said they used their AmEx on the tollways. So we tried it even in an unmanned booth and it worked!

The BofA card worked great - we would indicate when we paid that it needed a signature and the clerks seemed to be familiar with the signature card. It went into the machine just like the chip & pin - they didn't swipe it . In Paris we were able to use it in the machines at the Metro stations - no signature required.

We bought gas at manned supermarket stations with no problems.

<<My husband and I are in France right now, and we've had trouble with all of our American credit cards (his Chase Amazon Visa, our Visas from Wells Fargo, and our debit cards) almost everywhere except at hotels. The credit cards are not accepted anywhere, even including places like McDonalds.>>

Huh? I was just there about a month ago and had no problem whatsoever using my American credit cards in Paris anywhere, nor in Bordeaux. I don't have a debit card, but I used my ATM card in lots of ATMs in both cities, also, with no problem. I don't eat at McDonalds, true, but I used them in lots of restaurants and stores and museums (and the Air France airport bus). They were never refused, not even once.

I mainly used my Capital One MC, but also used my Amex and AAA Visa a few times (that one is managed by B of A).

True, you can have problems at automated gas stations and other automated machines, I've heard of that, but other places just refusing them for some reason? Restaurants and stores are usually glad to get business. I don't know why they would refuse them, that isn't clear. Even the smallest mom and pop restaurants and cafes where I was staying took them, of course the cinemas did as well as Monoprix, etc.

oh, my CCs are just regular ones, they don't have any chips in them. My ATM card (not debit) is from Capital One, also. Actually, I have two ATM cards from Capital One, one for a checking acct and one a separate MM acct, and both worked fine.

Canadian friends recently drove from AZ to British Columbia and were never able to use a credit card to pay at the pump because our postal codes have letters unlike your zip codes. So American pumps often prove unfriendly to foreigners too! ;^(

How curious. We drove from Alberta to Michigan in Oct.2012 and used credit cards all the way. We have chips and were never asked at the pump for a zip/postal code, nor in the cashier area..Also the ccs worked in Spain in April 2011..Wonder what was/is going on. RBC Avion Visa, AmX gold and MC gold from ATB were the ones that we used.

Old-fashioned American style magnetic strip credit or debit cards have poor protection (compared to chip cards) and have less and less use in Europe. In Russia such cards are also common, but are replaced with chip cards in recent.
In Europe magnet strip card doesn't accepted in toll roads payment, all automatic filling station, majority of other filling stations, small stores and so on, so on....

This comes up all the time.....

Yes...lthe momentum is on towards difficulties using American credit cards in Europe but we're not there yet. And there are some banks that issue American cards with the emv chip.

And yes, chip and pin cards are more fraud resistant to merchants but the vast majority of credit card fraud takes place over the internet and chip and pin dosn't provide protection against that yet.