Visa vs Mastercard
 

We are off to Austria on Monday and I heard that Visa is the only card generally accepted for credit and debit purposes in Austria. Does anyone have any experience with this? We usually use ATM machines, etc. and this could pose a problem.

Thanks
Mary

You are going to put your credit card in an ATM?
I used my ATM card with no problem in Austria, but it is on the PLUS network.
I had a second card from another bank which is also PLUS.

MC is Cirrus, but I don't recall a problem with the credit card.
The only problem is that using a credit card in an ATM constitutes a cash advance and hefty interest rate charges.

Mary,
We used master card at the Salzburg music Festival last August and in Vienna in December 2001.

I've had no troubles using my MBNA Mastercard around Europe.

That old saw about Visa being the only card accepted in Europe is absolutely BOGUS...just back from Italy/Germany/Austria and MC widely accepted ..and yes, you can use your card in the ATM machine since some of us have that option for getting money out of the savings/checking account...so Bob, using your credit card in an ATM is NOT an automatic cash advance.

We did find places in Europe that took only VISA -- they were few and far between, mostly small establishments.

My VISA is a check card which comes directly out of my checking account for charges/cash advances from the ATM, or I guess I could make a cash withdrawal from my savings account from the ATM. My mastercard is a "credit card," so any withdrawals of cash from an ATM would be considered a cash advance -- I would have to pay interest from time of withdrawal -- which isn't much until the next statement comes in. ((b))

I haven't been to Austria for several years, but it is true that I could not use my bank's ATM card in any machine in Austria. It was on the PLUS/CIRRUS network, also, and that's the only country that's ever happened to me. I just kept getting an error message "not valid for international transactions" or something, which wasn't true, I used it easily in other countries.

That was only a regular ATM card, not a debit card.

Message - Bob Brown - yes if you use your credit card whether Visa or MC in an ATM then it's a cash advance.

You should be using your bank's ATM card (which can be affiliated to Visa or MC and be either Cirrus or Plus) and then you're actually withdrawing funds from your own accounts (whether checking of savings or money fund, whichever) and there are no interest charges.

Hmm. How do you access a savings account in an American bank from Europe?
Can you do that? It would have to be a savings account that is not a time dependent CD.

I always access my checking account when in Europe, but had always thought if I put my credit card in that slot, I was taking a cash advance. So I never do.

I don't have a savings account where I have my checking account. Perhaps that is the problem.

In fact, I don't have a savings account at a bank, except for a CD that matures in the next few months.

Thanks for the quick responses--especially Bootman4U who was just there. Looks like we're OK. PS--like Bootman4U our card is used as a check/debit card its just associated with MC. And thanks to everyone who posts on this board. I have gotten lots of great info over the years for our trips.

Your bank or card issuer may issue also a debit card, which has no interest rate. If you have only a debit card you avoid interest charges by paying a thousand dollars or so into your account, so you stay in credit. It is better to have two cards, in case you lose one.

For lists of useable ATMs please see

Visa and Visa Plus: Information on ATM outlets country by country
or http://www.visa.com/globalgateway/gg...l?retcountry=1

MasterCard and Cirrus: ATM network information for this payment system. www.mastercard.com/cardholderservices/atm/

Welcome to Europe.

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Thanks Ben for the web sites.