Chip and PIN Credit Cards
Apr 1, 2015, 1:11 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 616
Chip and PIN Credit Cards
I'm travelling to Paris later this year. None of my credit cards or my debit card are chip and pin cards. Should I be trying to get new cards before I go? Versailles and CDG are likely going to be the furthest away from central Paris that I will go.
I had a bad experience with a train ticket machine in Naples a few years ago. None of my cards worked in the machine and I needed to get back to Rome where I was staying. Luckily I had enough cash on hand to buy tickets.
I had a bad experience with a train ticket machine in Naples a few years ago. None of my cards worked in the machine and I needed to get back to Rome where I was staying. Luckily I had enough cash on hand to buy tickets.
Apr 1, 2015, 2:09 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 43
Chip and signature will work fine. I used Chase Sapphire Preferred all over Paris last week and had no issues. My WF Propel Amex is chip and PIN, but most places didn't take Amex, and for those that did, ran it as signature anyway.
In any case there aren't many U.S. chip and PIN cards available. You have time to get a chip card, so I would do so to minimize headaches. I also got a Schwab checking account for free ATM withdrawals.
In any case there aren't many U.S. chip and PIN cards available. You have time to get a chip card, so I would do so to minimize headaches. I also got a Schwab checking account for free ATM withdrawals.
Apr 2, 2015, 12:32 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Posts: 2,731
Since you have time, it's definitely worthwhile to try to upgrade to a chipped card (chip and pin would be great, but as Yossarian said above, chip and signature is more likely). You can check to see if any of the cards you currently have have started issuing chip-and-signature already. If so, you can contact them, explain the situation, and request a replacement. (Although you aren't in a hurry, if you were, some issuers will even graciously overnight one.) Of course, if you are in the market for a new card, you can simply pick a new one that comes chipped--preferably with a huge sign up bonus, of course. 
While magnetic strip cards supposedly still work everywhere, in my experience, they don't. I did fine with chip-and-signature, though.
Another option for free ATM/no foreign transaction fees is Capital One, provided you live in a state without physical branches (you can determine this on their site).
While magnetic strip cards supposedly still work everywhere, in my experience, they don't. I did fine with chip-and-signature, though.
Another option for free ATM/no foreign transaction fees is Capital One, provided you live in a state without physical branches (you can determine this on their site).
Apr 2, 2015, 11:11 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EP 3MM, UA Silver, Bonvoy LT TIT, Hyatt Explorist, HH Silver, Caesars PLT
Posts: 7,259
Don't worry about your debit card. Cash machines work fine with the mag stripe.
Mag stripe cards work fine for most all human-interaction transactions. It sometimes just takes a little prodding to get them to swipe the card. You'll have less luck at any automated kiosks. As noted, chip and signature cards work fine. Try to get one with no foreign currency transaction fees if you can (Capital One, AMEX Platinum, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Marriott Visa, etc.).
If you use a bank ATM in France (Societe Generale, Credit du Nord, LCL, BNP, etc.), they do not charge you a fee; however your bank may. Capital One 360 doesn't charge fees or foreign transaction fees for cash withdrawals. Capital One (regular Capital One, not 360) High Interest Checking accounts don't either.
Mag stripe cards work fine for most all human-interaction transactions. It sometimes just takes a little prodding to get them to swipe the card. You'll have less luck at any automated kiosks. As noted, chip and signature cards work fine. Try to get one with no foreign currency transaction fees if you can (Capital One, AMEX Platinum, Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Marriott Visa, etc.).
If you use a bank ATM in France (Societe Generale, Credit du Nord, LCL, BNP, etc.), they do not charge you a fee; however your bank may. Capital One 360 doesn't charge fees or foreign transaction fees for cash withdrawals. Capital One (regular Capital One, not 360) High Interest Checking accounts don't either.
Apr 2, 2015, 10:08 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: HH Gold, CC Gold
Posts: 292
Add me as another with the Chase Sapphire and Schwab combo (I also have the Cap 1 card too). I was just in Paris this past October and visited Versailles too.
A chip and sig credit card makes things easier for you and the people there. I saw tourists with just the mag strip cards at various places while in Paris. The swipe can ironically take longer as they do really check your signature and some of the locals in line behind you will make big dramatic noises about the wait (heard it while at a Monoprix - that was probably the only rude Parisian I saw everyone else was super nice).
The chip & sig worked great in the metro kiosks in Versailles and the vendors in the Palace grounds. Saw 2 tourists with a mag stripe (old United card) try to use it in the Metro kiosk and it didn't work. Lots of angry people in line since they took a while before giving up to wait in a super long line for the manned window that moved much slower than the long but faster moving self-serve machine lines.
If you use cash, the metro kiosks likes coins. I saw two at 2 different stations that supposedly took paper money, but that part didn't work. The change machine was either out of coins or broken! Most of the stations don't have people in the help windows, just the super touristy ones like Versailles (but they only had one person so super long line).
I did have trouble with 2 BNP ATMs with my Schwab debit. Not sure why as other people used them just before and after me. But big city means there's usually another ATM/bank a block over, which turned out to be a HSBC branch which worked perfectly.
A chip and sig credit card makes things easier for you and the people there. I saw tourists with just the mag strip cards at various places while in Paris. The swipe can ironically take longer as they do really check your signature and some of the locals in line behind you will make big dramatic noises about the wait (heard it while at a Monoprix - that was probably the only rude Parisian I saw everyone else was super nice).
The chip & sig worked great in the metro kiosks in Versailles and the vendors in the Palace grounds. Saw 2 tourists with a mag stripe (old United card) try to use it in the Metro kiosk and it didn't work. Lots of angry people in line since they took a while before giving up to wait in a super long line for the manned window that moved much slower than the long but faster moving self-serve machine lines.
If you use cash, the metro kiosks likes coins. I saw two at 2 different stations that supposedly took paper money, but that part didn't work. The change machine was either out of coins or broken! Most of the stations don't have people in the help windows, just the super touristy ones like Versailles (but they only had one person so super long line).
I did have trouble with 2 BNP ATMs with my Schwab debit. Not sure why as other people used them just before and after me. But big city means there's usually another ATM/bank a block over, which turned out to be a HSBC branch which worked perfectly.