Lack of PIN-enabled Chase CHIP card impacts acceptance in Italy?
Mar 19, 18, 12:18 am
#61
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Originally Posted by tmiw
What I meant was that the mobile wallets don't make it so that a merchant can accept a card type that they don't already accept. That is, they're not suddenly going to allow AmEx when tapping if they already don't allow it for the physical cards (as an example).
In general, however, if tap is enabled, mobile wallets will work too.
In general, however, if tap is enabled, mobile wallets will work too.
Mar 19, 18, 9:30 am
#62
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Originally Posted by joshwex90
But that's the case always - I'm only speaking about where my CC would in theory work but won't because of PIN but where the merchant does support contactless payments. In the US, I know stores that don't take Amex but support contactless. When I use Google Pay, it won't work if I use my Amex either
Mar 19, 18, 2:41 pm
#63
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Originally Posted by alggag
I wish Chase would include PIN support on the "premium" travel orientated cards such as the CSP and CSR since people using these cards are more likely to actually care about it.
Originally Posted by der_saeufer
SDFCU is good, as is First Tech on the West Coast, whose credit and debit cards are always chip-and-PIN. ... everyone who travels should have a credit card from SDFCU, First Tech, or Andrews.
Is a chip-and-pin card essential? No, of course not. But it's saved me a lot of time and even some money - for instance, at a museum in Sweden that was swarming with Americans who had to stand in line to buy tickets, whereas I could waltz up to the zillions of free kiosks and buy my ticket in seconds. Or in Amsterdam, where if you buy your tram ticket from an agent, they charge you extra, but not if you buy from a kiosk (PIN only). Or in train stations in Italy (and just about everywhere else), where the only people standing in line to talk to an agent have a complex itinerary or some other issue to discuss, so by the time you get to the front to use your signature card, your train has come and gone without you as you gaze enviously at the row of empty automats that don't accept your credit card. Etc etc etc.
Originally Posted by der_saeufer
everyone who travels should have a credit card from SDFCU, First Tech, or Andrews.
Last edited by snic; Mar 19, 18 at 2:47 pm
Mar 19, 18, 3:10 pm
#64
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Originally Posted by snic
Is a chip-and-pin card essential? No, of course not. But it's saved me a lot of time and even some money - for instance, at a museum in Sweden that was swarming with Americans who had to stand in line to buy tickets, whereas I could waltz up to the zillions of free kiosks and buy my ticket in seconds. Or in Amsterdam, where if you buy your tram ticket from an agent, they charge you extra, but not if you buy from a kiosk (PIN only). Or in train stations in Italy (and just about everywhere else), where the only people standing in line to talk to an agent have a complex itinerary or some other issue to discuss, so by the time you get to the front to use your signature card, your train has come and gone without you as you gaze enviously at the row of empty automats that don't accept your credit card. Etc etc etc.
Definitely. It's not essential but it sure makes life easier being able to pay directly at the pump, or using one of many open kiosks instead of standing in a long slow line, or not having to deal with bills and coins, so forth and so on. Every time we go to Europe I run into this situation at least once or twice during the trip.
Mar 19, 18, 3:19 pm
#65
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Originally Posted by snic
If I weren't so points-inclined I'd even get rid of all my other credit cards. It's unfortunate that competition from these small issuers isn't significant enough to motivate the big US banks to start offering real chip-and-pin.
Frankly, a lot of this could have been avoided if the networks actually took a stance on how cards should be authenticated--even if that stance ends up being "PIN will not be supported in the US and thus terminals are prohibited from supporting it for transactions over our networks". (This wouldn't preclude cards from supporting PIN; it just wouldn't be asked for domestically.)
Nov 5, 18, 2:58 pm
#66
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Sorry if this is a newbie question, but we'll be in Italy next week and plan to use our CSR metal card there as much as possible. (restaurants, train ticket kiosks, etc) Been reading this thread to see if we will have any problems. I don't understand what is PIN-enabled? The card has a chip, and I'm never ever asked for a PIN here in U.S.. If I did set up a PIN when I first got the card, I have since forgotten it.
Nov 5, 18, 3:28 pm
#68
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Originally Posted by joshwex90
CSR is not PIN-enabled. Regardless, you should be fine in Italy
Nov 8, 18, 11:28 am
#71
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Originally Posted by cheaptom
... we'll be in Italy next week and plan to use our CSR metal card there as much as possible. (restaurants, train ticket kiosks, ...
The CSR worked in every restaurant, but for over-the-counter type places I sometimes just used the chip-and-pin because it's almost always faster in Europe.
I strongly recommend that anyone who travels in Europe should get themselves a chip-and-PIN card. There aren't many US-based issuers, but the First Tech card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.
Nov 8, 18, 12:41 pm
#72
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Originally Posted by snic
I tried to use my CSR at train station kiosks in Bologna and a small town in Tuscany last year. It didn't work. The chip-and-pin enabled card I have from First Tech worked like a charm.
The CSR worked in every restaurant, but for over-the-counter type places I sometimes just used the chip-and-pin because it's almost always faster in Europe.
I strongly recommend that anyone who travels in Europe should get themselves a chip-and-PIN card. There aren't many US-based issuers, but the First Tech card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.
The CSR worked in every restaurant, but for over-the-counter type places I sometimes just used the chip-and-pin because it's almost always faster in Europe.
I strongly recommend that anyone who travels in Europe should get themselves a chip-and-PIN card. There aren't many US-based issuers, but the First Tech card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.
Also, while PIN preferring is nice, a card with backup PIN (e.g. anything from Barclays) will solve the unattended terminal issue too. And contactless-- either via Apple/Google Pay or Chase's upcoming cards--will help with not needing signatures as well.
Nov 8, 18, 6:02 pm
#73
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We were just in Berlin, Dresden and Prague and when we had to use a kiosk for train fares using Sapphire Preferred, we entered 0000 when a pin was asked for. It worked perfectly! I suspect it will be the same elsewhere.
Nov 10, 18, 3:17 pm
#74
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Originally Posted by snic
I tried to use my CSR at train station kiosks in Bologna and a small town in Tuscany last year. It didn't work. The chip-and-pin enabled card I have from First Tech worked like a charm.
The CSR worked in every restaurant, but for over-the-counter type places I sometimes just used the chip-and-pin because it's almost always faster in Europe.
I strongly recommend that anyone who travels in Europe should get themselves a chip-and-PIN card. There aren't many US-based issuers, but the First Tech card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.
The CSR worked in every restaurant, but for over-the-counter type places I sometimes just used the chip-and-pin because it's almost always faster in Europe.
I strongly recommend that anyone who travels in Europe should get themselves a chip-and-PIN card. There aren't many US-based issuers, but the First Tech card has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.
