US Issued Contactless Card Does Not Work on London Underground
Oct 22, 2016, 2:18 am
#16
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Dec 26, 2016, 4:05 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2010
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I'll add my experience to the record: I've had no troubles using my US-issued Amex Platinum and Gold contactless cards at the TfL gates (used April, September and December 2016).
I was under the belief that only US charge cards (i.e. Platinum, Gold, Green) were offered with contactless chips by Amex. Has that changed?
I was under the belief that only US charge cards (i.e. Platinum, Gold, Green) were offered with contactless chips by Amex. Has that changed?
Jan 2, 2017, 5:44 am
#19
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I have issues using my UK (yes, I know you said US) based AMEX on some machines but it has always worked on the Tube. MC, on the other hand, has never failed anywhere at all.
Jan 2, 2017, 9:58 am
#20
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Jan 2, 2017, 11:31 am
#21
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Feb 7, 2017, 2:38 am
#23
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Feb 14, 2017, 7:57 am
#25
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The symbol is sometimes on the back of the card. (One of my old UK Amex cards had the symbol on the back.)
I believe that Amex US will happily issue a replacement contactless card if you ask.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...ntactless.html
I believe that Amex US will happily issue a replacement contactless card if you ask.
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...ntactless.html
Feb 16, 2017, 1:33 pm
#26
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If your card does not work please take note of the two- or three-digit code displayed on the ticket gate/Oyster touch pad as it helps with diagnosis.
09 = card not read properly (usually you didn't hold it for long enough)
70 = multiple cards read
09 = card not read properly (usually you didn't hold it for long enough)
70 = multiple cards read
Mar 9, 2017, 9:47 am
#27
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Chicago
Posts: 244
I attempted to use my contactless Ventra card last year in London and it wouldn't work. Ventra is the fare card for Chicago Transit, but it's also a contactless Mastercard. I talked to Ventra in advance and they said it would work as long as I loaded money into the MasterCard account on it. Did not work. Ended up buying an Oyster card with the Ventra card. 
Mar 9, 2017, 12:10 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
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Posts: 6,344
I attempted to use my contactless Ventra card last year in London and it wouldn't work. Ventra is the fare card for Chicago Transit, but it's also a contactless Mastercard. I talked to Ventra in advance and they said it would work as long as I loaded money into the MasterCard account on it. Did not work. Ended up buying an Oyster card with the Ventra card.
Did the contactless function work elsewhere in the UK?
Mar 9, 2017, 1:12 pm
#29
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Chicago
Posts: 244
Since then, I've got contactless back on my Amex Platinum. I guess I'll give that a whirl when I'm in London next.
Mar 11, 2017, 1:17 pm
#30
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Visa too. (Long story, but the summary is that Visa doesn't require support for certain features TfL needs if the issuer is US based. This applies regardless of whether it's on a card or a device.)
On the other hand, physical AmEx contactless cards from the US should work but the same card on e.g. Apple Pay will not, for much the same reason as Visa.
On the other hand, physical AmEx contactless cards from the US should work but the same card on e.g. Apple Pay will not, for much the same reason as Visa.