Chip and PIN credit cards for Europe

[audreyh1]

I am currently in Europe (Italy) and traveled through Gernamy, Aurstria and Switzerland using my B of A Travel Rewards with a Chip. All was going well until it got rejected in a train station. Then I tried to use it online for a Air Italia flight again it got rejected. I logged onto my account and they had locked the card until I verified all of my European purchases. I called them before I left on my trip to let them know my travel plans but they still locked it. I used the hotel wifi, logged onto to BofA was able to verify everything online and am up and running again.



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Glad you were able to resolve that online. I didn't have any trouble using that particular card extensively in Europe. But before I left I called to make sure of the travel notify since I had edited it to update a phone number, and it turned out it the travel notification had been rejected and they had to reinstate it.

Everywhere we traveled in Europe - Amsterdam, Bavaria, extensively in Austria, didn't blink an eye at always asking me for the signature on their copy. But they get a huge number of tourists.

 

[sengsational]

Reporting Back from the UK

I was not able to find a chip and pin card for use in the UK, but I got a zero foreign transaction fee card (Barclay Arrival - no chip) to complement my other cards (Discover IT - no FTF, but no chip, and not accepted many places), (Bank of America 'regular' Visa - chip & signature, 3% FTF), (Credit Union Visa - no chip, 1% FTF), (Credit Union ATM card - no CC logo).

I was able to use the "plain American" (no-chip, signature only) cards in the unattended parking machines, but not in the unattended gas stations (said "go to manned kiosk", which was closed at the time). Also the chip & signature card did not work at the gas stations either. So I don't think the chip buys you much with respect to a wider acceptance over there.

I also checked the currency conversion rates. I worried that the 0% FTF Barclay card was going to get poor conversion rates, but they were +/- 1/2 percent off from the daily rates I just looked up. The worst offender was BankOfAmerica, which had (at times) 1.5% in their favor, along with 3% FTF. But the Credit Union Visa also had one instance where the rate was over 1% in their favor on top of 1% FTF. My Credit Union ATM card got 1.3% in their favor at one "bank" (ASDA - division of Walmart), and spot-on at a real bank (Halifax).

At restuarants, everybody had one of those wireless machines they bring to the table. Nobody seemed to mind doing a "swipe" instead of the typical (for over there) "insert the chip card and leave it there" approach. Instead of handing you the machine and letting you enter your pin, the machine just printed out two things...one to sign and give back, and one for you to keep. The machine did include a step where the merchant was supposed to validate the current signature with the back of the card. I'd say they checked about 75% of the time (unlike here, where they never check).

Oh, one more thing that I thought was interesting. I went to a pub and ordered food and a beer at the bar.
Sometimes they take payment right then and there, but at this place, they locked my credit card in a little plastic case and gave me a numbered key. That shows how sensitive they are over there about keeping control of their credit cards (or how loose we are about it). Anyway, that plastic box is what allows one to "keep a tab open" over there, without completely giving up your card. Sorta cool, I thought.

 

[audreyh1]

I never saw anything off on the BofA currency conversions. Just minor rounding errors. You have to be sure to compare against the posting date.

It's worth getting the BofA Travel Rewards VISA - 0% foreign transaction fees and 1.5% rewards.

 

[Sarah in SC]

That pub trick is pretty cool. Compared to the guys here that just have a big stack of them in the back of the bar!


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[Alan]

Thanks for taking the time to give us some detailed feedback on the England trip. I really didn't know how it would is these days since we always use our UK issued CHIP and PIN card when we visit.

 

[explanade]

The chip isn't just about acceptance. It's about security for you. Even if you have to sign for it, it's better if you are able to insert it into the chip reader rather than wipe it along the side.

The Barclay's Arrival Plus Mastercard is chip and PIN and it did work for me at an unmanned gas station kiosk in France back in September. It also has no FTF but it does have an annual fee after the first year. I'm undecided about keeping it and paying the AF.

I mainly got it because there are these offers to give you 40,000 Barclays miles, which you can apply against travel expenses and get statement credit. I had to charge $3000 in 3 months but I think I got about $425 or $450 in statement credits back with those miles.

 

[audreyh1]

I have been in places in Amsterdam where they absolutely will not take cards that require swiping. One of them is the huge central train station.

 

[Chuckanut]

I have been in places in Amsterdam where they absolutely will not take cards that require swiping. One of the is the huge central train station.

Yup! I had to seek out one of the few cash machines to buy my tickets. There I joined a few other Americans in line along with a Spanish fellow.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate our American banks for making me feel like a 2nd class traveler when overseas. It makes me so very happy!!!!!

 

[audreyh1]

Yup! I had to seek out one of the few cash machines to buy my tickets. There I joined a few other Americans in line along with a Spanish fellow.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate our American banks for making me feel like a 2nd class traveler when overseas. It makes me so very happy!!!!!

Amsterdam/Netherlands is particularly inflexible about this. They also have quite a few "cashless" retail stores and restaurants, many automated machines don't take cash, etc. The rest of Europe is still willing to accept cash.

 

[rodi]

Did they take chip and signature in Amsterdam? (I'm heading there this summer.)

 

[explanade]

They did last May.

 

[audreyh1]

Did they take chip and signature in Amsterdam? (I'm heading there this summer.)

Yes, chip and signature works great as long as you don't need to use an automated ticket machine.

 

[audreyh1]

Honestly, I just want to be able to flash an iPhone at a terminal, press the approve button, and have the receipt emailed to me.

 

[Alan]

Honestly, I just want to be able to flash an iPhone at a terminal, press the approve button, and have the receipt emailed to me.

I think you can do that in the red light district of Amsterdam, but the rest of the country has still to catch up.

 

[MichaelB]

I think you can do that in the red light district of Amsterdam, but the rest of the country has still to catch up.

First hand experience? . j/k

Visa just replaced my Fido card, which seems to be happening yearly now, but to my surprise it's a new chip one.

 

[audreyh1]

First hand experience? . j/k

Visa just replaced my Fido card, which seems to be happening yearly now, but to my surprise it's a new chip one.

We got ours too - the Fidelity Amex 2% rewards card. Now with chip!

I called FIA Card Services a week ago when I noticed a new card number on our statement. They told me a merchant notified them of a (large) compromise on Jan 5th and new cards were issued on Jan 7th.

The last time was Nov 2013.

 

[Helen]

Visa just replaced my Fido card, which seems to be happening yearly now, but to my surprise it's a new chip one.

I just replaced my Fido card with a Chase preferred VISA and a PenFed VISA, neither of which have international transaction fees. I went on a trip to New Zealand last year and paid a lot in transaction fees to Fidelity's VISA. Too bad, I liked that card (and the cash back.)

Thank you forum members for helping me find new VISA cards. I love this place!

 

[MRG]

We got ours too - the Fidelity Amex 2% rewards card. Now with chip!

I called FIA Card Services a week ago when I noticed a new card number on our statement. They told me a merchant notified them of a (large) compromise on Jan 5th and new cards were issued on Jan 7th.

The last time was Nov 2013.

That's weird, I have the same card. They've sent 2 sets with chip. The last set (after Home Depot ) no chip. I figured they were making the cards so fast they had to cut corners.

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[audreyh1]

I just replaced my Fido card with a Chase preferred VISA and a PenFed VISA, neither of which have international transaction fees. I went on a trip to New Zealand last year and paid a lot in transaction fees to Fidelity's VISA. Too bad, I liked that card (and the cash back.)

Thank you forum members for helping me find new VISA cards. I love this place!

I love my Fidelity AMEX with 2% cash rewards on everything. We use that card predominantly in the US except when we encounter a merchant that doesn't take American Express. Overseas it basically becomes a 1% rewards card, because they pass through the 1% foreign conversion fee to the customer.

When overseas we use Bank of America Travel Rewards VISA as much as possible: no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and 1.5% rewards. This is our alternate in the US when a merchant doesn't accept AMEX.

Now I need a ATM card that is more friendly for foreign cash withdrawals. I have the PenFed ATM/debit card. Their documentation mentions 1-3% foreign transaction fee, and in prior notes I had written down that it charges 2%. Bank of America is terrible in their ATM fees for foreign transactions - $5 plus 3% foreign transaction fees. Only the $5 is waived at "network" banks (maybe).

 

[Helen]

Now I need a ATM card that is more friendly for foreign cash withdrawals. I have the PenFed ATM/debit card. Their documentation mentions 1-3% foreign transaction fee, and in prior notes I had written down that it charges 2%. Bank of America is terrible in their ATM fees for foreign transactions - $5 plus 3% foreign transaction fees. Only the $5 is waived at "network" banks (maybe).

I've been looking for a good ATM card for overseas use. One of my credit unions has a card with no foreign transaction fee but will charge $2.50 per transaction when the ATM is not one of theirs. Compared to what you posted this doesn't seem too bad.

Whatever ATM card I use, I want to keep a limited amount of cash in the account; maybe $5k - $10k. That way, if there is any fraud involved I will minimize the damage.

 

[audreyh1]

I've been looking for a good ATM card for overseas use. One of my credit unions has a card with no foreign transaction fee but will charge $2.50 per transaction when the ATM is not one of theirs. Compared to what you posted this doesn't seem too bad.

Whatever ATM card I use, I want to keep a limited amount of cash in the account; maybe $5k - $10k. That way, if there is any fraud involved I will minimize the damage.

Yeah the $2.50 fee only overseas wouldn't be bad at all if you withdrew large amounts each time. But you might also get hit with fees from the ATM itself. Unless they also reimburse the other bank fees, your actual hit could be higher.

I'm looking at the Fidelity Cash Management account, which is FDIC insured and handled like a bank account. And it has an ATM card that reimburses all ATM fees and only charges 1% for foreign exchange - which is not bad at all compared to most debit/ATM cards.

If someone has a Charles Schwab brokerage, they can get the best deal - no fees whatsoever including no foreign transaction fee with a banking account. But I'm not willing to open a Schwab brokerage account just to get their banking and wonderful debit card.

 

[Spike Forehand]

We used chip-and-sign Marriott Rewards Visa cards (from Chase) during an EU trip last summer, and didn't have any problems anywhere. That included subway ticket machines in London and Paris, manned train stations in Italy, and manned gas stations in Italy. No foreign trans fees, no annual fee the first year, and 50k marriott points once you spend $3k the first year.

After the first year, it's $85 per year annual fee but you get one free night voucher for a 1-to-4 point category hotel.

The only "gotcha" was - of course - that the voucher had to be used within 6 months I think and it as only good at category 1-to-4 hotels, which are basically like out of the way Courtyards and stuff. We never used the one for the first year before it expired.

I'm gonna keep it for now as I still go to EU for work several times a year, and my company only provides Amex which has poor acceptance in many of the restaurants I eat at.

 

[Bestwifeever]

$1.13 euro to dollar right now. Enjoy that regardless of what card or verification you will be using!

 

[nwsteve]

Now I need a ATM card that is more friendly for foreign cash withdrawals. I have the PenFed ATM/debit card. Their documentation mentions 1-3% foreign transaction fee, and in prior notes I had written down that it charges 2%. Bank of America is terrible in their ATM fees for foreign transactions - $5 plus 3% foreign transaction fees. Only the $5 is waived at "network" banks (maybe).

Audrey
Check out Fido ATM card. No atm fees worldwide, and only 1% exchange conversion fee. It is our go to international card. Never had any problems using anywhere--used in Asia, Turkey, and most of Europe without problems.
Nwsteve

 

[explanade]

How do you use the Bank of America Travel Rewards points? Can you redeem for statement credit? I have the Cash Rewards which allows statement credits with no FTF and AF.

It gives 2X grocery and 3X gas.

I have Schwab and eTrade ATM cards. I've mostly used Trade ATM cards overseas and they put 1% max on all withdrawals overseas.

I'm not motivated enough to transfer money to Schwab, maintaining just a minimal balance there, but maybe I should bother since I think I have ACH transfers set up over there.

I also have an account at Fidelity but never looked into the ATM options there.