Lsbcal
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If an unmanned European machine (like a Dutch train ticket machine) asks for a PIN, have you used a debit card for this? Or perhaps just Euros?
We carry debit cards (chip + PIN) for cash advances from bank ATM's. Normally for things like train tickets we would use a CC (chip + signature), but I've read that sometimes one encounters a machine that demands a PIN.
This is from the Rick Steves site:
We carry debit cards (chip + PIN) for cash advances from bank ATM's. Normally for things like train tickets we would use a CC (chip + signature), but I've read that sometimes one encounters a machine that demands a PIN.
This is from the Rick Steves site:
Sorry if this was discussed before, I cannot find that thread.Some payment machines may prompt you to enter your PIN. Because you might run into this, it's important to contact your bank well before your trip to request your card's PIN (if your bank says the PIN is only for cash withdrawals, ask for it anyway). Be sure to allow time to receive your PIN by mail.
Even armed with an chip card and a PIN, you may still hit some bumps in the road. US chip-and-signature cards are not configured for offline transactions (in which the card is securely validated without a real-time connection to the bank). This is a common hassle at unmanned payment terminals, such as Dutch train ticket machines, French toll plazas, and out-of-the-way Swiss gas stations.
If a self-service payment machine won't accept your card, look for a cashier nearby who can process your card manually. (For this reason, it's a good idea to allow a little extra time at train stations and the like, as staffed service windows almost always have longer lines than ticket machines.) Since most payment machines take cash, it's also smart to keep spare change handy in case there's no cashier nearby (for highway toll booths, parking garages, luggage lockers, bike-rental kiosks, etc.).
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