Sorry for bumping this old thread, but I got interested in whether MS was possible in mainland Europe at all. It seems that I was right in assuming that it's very difficult to do here, especially in Germany (and Holland being in many cases similar to Germany). However it would also be a whole new unexplored territory, unlike MS ing in the States.
Originally Posted by
46sky
So when traveling around Europe, the consensus is always carry cash? You guys are living in the stone age
In the US, even parking meters and taxis take cc
I
How do you guys book hotels?
Use ÜBER?
Put security deposits on rentals?
Sorry but this is just not a very smart comment on yur side.
- Most countries have systems with which you can pay Contact less with your debit card; amounts up to X euros go straight off your bank account by just swiping (or, some older systems, using the chip that's in your card). This is often used for parking meters, coffee machines etc.
- Taxis are cash only as far as I know. But the taxis are prohibitively expensive here anyway, I think maybe here in Holland you could pay with CC or just book and pay it beforehand. 99% of the population don't take cabs just off the street due to the enormous cost. In Eastern europe it's cash only.
- I think Uber is paid using the app right? If not, cash only.
- Rental cars are the one and only thing that a CC would be viable for. However I have rented cars without a CC: I just needed to pay the deposit with my debit card (couple 100 euro's ) and after retruning the car, in afew days I got the amount deposited back into my bank account.
- Hotels are booked online (there are online payment systems to directly transfer money from your bank account, but Paypal can also be used smoetimes, and of course the CC if you have one) or you would just pay with debit card at the counter, or cash for low-end hotels and hostels (the budget hostels I go to are all cash-only).