windhund

I went to Amsterdam late last year and wanted to share my experience trying to use American credit cards there.

Generally, I found that chip and signature cards worked everywhere I went. From what I could tell, merchants no longer swipe cards -- so if you don't have a chip, they won't take it. Many had put tape or otherwise blocked the stripe-reading part of their credit card machines, if their machines still had it.

A couple notable exceptions:
- Train ticket machines in Schiphol -- these require a chip & PIN card. You'll get an error if you try to use a chip & signature card. You can use cash if you have it, but otherwise you have to go to a clerk to buy tickets. A chip & signature card worked there.

- One restaurant I went to had a newer machine, and when I used my chip & signature card, it prompted me for a PIN. The staff explained that this was a newer machine and would expect a PIN if you put a credit card with a chip in it. I didn't have this issue elsewhere, but as these machines become more common, this will be an inconvenience to those of us who can't get a chip & PIN card.

mfkne

"Cash" for the ticket machines at Schiphol means "coins", for those not in the know. These machines only take VISA and MasterCard.

stimpy

Not true. They also take Maestro which is probably the most common. And I think they take several other types.

RTW1

This is only part of the story. Many of the smaller merchants simply don't accept credit cards because there is little demand (Amsterdam is a bit better in this regard than smaller cities) and fees are high. What you saw was mostly machines that are used for debit cards where the swipe option is blocked, because all Dutch debit cards have become chip only (at least magstripe transactions are blocked).

Merchants that accept credit cards, like hotels, gas stations, etc. do have terminals that can still accept swipe transactions. But since the first option most european cards demand is chip some might default to ask you for that option. Employees might nog even know that the swipe option still works :-).

mfkne

Correct, but of the category "credit cards" it's only Visa and MasterCard.

Myyra

A good portion of the Netherlands operates with Maestro debit card (pinpas) only. Not sure if only domestic ones, or if foreign Maestro works too. Not only are credit cards often not accepted, they won't even take other types of debit cards like Visa.

stimpy

Yes Maestro is international. I can even use my Dutch card in countries such as France and Spain.

Myyra

No argument there. What I was wondering is if foreign issued Maestro cards work in the Netherlands in Albert Heijn or the train ticket machine.

stimpy

Yes. Maestro is Maestro. It is a multinational network. I've heard of some rare issues at certain POS terminals, but generally it works fine.