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Visa card - no chip

onthelake

By onthelake,
in British Isles/Western Europe

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Underwatr

Underwatr

Posted
Posted

Where there's a human involved, no problem as Suzanne observes. The point-of-sale card readers can read either the chip on a European card or the magnetic stripe that's still on their cards and ours. Where you might have problems is where you're intereacting drectly with a machine -things like metro ticket machines or gas stations.

 

My most recent experience in Europe was in France - I could buy Paris Metro tickets from the machines in the Metro station with my US card, but the RER (commuter rail) machine at CDG airport would only work with a chip-and-PIN card. Likewise I could buy gas by going into the office with my US card, but stations in Europe aren't always staffed, so you just have to keep an eye on your gas gauge and know when the stations are closed.

 

Most clerks understand the difference in cards and how to swipe your card. Sometimes you have to remind them that you need to sign rather than entering a PIN.

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KirkNC

KirkNC

Posted
Posted
Where there's a human involved, no problem as Suzanne observes. The point-of-sale card readers can read either the chip on a European card or the magnetic stripe that's still on their cards and ours. Where you might have problems is where you're intereacting drectly with a machine -things like metro ticket machines or gas stations.

 

My most recent experience in Europe was in France - I could buy Paris Metro tickets from the machines in the Metro station with my US card, but the RER (commuter rail) machine at CDG airport would only work with a chip-and-PIN card. Likewise I could buy gas by going into the office with my US card, but stations in Europe aren't always staffed, so you just have to keep an eye on your gas gauge and know when the stations are closed.

 

Most clerks understand the difference in cards and how to swipe your card. Sometimes you have to remind them that you need to sign rather than entering a PIN.

 

That has been our experience, in metros at machines. We have never had a problem where there was a person involved.

 

Kirk

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MeHeartCruising

MeHeartCruising

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I know this is slightly off topic for the original posting, but I thought I'd share my experience to indicate a POSSIBLE trend emerging in some parts of Europe. First, I'll say that I've never had a problem using my non-chip card in the UK, Spain, or Italy (with a machine or a human being). However, in Amsterdam in July 2011, I went to use my Visa card to pay for a Dutch Rail ticket at the Centraal Train station main ticket windows and was politely told by the desk agent that they only accepted chip-in-card credit cards. I did not have one. But I was able to go around the corner of the hall and use my ATM card to get cash and return to the ticket window to pay for my ticket. He was very understanding and didn't make me wait in the line again. I simply got my euros and then walked back up to his window. It never hurts to have a backup plan at all times. So, it seems that in some places you might have this issue as well. I sure wish the US would get with the program embrace these cards more for us frequent travelers.

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Hlitner "Live from...." Rare

Hlitner

Posted
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It will work 99% of the time.

 

Based our two most recent trips to Europe we think the percentage is quickly dropping. The situation with our magnetic stripe cards is quickly degrading as the European banks give their merchant clients new charge machines. The worst case for us happened in July while we were staying at a nice B&B in Bruge, Belgium. When we checked-in the owner was giving us the usual B&B welcome with a drink and local info. He then asked if we were going to pay with a credit card (he accepted Visa and MC) and we told him yes. He told us that as of several weeks earlier he could no longer accept non-chip cards because his bank had given him a new credit card machine that did not work with the stripes. Since he warned us it was not a problem since we just used our ATM cards to get cash. Later that same evening we were in a very good local restaurant and had all kinds of problems trying to use our MC (we like this card because it has no foreign exchange fees) because of the lack of a chip. We did not have enough cash so we used our AMEX (which has a 2.8% foreign exchange fee). The restaurant owner told us that sometimes the magentic strips work and sometimes they don't.

 

We have also posted (several times) the problems we have with rental cars and our credit cards. In Europe there are many toll roads and its common to pay the tolls with credit cards. But often, the magnetic strips no longer work. It is the same with 24 hour gas stations that require a Chip/PIN card to operate the pumps.

 

We are frequent international travelers and are sometimes away for months at a time. We must depend on credit cards (and our ATM cards) to survive in Europe and the credit cards are no longer dependable. Even if they function 95% of the time it is those other 5% times that can become a very major problem. It now means we must always have an alternative (such as enough cash) which is a bit of a pain. And when driving (and we do a lot of driving in Europe) we must make sure to buy gas during normal daytime business hours. I should add that this can be a real issue if you are returning a car to an airport at night and need to fill the tank right before dropping the car.

 

Hank

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MATHA531

MATHA531

Posted
Posted
I know this is slightly off topic for the original posting, but I thought I'd share my experience to indicate a POSSIBLE trend emerging in some parts of Europe. First, I'll say that I've never had a problem using my non-chip card in the UK, Spain, or Italy (with a machine or a human being). However, in Amsterdam in July 2011, I went to use my Visa card to pay for a Dutch Rail ticket at the Centraal Train station main ticket windows and was politely told by the desk agent that they only accepted chip-in-card credit cards. I did not have one. But I was able to go around the corner of the hall and use my ATM card to get cash and return to the ticket window to pay for my ticket. He was very understanding and didn't make me wait in the line again. I simply got my euros and then walked back up to his window. It never hurts to have a backup plan at all times. So, it seems that in some places you might have this issue as well. I sure wish the US would get with the program embrace these cards more for us frequent travelers.

 

There have been threats emenating from the eu that in the near future, they may pass regulations allowing merchants to refuse service to non chip cards. The Dutch national railways have not been taking archaic American credit cards for a while.

 

It is interesting to note that just in the immediate last few weeks, visa has changed its tune. For a long while it simply said chip and pin cards are not necessary as all merchants are required to take all visa cards...then it pushed several banks to start offering chip and signature cards again claiming chip and pin is not necessary but in recent weks, they have admitted it will be necessary for American banks to begin issuing chip and pin cards as soon as possible. The reality is that although it will take a while to change the whole US payment system and issue ner pos terminals to all merchants, they could offer chip and pin cards tomorrow for those who want or need them at their cost, probably about 3¢ eacj as all chip and pin cards have magnetic strips anyway. Why they haven't done so in the past is anybody's guess.

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LMZinSC

LMZinSC

Posted
Posted

I thought I had read about also getting another Capital One account with an ATM card. Then you put just a small amount of money in that account so you can get local currency in each country. Does anyone know anything about that?

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Ashland

Ashland

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Does anyone know which US credit cards do not have a foreign service fee? I just found out that American Express does. Are there any cards that dont charge this fee?

Thanks

Also my Chase BA Visa has no foreign transaction fees...

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whogo

whogo

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Does anyone know which US credit cards do not have a foreign service fee? I just found out that American Express does. Are there any cards that dont charge this fee?

Thanks

This link shows the foreign exchange rates for a number of debit/ATM/credit cards.

http://flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Credit/Debit/ATM_Cards_and_Foreign_Exchange

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