Euro

[Paulchili]

...we only use the British Air card abroad and love their free business class flights.:)

 

I bet you don't love their YQs :)

[ksps cruise fan]

You really do NOT need a chip card in Europe for anything but ticket machines. How often are going to use those? If you need to buy a subway/short train ticket, you can easily pay with cash.

Use the card that gives you most back in return (miles/points) or saves you most in fees - JMO

 

Try to imagine every American tourist who does not have a chip card lined up to buy a ticket from a live human at Termini. Actually, I'll help you get the picture. The line fills a snake that produces waits approaching 90+ minutes.

 

On our recent trip to Croatia and Italy, we needed a chip card for one transaction only: purchasing our train tickets for a day trip from Rome (Termini) to Orvieto.

 

Before the trip, my husband had spent hours tracking down a chip and PIN credit card. Until we arrived at Termini, you're quite right that we wouldn't have needed this. Three weeks into our trip, not a single clerk or waiter had had any trouble scanning our card the "American" way. Even when we asked the clerks to use European technology, they would not do so. Our card has the chip hidden inside the plastic layers. (In contrast, European chips are visible on the surface.) As a result, no clerk/waiter believed that we had a workable chip & PIN card.

 

That meant we approached the ticket machine in Termini with fear and hope. The alternative of waiting in line was just too depressing to consider. To our great joy, the ticket machine scanned our card, and, asked for our PIN. I punched in our code. Within seconds, we could hear the reassuring sound of a ticket being generated.

 

Now, I supposed my husband spend as much time tracking down a chip and PIN card as we would have spent standing in line, but this was a much more satisfactory outcome.

[spindrift]

Gee, what card gets you free British Air BC? We love British Air, but don't know about a card for BC. Hmmm Hint Hint please. ;)

[spindrift]

WOW, I didn't mean to create comments about the Euro for people to throw out insults. I just happen to have a brother who lives in Europe and I have heard comments and advice from several acquaintenances who have made known their feelings about the Euro and American dollar plus my investments.

 

I thought CC was a forum to discuss such matters. I guess since I am not a "travel agent," I am in the minority and need to keep my comments to myself.

 

I also was recently in Europe, and I enjoyed the discussions with their residents about this matter. I always carry the appropriate currency for the exchange of the country I am visiting. I DO NOT think that everyone should use the US $$. Some people "assume" what I meant and not what i was making a comment about.

[orchestrapal]

Gee, what card gets you free British Air BC? We love British Air, but don't know about a card for BC. Hmmm Hint Hint please. ;)

 

Check the BA site for their Visa card. We travel to London every year with points for one ticket and a free companion ticket for the other.

They also have lower millage requirements than US airlines and it's much easier to get seats.

 

You do not need a Chip and PIN card only a Chip card, they then ask you to sign a slip which is not necessary with the PIN.

[Paulchili]

Gee, what card gets you free British Air BC? We love British Air, but don't know about a card for BC. Hmmm Hint Hint please. ;)

 

Also,in addition to above, read about it here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/1335226-100-000-ba-avios-chase-card-150-fee.html

Beware of YQs (fuel surcharges) on BA awards and study their redemption chart before plunging ahead. :)

[Paulchili]

Actually, I'll help you get the picture. The line fills a snake that produces waits approaching 90+ minutes.

 

On our recent trip to Croatia and Italy, we needed a chip card for one transaction only: purchasing our train tickets for a day trip from Rome (Termini) to Orvieto.

 

 

Do you happen to know/remember if that ticket machine also had a cash option for buying tickets (in addition to CC)?

[ksps cruise fan]

Do you happen to know/remember if that ticket machine also had a cash option for buying tickets (in addition to CC)?

 

Sorry. I don't know.

[lshpak]

I will be Rome for 2 days post cruise, do you think I can get Christian Louboutin shoes for a better price than in New York?

[ksps cruise fan]

I will be Rome for 2 days post cruise, do you think I can get Christian Louboutin shoes for a better price than in New York?

 

 

This isn't quite the answer to your question, but is useful information for all shoppers. I was shocked by the small number of duty free stores in the international terminal at Rome (FCO). In the hub of stores near our gate, I saw Prada, Tod, Gucci, Hermes, Furla, and Bulgari boutiques. (There was also a branch of the chain that stocks duty free shops with liquor, cosmetics, etc.) Perhaps there are other central hubs for other clusters of gates where you'll find boutiques featuring other brands, but I thought FCO was underwhelming compared to London or Paris, for example.

 

There definitely was no duty free Christian Louboutin boutique in our hub.

[Hambagahle]

This business of "let's use the US dolalr" is typical of first time American tourists to Europe and so perhaps I can explain why it is not appreciated by the locals (being a local myself, albeit a swiss one!!)

 

Suppose someone gives me $5.00 as a tip, or a taxi fare, or for something I am selling at the market. I then have to change it into my local currency, be that Euros, Pounds, krone or Swiss francs. To change a small amount I need to either use a Bureau de Change, or a bank. And these places will give me a terrible rate and often charge me a commission on top of that so that the $5.00 I change might be worth the equivalent of $4.00 in my currency. Clearly this is not particularly attractive for a vendor!!

 

So please be fair. use an ATM and get the local currency (thereby paying a better rate that you would get from a US bank!) and then use that to pay bills, tips etc etc...

[Benita]

Benita-The Chase British Air card has a chip, and no transaction fees. I think Amex has one coming with a chip, also.

 

I just researched the card, but it seems to be a chip and signature card, not a chip and pin card. The PIN issued is just to get cash from an ATM, not to make purchases, which would render it useless in the ticket machines. Has anybody heard differently? None of their sites list a phone number to call and the general credit card people there do not know.

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

Surely if a US card is chip & PIN, then the PIN will work for both ATMs and for purchases????:confused:

 

That's how it works on this side of the pond in any case.....

 

I've had bank accounts in both the UK & France (France has been c & p since the late 80s & the UK for the last decade) & chip & PIN has cut down on fraud & account errors massively.

 

One thing we don't allow here on non chip cards are unsigned signature strips.....it's decreased a little over the last 2-3 years, but I still get many American customers who present unsigned credit cards, and I am required by the banks to refuse them unless the card signature strip is signed there & then with the customers passport presented as proof of ID.

[Benita]

If the card is chip and pin, it can be used for cash and purchases. If it is a chip and signature card, it requires a signature and can be assigned a pin for AtM withdrawals. I learned the difference when I had a Travelex chip card made up last year. I could use it for purchases and to pull cash out of an ATM, but it was useless in the London metro. I think their newer cards allow the pin to be used for these type of transactions now.

[Paulchili]

This business of "let's use the US dolalr" is typical of first time American tourists to Europe and so perhaps I can explain why it is not appreciated by the locals (being a local myself, albeit a swiss one!!)

 

Suppose someone gives me $5.00 as a tip, or a taxi fare, or for something I am selling at the market. I then have to change it into my local currency, be that Euros, Pounds, krone or Swiss francs. To change a small amount I need to either use a Bureau de Change, or a bank. And these places will give me a terrible rate and often charge me a commission on top of that so that the $5.00 I change might be worth the equivalent of $4.00 in my currency. Clearly this is not particularly attractive for a vendor!!

 

So please be fair. use an ATM and get the local currency (thereby paying a better rate that you would get from a US bank!) and then use that to pay bills, tips etc etc...

 

I agree with you in general - particularly in the Euro-zone.

However, there are circumstances where the US$ may be preferred by the vendor/guide. For example in Ukraine (and other such places), a guide might prefer US$ for his/her visit to USA or Vietnam (or other countries that accept US$ but not Hrivas).

It all depends on the circumstance and location; one can always ask the guide/vendor about their preference and oblige them.

[globevest]

Paulchili,

I agree with you. In many countries I have visited I have been asked for US$ rather than the local currency, particularly for cash tranasactions, taxi fares, tips etc. A couple of years ago, in Kenya, for the purchase of a piece of jewelry I offered local currency and was asked if I had US$. I did not have sufficient and the jewelry shop manager took a US bank $ check, at a very good exchange rate (after seeing my passport)......I was quite surprised.

[ClaudiaF]

I will be Rome for 2 days post cruise, do you think I can get Christian Louboutin shoes for a better price than in New York?

 

probably the same price

[sfgent]

we will be joining you and would love to chat before departure lubelira at aol.com

[Benita]

I finished all my research about the chip and pin card with the help of this link -https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ani-u3tGk5hedGRvcE1ELVg5UmlGZk01SHZvTUMxdUE#gid=0

The Andrews Federal Credit Union actually has a Visa that has the magnetic strip as well as the Chip and Signature and Chip and Pin technology. It has a 1% foreign transaction fee or you can have a card with no transaction fee that costs $50 a year. I opted for the former, as I will only use it overseas in places that will not take my Capital One Card. You need to be a member of certain associations - there is a link to the American Consumer Council, which is one of their affiliated associations. Membership to that Council is free.

The State Department FCU card has no foreign transaction fee, but reams of paperwork to apply, so I opted for the Andrews card.