Amsterdam---only Euros or debit cards accepted, not credit cards???

[ontheweb]

That is what I read on the site for the Amsterdam card. Is that true?

 

Also, it seems you no longer get a card, but have to download it to your smartphone. What if you do not have one of them?

[markeb]

Where are you seeing this?

 

Just looked on the IAmsterdam site and you can order a physical card to pick up in Amsterdam or a digital card to download into their app. You can apparently load the physical card in the app as well. The checkout screen show logos for most if not all credit cards. Don’t need the card today so that’s as far as I’m going, but I certainly don’t see a debit card requirement on the official site. https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/tickets/i-amsterdam-city-card
 

like it or not, if you’re traveling internationally in 2023, you really need to be prepared to use a smart phone. And to pay for international data. Not yet essential, but it makes your life much simpler. 

[Ashland]

We had no trouble using a credit card in Amsterdam July 2022. However only one place we ate at required it, everywhere else accepted Euros. I did use a credit card to pre-book my hotel.

 

I may be one of the few that prefers to use local currency when I travel.

[CruiserBruce]

Absolutely no problems using credit cards last month. Used only a couple of Euros (cash) in 3 days.

[alexgtp]

June 2023 trip.

We used phone to tap to pay everything. From food, beer to tram's. No need for cash! Also tap to pay CC are accepted!

[Cotswold Eagle]

This thread really needs clarification from the OP. The title is very wide ranging, but the initial post seems to suggest this is specifically about buying the Amsterdam City Card. In either case, there seems to be some misunderstanding, which could be resolved if the OP came back and showed exactly what she has read that led to the question being posed! 

[Harters]

I think the OP was asking about whether you can still get a physical Amsterdam card.  The question was answered in the affirmative at #2.

 

I have some empathy with the query as I'm one of that minority who does not carry a mobile phone, whether smart or otherwise. 

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, Harters said:

I think the OP was asking about whether you can still get a physical Amsterdam card.  The question was answered in the affirmative at #2.

 

I have some empathy with the query as I'm one of that minority who does not carry a mobile phone, whether smart or otherwise. 

I do carry a mobile phone, but for something like the Amsterdam Card, or the Oslo Pass which I will be getting for next year's cruise, I prefer not to have to pull out my phone each time. A simple card to me is much easier. Unfortunately, the Copenhagen Card, in its 2 options, has gone to digital only.

[Cotswold Eagle]

12 hours ago, Harters said:

I think the OP was asking about whether you can still get a physical Amsterdam card.  The question was answered in the affirmative at #2.

 

Oh, I think that bit was clear, but the title of the thread is "Amsterdam---only Euros or debit cards accepted, not credit cards???'"...that's the ambiguity and a very odd thing to believe one has read somewhere!

Edited August 11, 2023 by Cotswold Eagle

[Globaliser]

9 minutes ago, Cotswold Eagle said:

Oh, I think that bit was clear, but the title of the thread is "Amsterdam---only Euros or debit cards accepted, not credit cards???'"...that's the ambiguity and a very odd thing to believe one has read somewhere!

 

The OP's first question was definitely about whether a credit card (as opposed to a debit card) would be accepted. There was then ("also") a second question about whether you get a physical card:

 

On 7/23/2023 at 12:31 AM, ontheweb said:

Amsterdam---only Euros or debit cards accepted, not credit cards???

 

That is what I read on the site for the Amsterdam card. Is that true?

 

Also, it seems you no longer get a card ...

 

The idea that debit cards would be accepted but not credit cards isn't outlandish. In the UK, AIUI a merchant taking a debit card is charged a flat fee for the transaction but a percentage fee for a credit card transaction. So there are some places here that take debit cards but not credit cards, and the same may apply in the Netherlands too. But my impression is that credit card acceptance has become more widespread because of the stringent cap that has (in effect) been imposed on the percentage fee that can be charged to a merchant when accepting a credit card transaction, so that taking a credit card has become cheaper than it used to be.

[Cotswold Eagle]

19 minutes ago, Globaliser said:

The OP's first question was definitely about whether a credit card (as opposed to a debit card) would be accepted. There was then ("also") a second question about whether you get a physical card:

My point is that it's not clear whether the first question is about Amsterdam generally (thread title) or purchasing an Amsterdam City Card (indirectly inferred in the first post).... 

 

I suppose it doesn't really matter, as in both cases the statement is demonstrably false, but if the OP could point to what they have read then any confusion could be cleared up more satisfactorily 😀

Edited August 11, 2023 by Cotswold Eagle