use of regular credit cards

Comments

• crackers54

  September 2014

  My credit card company says they have to accept both kinds. Only trouble I have ever had is with the hand held device at restaurant (not all just 1 or 2) and one convience store. Other than no issues.

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• sidecar

  September 2014

  We were on another tour through France and had absolutely no problem using our regular credit card, and we also used it in small local shops as well as the hotels.

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• smarks50

  September 2014

  I was in France and England in June and had no problems using a regular (non-chip) Visa card.

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• KMHynes

  March 2015

  We had absolutely no problems using the card. It is important to let your bank know where you'll be so they don't block the card.

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• Ken from Vegas

  March 2015

  We always use our cards and have only had two times when we couldn't. One was in the Amsterdam train station where the ticket seller wouldn't take a card without a chip (I think she was just ignorant of how to run a card otherwise). The other was in Switzerland, where we couldn't use our card in a ticket vending machine. Most all restaurant and stores in France have machines that take either style card.
  
  By the way, the new American cards with a chip are "chip and signature" rather than "chip and PIN." I wonder if you'll be able to get a PIN for travel or if you'll have trouble with those in Europe where they expect that a card with a chip will have a PIN, too.

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• crackers54

  March 2015

  I just put in for new bank of americard. No foreign transaction fees, it has a chip and they say you just need to tell them it if chip/signature. They website says no pin needed.

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• AlanS

  March 2015 edited March 2015

  Ken from Vegas wrote:

  We always use our cards and have only had two times when we couldn't. One was in the Amsterdam train station where the ticket seller wouldn't take a card without a chip (I think she was just ignorant of how to run a card otherwise). The other was in Switzerland, where we couldn't use our card in a ticket vending machine. Most all restaurant and stores in France have machines that take either style card.
  
  By the way, the new American cards with a chip are "chip and signature" rather than "chip and PIN." I wonder if you'll be able to get a PIN for travel or if you'll have trouble with those in Europe where they expect that a card with a chip will have a PIN, too.

  
  We had no problem, but did get a few annoyed looks when using swipe cards on the England, Scotland, Wales trip in 2013. I got a USAA chip and pin card before we went on the Ultimate Alps (Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein) last spring. We probably could have done without it, but it was a nice convenience and retailers and restaurants really appreciated it. You will need a chip & pin card if you want to use many unattended kiosks like those found in Italy, the London Tube, etc.
  
  Several US banks are indeed issuing true Chip & Pin cards. USAA is one, although there are rumors that when it is time for a replacement it will only be Chip & Signature. Navy Federal Credit Union is slowly rolling out true Chip & Pin cards and I should have mine soon. A number of other US banks/credit card companies are doing the same, but not all. Right now the majority appear to be issuing Chip & Signature cards.
  
  FYI, the default (Pin or Signature) is programmed into the chip (and can't be changed), so I don't know why many US banks have chosen Chip and Signature. It may be an issue with not wanting to alienate retailers. Of course all this new security will not help if your account info was hacked like at Target, and someone uses your card info to order stuff online.

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