Originally Posted by
guv1976
I don't know. Some of the posters here have suggested that contactless is required in at least some venues (like some public transit, public toilets). I expect that you can still use your physical card at many "regular" locations.
As a reminder, some credit-card issuers might still require you to notify them of upcoming foreign travel so that they do not automatically reject your foreign charges.
Also, if your card has a chip, make sure that you have a PIN, as some foreign merchants require chip and PIN to complete a transaction.
Very good points. Also make sure that your PIN is only four digits, as systems in many countries will not accept anything more lengthy. I used to have a seven-digit PIN on one of my debit cards and had to change it to a four-digit one in order to use it abroad.