Credit Cards with chips?

None of mine have them; do I need to replace the existing cards to get by in France? AMEX can get me new ones overnight, but I’d have to change every online retailer saving my card (not many, actually, but still a hassle.)

Nope, or at least you didn’t last summer.

Amex is used less commonly though.

Are you driving? Many toll boths in France do not accept magnetic strip cards. If you are only staying in Paris, it should not be a problem to use your existing cards. It may be more of a problem to use Amex at some restaurants and shops. Le Bistroy de Papilles, as I recall, has a blurb on their menu suggesting that you just leave home without it (your Amex card), but it may have been another restaurant.

I changed mine, but we spend 2 months each year in Europe. Citi let me keep the cc number. On the bright side, if you have to change numbers, you may be able to avoid doing so again during your trip, which is a huge pain in the ass. Also on the bright side, since switching to chip cards two years ago, I haven’t had any fraud requiring my cards to be cancelled. Which is some sort of recent record for me…

As of January 1 no U.S bank offers a chip and pin card. There are cards with chips but they are chip and signature. http://creditcardforum.com/blog/chip-and-pin-credit-cards-usa/ Which IMO is really worthless

What you will see everyone using in Europe is chip and PIN. Your regular American cards will work in the majority of the places you go. Some restaurants and merchants aren’t thrilled with them but they will work you will just have to sign. American Express unfortunately is not used much in the smaller places. Where you will miss having a chip and pin card the most is at gas stations and if you buy train tickets out of the automated machines. Your card will most likely not work at these automated machines.

George

I had no problems in Paris last November with a chipless card. But I made sure to have plenty of Euros on hand to be safe. But I’m happy to be getting a card with a chip soon (I applied for the Hyatt card to get the 2 free nights and am happy to see it comes with a chip so I’ll keep it rather than cancelling after returning from my trip).

Well drat. I didn’t realize that.

Why worthless? Chip and sign cards work at the same places where chip and pin cards work, the only exceptions being those places that require a card issued by a French bank (which would require a French card in either event). And the linked blog article is incomplete. I have a chip Citi AAdvantage MasterCard.

That isn’t true. You can’t use a chip and sign card at an automated machine. Also since you still have to sign the receipt when they run it through the handheld machine that everyone uses how is it different than a standard signature card without a chip? Chip and sign will also not work in some Taxis

George

Sorry, but that has not been my experience. For example, I am able to recharge my monthly Navigo transit pass using a chip card while I am not able to use a swipe card in the automated Metro machines. Same with toll booths, and other automated machines that I use (which aren’t that many). I have never had a card declined by a taxi. YMMV.

Granted, for a week in Paris, it shouldn’t make much difference, either way.

I have not used the Navigo system. Maybe this fall when I am there. I am sure there are some differences. by country. Recently in the Geneva trains station and all the machines only took chip and pin which really stunk as I had to stand in a long line to use a chip and signature. Same at the gas stations in Portugal this month. Overall not a huge deal not to have the PIN. I just don’t understand why someone won’t make one they are so convenient and secure.

I agree with your comment that it would be much more convenient and secure. US Banks say that don’t issue them because it would require US merchants to switch their credit card machines in order to accept them, which is nonsense because the US current chip and sign cards also have magnetic strips and, therefore, they could roll out over time. Citi says that they are working on chip and pin cards for customers that travel frequently overseas. We’ll see…

Navigo passes are a great way to go. The photo required is smaller than a passport photo. If you can’t trim a passport photo down to size, almost all attended metro stations now have photo booths that make the correct size pictures. A monthly pass for zones 1-2 costs 65 Euros and zones 1-3 costs 84 Euros. Weekends don’t have zone restrictions. There are weekly passes available, too.

Both BoA and Amex told me that they could issue me a chip (and signature, presumably) card now, and that they would be cross-compatible with all current US reading devices. I plan to pay in advance for the hotel, we don’t plan on major shopping, and we will take plenty of Euro. My only question was about using the ATMs. Sounds like I needn’t worry.

Last sept it was a problem in Paris, Loire Valley, Croatia. Most places couldn’t (wouldn’t?) run my cards. No problem with ATM though.

The only thing I have heard about ATMs is that some don’t like a 5 digit PIIn. Never had an issue but I think I it is mainly Italy bit I have never been so not sure

George

You can get true chip and pin cards from Andrews FCU and the State Department FCU, I believe. Just sign up–no charge–with some do-gooder outfit as part of the application (so much for the “common bond” requirement!).

Your regular ATM card (with a four digit PIN) should work fine.

The FCU card doesn’t seem to be working as chip and pin in Europe.
1 of several negative feedbacks.


From:Lisbon, Portugal
Preferred transaction method:online banking
Andrews member for:Less than 1 year
Age:65 or over
Gender:Male
We got this card because we needed a chip and pin card for travel in Europe. It hasn’t worked as advertised in Portugal and no one has responded to questions in the last week. The card does work as a swipe card, but will not work in automated situations.

Evidently the FCU cards are “signature priority” with PIN as a default, which is causing problems, as George reported. Depressing and irritating.

Couldn’t agree more. It is great very simple technology and for some reason we can’t/won’t do it. If you travel a ton to Europe (I don’t) I have heard there is a way to get one from a European bank if you open an account

George

Was in Paris in April of 2011. I had no problems at any ATM. The only time I had a problem with a chipless card was at the automated machines at the Metro stations.

I had a problem in germany trying to get gas at an unattended gas station. Pretty sure the chip card would have solved the problem. have a few now