Originally Posted by
Mike Jacoubowsky
So I'm still not certain anything of substance, regarding chip & signature in France, has been learned. The SNCF machine with the sign referred to taking "magnetic stripe" cards on "this" machine. There have been a number of posts over the years alluding to that rare machine found in an SNCF station that actually did take a mag strip (no chip) card. Is it now simply the case that they're being identified, or is SNCF installing or modifying machines? And/or were these machines actually requiring a chip but didn't care if chip & signature or pin?
The tollways are the other issue, with French tollways in the south taking any type of card, but not those around Paris.
And lastly, automated gas stations.
Just trying to get the definitive word on whether it makes sense for me to get a chip'd card before my trip to France in July. Guess it can't hurt...
The thing is that most of these machines DO have Magnetic Stripe readers, inside of the chip reader. They just weren't enabled! So to enable the reading of mag stripe cards required no more than a software update to the machine. Same goes for most of the terminals in Europe where you stick the card in at the top with no mag stripe reader on the side. In fact look closely at the diagram showing you how to insert the card, it shows a chip card and it shows a magnetic stripe diagram.
Stupid to leave it disabled I believe, but with C&S and new CVM enforcement requirements, this point is mostly moot.