All. Normally, my CC and DC work everywhere, with no dramas, even in the worlds smallest hotel next to the supplier i visit in the depths of southern Germany. However, the petrol station right next to Nuremberg airport doesn’t take ‘normal’ debit or credit cards. Neither did a dentist in the town we were staying in when a colleague needed emergency treatment. My German colleagues tell me this is quite normal outside of cities. I think they didn’t like debit cards which are guaranteed by a credit card company. They only take cards similar to the switch cards (remember those) we used to have over here.
So, anyone know if you can get a ‘works anywhere in Germany’ card because i was toying with the idea of doing some touring sometime about and i don’t like the idea of having to take too much cash with me.

out of interest, is the situation similar in France? I would assume the big petrol stations on motorways would be fine, just the little ones. Then again you would think the nearest petrol station to an international airport would bother to get it sorted.

My visa debit seems to work everywhere in France although tbh I usually use my Amex (where accepted)

20 years ago when inter-railing I got a “special” debit card from my bank that was more widely accepted for places that didnt like Visa or Mastercard (particularly eastern european countries outside the EU). Cant for the life of me remember the name though. Ive never had a problem with Visa or Mastercard in France though.

EDIT: here we are, found it, an EC card, is more readily accepted in Germany.

Dunno about Germany, but my Euro FairFX card got me all round France without issue.

Any debit card “ought” to work.
Credit Cards are the ones that Germany was basically allergic to, even with accounts paid off in full by direct debit.

VPay works everywhere, which afaik is chip-only non-magstripe (although I did have some minor issues in Switzerland when they first came out).

Only place I’ve had issues in recent years in EU was in Belgium, where the pay-at-pump machines only accept local debit cards, and neither my Dutch nor German cards worked. Had to resort to the €50 pre-pay machine.

yep, EC card, it’s a German thing. More widely accepted there than credit cards.
I think some UK debit cards carry the EC symbol and would be accepted.

“I think some UK debit cards used to carry the EC symbol and would be accepted.”

not sure that any do now – useful to know

Yep, we had the same problem recently. We drove from Dusseldorf to see some friends in Germany and wanted to buy a present on the way. Two garden centres and one supermarket later we couldn’t buy a thing. UK and Swiss debit cards, UK and Swiss credit cards all rejected and no cashpoints in sight…
It was basically EC or nothing… 🙁

I’ve never had a problem in France…

I usually use my Amex (where accepted)

Wouldn’t that be, like, nowhere?

i opened a revolut account when they were recommended on here a good few months ago. never got round to using it yet but may give it a try this year. think you just load it with either sterling, euros or dollars maybe, with no fees to spend abroad.

(wouldnt mind hearing whether these are working as well as they were expected to?)

I’ve been using my Revolut card for nearly a year now in about 9 countries.

The only issue has been at petrol stations where it’s machine only and they don’t take pre paid cards (which is what they are effectively). I’ve just loaded in GBP everywhere and let it auto change which definitely saves me money.

Highly recommend them. App and customer service is good too.

I found visa cards to be best around the world

I found my UK issue Visa & MasterCard wouldn’t work on the pay-at-pump machines at petrol stations in Canada but worked perfectly well when I went into the kiosk or at ATMs. That was 2009 though, things may have changed since then

If, as Andy says, Germany is very anti- credit card it could explain the problem. There’s been a wholesale switch to Visa for debit card services in the U.K. And I guess the use their existing credit card network, I don’t EPOS systems can tell the difference.

Spent a week in Bavaria in 2008 my Switch card no problem at all. I’ve used my Visa Debit in France and Switzerland no problem at all.

I’ve been using my Revolut card for nearly a year now in about 9 countries.

The only issue has been at petrol stations where it’s machine only and they don’t take pre paid cards (which is what they are effectively). I’ve just loaded in GBP everywhere and let it auto change which definitely saves me money.

Highly recommend them. App and customer service is good too.
just got round to sorting mine now for next week in greece. we’ve bought a load of euros too, but can i just check the protocol for using the card please?
say i was to put £200 of euros onto the card. i assume they would go onto the card at whatever the days rate is, no fees or owt? i could then present it at tavernas/cafes/restaurants/shops that accept a pre-paid card, and if a meal cost 50 euros, im left with 150 euros on the card, that right? no fees of any sort?
just out of interest….. if i didnt have euros on the card, just £, and the shop took sterling, then i could also pay with £s, but the shop would charge more to cover their conversion costs, that right?
also out of interest (just trying to get my head around how this works), say i only had sterling on there as per last example, could i get round local charges by converting £ to euro within the cards app? with no fees again? (if the app ‘autochanges’ then whats the point of actually deciding whether to put £, euro or $ on it, it wouldnt matter?)

jus wonderin how best to use it and what money to put on it really…..

cheers