What are the procedures in using ATM machines in France?
 

There are alot of comments in favor of using your ATM card in Europe instead of bringing travelers checks or exchanging currency. Therefore, I'd like to use my ATM card while in Paris. I understand that my particular ATM card is connected to the PLUS system and I already have a 4-digit PIN code.<BR><BR>What I don't understand is how do I go about deciphering the instructions in French as I do not understand French. <BR><BR>Please let me know what the instructions are in order to withdraw cash. Thank you.

Many ATM machines in Europe have a language selection - just as here in the States many have a Spanish option. the difference is that European ones offer several languages.<BR><BR>But don't worry if you find one with only French. the instruction screen is very intuative - easy to use w/o a word of French.

Janis, thanks so much for letting me know about the language selection. I thought they are all set up in French.<BR><BR>Can you be a bit more specific about the screens if they are only in French? How will you be able to tell what to do-are there icons or such to help you along? Thanks again.

Don't quote me on this, but I believe that it is a requirement of a bank's ATM machine that if it participates in the NYCE, PLUS, and CIRRUS networks, that there must be an option that the instructions be offered in English. I recall reading this in the WSJ, as most of the machines are either owned/leased/sold by Citibank/Visa. So, you shouldn't have a problem.<BR><BR>I've used ATMs in France (specifically, Paris), the UK, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Hungary and have had the option for English translations.

Rosalie, as soon as you insert or swipe your card, the first screen that will come up is Language -- even before you punch in your password. Just follow the instructions from there.

Thank you also Leslie for the additional information-as long as there is an English language selections, then it should be allright. My ATM card is with Bank of America and they're hooked up to PLUS as they told me and has the logo on the reverse of the card.<BR><BR>I really did not realize the overseas ATM machines have a language selection. I thought I'd have to struggle to do a simple cash withdrawal. <BR><BR>Your and Janis' advice has put my mind at ease as I really didn't want to carry traveler's checks or hard currency with me.

Leslie, we're also traveling to Bern, Switzerland so the information that you included about Switzerland's ATM machines offering a language selection in English is most helpful. Thank you.

Hi<BR><BR>ATM's in Europe have 2 language settings.<BR><BR>1) They operate in the designated language of the card when used in the issuing country (Belgian Flemish card speaks Flemish in Walloon areas).<BR><BR>2)Outside the issuing country, a choice of languages is offered.<BR><BR>Easy ?<BR><BR>Peter<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>

Remember, a FOUR digit pin number.<BR><BR>Doug

Just a tip keep you money in your checking account most ATM overseas will not let you access you savings or make transfers !

Hi Rosalie:<BR>we have just returned from a few weeks in Europe and used our debit cards and credit cards for all our money. For the first time we took no travellers cheques at all. It was amazingly simple.<BR>Just some points to remember<BR>1) four digits are not necessary, all our atm cards from our banks are 5 digits and we had no problems,<BR>2) all machines offer several language choices<BR>3) we took our banks phone numbers just in case we ran into any problems. (once during our trip we attempted to retrieve some money and the atm said our bank declined the transaction. We just used our visa card instead and called our bank when we got back to the hotel. It turns out the system had been down at that time and when we tried again everything was fine)Having been able to call back home to clarify everything was ok and that no one had found our number and drained our account was reassuring )<BR>4)we tried to used atms that were inside a bank etc instead of out in the open. In Paris we noticed some beggars placed themselves strategically nearby the atms presumably they thought we would feel more inclined to give when our pockets had been replenished?<BR>5)just take your time and press the buttons at your leisure and you will be fine. we always took the option of a receipt so we could have a record of the transactions.<BR>enjoy your holiday !

Lynn brings up a point about using foreign ATMs that I haven't seen on the board before. Many US banks go off-line during the night, so if you get a message that your bank has declined a transaction, and it's the middle of the night in the US, just try again in a few hours.

The ATM in Amsterdam has options for 6 languages (Dutch, German, English, French, Spanish, Italian). <BR><BR>In other countries, just find the Union Jack flag and push the button associated with it. If you don't know what the Union Jack looks like, learn that before you go.

Thanks for the additional replies. Sue, I know you mean well, but I am very informed of what the Union Jack looks like. It's not as if I reside on Mars.

What does the flag look like from Mars, anyway? I do not think they have Martian on ATMs in Europe which is always a problem for me, as I only know Martian, Venusian, Vulcan and Remulacan.

Beldar, it looks like when you bend over backwards and check yourself out in the mirror.

Just a note that no one mentioned: My ATM pin code is in letters in the US so I translated it into numbers. All the ATMs I accessed in Paris only had numbers.

As others have said, there's no problem using ATM's in Europe. I used my Debit Card in Paris, Cinque Terra and Rome last month. English instructions in all of them. Sure beats carrying lots of cash!

I found that a "bank declined transaction" message usually indicated a local ATM failure; I just found another and the transaction went right through.

For Rosalie~ Although ATMs are fantastic I would never go with only ONE source for getting money on a European trip. PLEASE take a back up~ whether it is US/Canadian cash, travelers checks or a Visa/MC card. And IF you are going only ATMs at least get a second card.<BR><BR>Probably won't~ but something could go wrong with your card (and you'd be screwed if that was ALL you had to work with), or it gets lost/stolen, or the particular bank machine doesn't work.<BR><BR>Hide a few hundred in the bottom of your pocketbook, with your underwear or toiletries. Tuck travelers checks in an inside pocket of your luggage.<BR><BR>All this is great advice for using ATMs but (IMHO) is foolish to go with ONLY it!!!