Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
• Ask for the specifics on transaction fees. When you use your credit or debit
card—either for purchases or ATM withdrawals—you'll typically be charged additional
“international transaction” fees of up to 3 percent (1 percent is normal) plus $5 per trans-
action. If your card's fees seem high, consider getting a different card just for your trip:
Capital One ( www.capitalone.com ) and most credit unions have low to no international
fees.
• If you plan to withdraw cash from ATMs, confirm your daily withdrawal limit,
and if necessary, ask your bank to adjust it. Some travelers prefer a high limit that allows
them to take out more cash at each ATM stop (saving on bank fees), while others prefer
to set a lower limit in case their card is stolen. Note that foreign banks also set maximum
withdrawal amounts for their ATMs. Also, remember that you're withdrawing euros, not
dollars—so if your daily limit is $300, withdraw just €200. Many frustrated travelers have
walked away from ATMs thinking their cards were rejected, when actually they were ask-
ing for more cash in euros than their daily limit allowed.
• Get your bank's emergency phone number in the US (but not its 800 number,
which isn't accessible from overseas) to call collect if you have a problem.
• Ask for your credit card's PIN in case you need to make an emergency cash with-
drawal or encounter Europe's “chip-and-PIN” system; the bank won't tell you your PIN
over the phone, so allow time for it to be mailed to you.
Chip and PIN: Europeans are increasingly using chip-and-PIN cards, which are
embedded with an electronic security chip (rather than the magnetic stripe found on
American-style cards). With this system, the purchaser punches in a PIN rather than sign-
ing a receipt. Your American-style card might not work at automated payment machines,
such as those at train and subway stations, toll roads, parking garages, luggage lockers,
and self-serve pumps at gas stations. If your card isn't accepted, don't panic. For tips, see
“Making Your Card Work.”
Many travelers who use only magnetic-stripe cards never have a problem getting
cash. Still, it pays to carry plenty of euros in €10 to €20 bills (you can always use an ATM
to withdraw cash with your magnetic-stripe debit card).
Making Your Card Work
If you're using an American credit or debit card at a chip-and-PIN machine, there's
no predicting whether—or how—your card might work. To be prepared, learn the
PIN for your credit card (it's not the same as your debit-card PIN); get it from your
bank before you leave on your trip, and memorize it.
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