Chip and PIN in Europe

[MdaPetralia]

But I tried a couple of ATMs and several of them had contactless readers. So when I tapped my Schwab debit ATM card, it came up with a screen to do a withdrawal, without inputting the PIN.

This would concern me as if my debit ATM should get stolen, my bank account could be tapped (up to the daily withdrawal limit) until I got a hold of the bank. I prefer to carry an ATM only card that requires a PIN to withdrawal cash.

 

[Sunset]

This would concern me as if my debit ATM should get stolen, my bank account could be tapped (up to the daily withdrawal limit) until I got a hold of the bank. I prefer to carry an ATM only card that requires a PIN to withdrawal cash.

+1
It's the same with Credit cards that can be tapped, totally by-passes all security.

Of course a debt card is worse, as the money comes out of the account. Fortunately, I only use my Schwab debit card for travel so I put a few thousand in it for a trip in case I need cash.
It's not my main bank account that pays my other bills, and has more $$ in it.

 

[explanade]

This would concern me as if my debit ATM should get stolen, my bank account could be tapped (up to the daily withdrawal limit) until I got a hold of the bank. I prefer to carry an ATM only card that requires a PIN to withdrawal cash.

+1
It's the same with Credit cards that can be tapped, totally by-passes all security.

Of course a debt card is worse, as the money comes out of the account. Fortunately, I only use my Schwab debit card for travel so I put a few thousand in it for a trip in case I need cash.
It's not my main bank account that pays my other bills, and has more $$ in it.

I would guess that contactless has transaction limits.

Before contactless, people in Europe were entering their 4-digit PIN numbers for every transaction, no matter how small the amount.

Now they just tap so their banks are allowing these frictionless transactions so far.

If there's a big security problem they'd have seen it by now. But maybe they still allow it because it leads to more transactions?

I think they use debit cards relative to credit cards compared to Americans too. So yeah if their contactless debit cards were stolen, they could be at greater risk.

 

[audreyh1]

Interesting.

I had an interesting experience with French Rail SNCF 2016. I needed a short local ticket for a day trip. At the office there was a long line at the counter so I decided to try my debit card at their kiosk (which didn’t take US CCs). Anyway, the machine never asked for my PIN but happily sold me the tickets. Almost like contactless - I’m sure there was a limit. These tickets were cheap.

All of my long distance tickets had already been purchased via Trainline.

Banks have recently been sending me contactless debit cards. The banks say PINs are still required at an ATM, but since you don’t insert your card you avoid skimmers. My debit cards were already chipped - needed in some European ATMs.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Just thought I’d chime in from my poolside seat on the Explorer of the Seas cruise ship, currently docked in Koper, Slovenia. During the first week of my European trip, I’ve used Apple Pay (linked to a Capital One QuickSilver credit card) to pay for virtually all daily spending. I brought 200 euros with me and used 65 of that to pay the driver of my airport transfer in Rome. Other than that I pretty much have all my cash left. Apple Pay has worked without fail everywhere I tried it. Of course, the establishment has to accept it, but I’ve used it to pay for my hotel and to buy 1 euro snacks at food stands and everything in between. It’s great not having to pull out the wallet or coins and try to quickly find the right amount (not always easy for someone used to American bills and coins). My phone is almost always already in my hand, so with a button press I’m ready to pay. It’s been great.

 

[audreyh1]

Great! Sounds like you are having a great time too.

If you have an Apple Watch you don’t even have to pull out your phone!

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Great! Sounds like you are having a great time too.

If you have an Apple Watch you don’t even have to pull out your phone!

Good point. I do have the watch. But I forgot it would do that. I think I have it disabled. Maybe in time!

 

[audreyh1]

Good point. I do have the watch. But I forgot it would do that. I think I have it disabled. Maybe in time!

You have to set up the wallet on your watch in the watch app on your phone. It can selectively copy the cards you already have in your phone wallet.

 

[explanade]

The Watch is great for paying toll booths in the France autoroutes.

You just reach out with your left wrist instead of your phone.

 

[brett]

We find that there is a amount limit on tap and go cards. Where we live, and certainly where we have traveled.

It seems to vary by vendor. Some places, like Costco accept tap and go for $200. Some smaller stores seem to limit it to $50.

There have been a few times in restaurants were tap and go was not accepted because of the dollar amount. I had to input my PIN.

We only use tap and go for our credit cards. Our debit cards are chipped but we never use them for tap and go. Or for purchases...unless we have no option.

 

[brett]

We find that there is a amount limit on tap and go cards. Where we live, and certainly where we have traveled. Not certain if it is the vendor or the card issuer that sets those limits.

It seems to vary by vendor. Some places, like Costco accept tap and go for $200. Some smaller stores seem to limit it to $50.

There have been a few times in restaurants were tap and go was not accepted because of the dollar amount. I had to input my PIN.

We only use tap and go for our credit cards. Our debit cards are chipped but we never use them for tap and go. Or for purchases...unless we have no option.

 

[brett]

We find that there is a amount limit on tap and go cards. Where we live, and certainly where we have traveled. Not certain if it is the vendor or the card issuer that sets those limits.

It seems to vary by vendor. Some places, like Costco accept tap and go for $200. Some smaller stores seem to limit it to $50.

There have been a few times in restaurants were tap and go was not accepted because of the dollar amount. I had to input my PIN.

We only use tap and go for our credit cards. Our debit cards are chipped but we never use them for tap and go. Or for purchases...unless we have no other option.

It is unclear to me what the big issue is. We have had chip cards, pins, and tap and go for years. At least 10. Tap and go for at least 5-7 years. Used all three internationally....in some of the most obscure and surprising back of beyond planes.

 

[audreyh1]

The Watch is great for paying toll booths in the France autoroutes.

You just reach out with your left wrist instead of your phone.

Nice!

 

[tulak]

The Watch is great for paying toll booths in the France autoroutes.

You just reach out with your left wrist instead of your phone.

It’s also a great way to pay for public transport in London (UK?). Use your watch when you enter the underground and again when you leave.

In a lot of countries I don’t even get cash. I carry my ATM card, just in case, but make a point to visit places that accept credit cards.

 

[explanade]

It’s also a great way to pay for public transport in London (UK?). Use your watch when you enter the underground and again when you leave.

In a lot of countries I don’t even get cash. I carry my ATM card, just in case, but make a point to visit places that accept credit cards.

Not all transit systems accept Apple or Google Pay.

Instead they have their own contactless card where you have to load credits, sometimes just using cash, no credit cards allowed.

I think the only one where I used Apple Pay was in Sydney.

I didn't use the transit systems in Melbourne or Brisbane because my stays were short and I didn't want to buy one of those cards, especially in Melbourne.

Well the weather wasn't great so I didn't venture too far or often.

 

[explanade]

We find that there is a amount limit on tap and go cards. Where we live, and certainly where we have traveled. Not certain if it is the vendor or the card issuer that sets those limits.

It seems to vary by vendor. Some places, like Costco accept tap and go for $200. Some smaller stores seem to limit it to $50.

There have been a few times in restaurants were tap and go was not accepted because of the dollar amount. I had to input my PIN.

We only use tap and go for our credit cards. Our debit cards are chipped but we never use them for tap and go. Or for purchases...unless we have no other option.

It is unclear to me what the big issue is. We have had chip cards, pins, and tap and go for years. At least 10. Tap and go for at least 5-7 years. Used all three internationally....in some of the most obscure and surprising back of beyond planes.

I haven't encountered a limit yet. I think the most I charged was around 800 Euros once for a hotel bill.

Often, hotels and car rentals want the original card used for the reservation, which means you can't use Apple Pay because when you book, unless the booking site supports Apple Pay, you have to use a real number for the card.

 

[tulak]

Not all transit systems accept Apple or Google Pay.

True, but it does work in London. In other places I’ve had good luck using it at the ticket kiosks before entering the metro.

But it’s always wise to check before arriving to see what will work.

 

[yakers]

Used contactless in Lisbon and Barcelona to load metro cards.

 

[brett]

In London we buy an Oyster card at Heathrow or on the way in from Gatwick. We pick up an Opal card in Sydney.

Then turn the Oyster back for a refund when we leave.

We did the same in Sydney but gave our cards w/unused dollars to a backpacker who was arriving at SYD as we were leaving.

 

[explanade]

In London we buy an Oyster card at Heathrow or on the way in from Gatwick. We pick up an Opal card in Sydney.

Then turn the Oyster back for a refund when we leave.

We did the same in Sydney but gave our cards w/unused dollars to a backpacker who was arriving at SYD as we were leaving.

But you don't get all the money back do you?

I thought it cost a couple of bucks for the cards themselves.

Those two cities will take contactless directly and has a daily limit, like £16 in London.

 

[jollystomper]

We are currently in Paris, using Capital One and Amazon Prime cards for the "no foreign transaction fee" benefits. We have had zero problems at any establishment. Tap the card and have not been prompted for a PIN (everyone has the card tap function, so convenient). The only time we needed a PIN was (as expected) with our debit card to withdraw our Euro cash amount for the trip.

 

[NoiseBoy]

I thought I'd post an update regarding my Barclay's AARP Mastercard after getting home from a 2 week trip to Poland. The short version is that tap-to-pay has pretty much taken over everywhere including at unattended train & metro ticket machines. My AARP Mastercard worked everywhere I tried it, and I almost never needed to sign the receipt. I used my credit union ATM card to get cash twice, but I used a lot less cash than on any previous trip. While I still like having a card that should be "pin priority", it seems as though that's going to be a thing of the past fairly soon. Contactless payments are here.

 

[audreyh1]

I thought I'd post an update regarding my Barclay's AARP Mastercard after getting home from a 2 week trip to Poland. The short version is that tap-to-pay has pretty much taken over everywhere including at unattended train & metro ticket machines. My AARP Mastercard worked everywhere I tried it, and I almost never needed to sign the receipt. I used my credit union ATM card to get cash twice, but I used a lot less cash than on any previous trip. While I still like having a card that should be "pin priority", it seems as though that's going to be a thing of the past fairly soon. Contactless payments are here.

That is terrific news, thanks for the update.

 

[braumeister]

Contactless payments are here.

I've been in Europe for a week, in two different countries (neither of them in the Euro zone) and used Apple Pay on my watch for just about everything. Found two places that only took cash, but they were very small purchases so not an issue. One place apparently didn't do MasterCard, so I just scrolled down to a Visa card and the watch worked perfectly.

Nobody has ever raised an eyebrow when I double-click my watch to pay for something; it's normal now.

 

[Alan]

All the rural buses in England and Scotland use contactless credit cards these days and US cards work just as well as UK ones as our daughter discovered last year and her partner this year. He also used his Apple watch to pay on the bus the other week. He now has his UK “green card” so will be getting a UK bank account and card in due course but meanwhile continued to use his watch with US credit card everywhere he buys stuff.