ente_09

I am hearing rumors that possibly all ATM machines in France now require a chip card . My bank does not yet have such cards and this will be problematic on a trip in 2 weeks.

Any info on this?

Mountain Trader

Rumours are wrong.

Tamino

For ATM use, whatever card type you now have should work anywhere.

You could be thinking about credit card use where not having a chip could be problematic.

Mountain Trader

But is not problematic in the vast majority of cases.

Landing Gear

[Mods, I hope it is permitted to put this question in this older thread rather than start a new one. Of course, you can extract it if you wish.]

What is the current state of acceptance of American Express as well as Visa and MC in France particularly in the following types of uses of credit cards in France:

1. SNCF ticket machines
2. Metro ticket machines
3. Small businesses, e.g. tabacs
4. Vending machines
5. Taxis
6. ATMs.

In the past, I had problems with all of these but it has been a few years. My US bank tells me there are no issues but I have some doubts since American cards are not true Chip and PIN ones.

Tamino

As someone who uses a US credit card in France on almost a daily basis, I can assure you that your bank is wrong. There are many issues.

Firstly, ATM cards are a separate issue. You must always use a PIN, chip or not.

Secondly, American Express is generally an option at hotels and restaurants in Paris. Signing completes all transactions. Outside of Paris, AmEx is not as widely accepted.

Thirdly, taxis must accept credit cards. However, ask the driver about credit card purchases before you jump in a cab. Equipment failure remains an occasional concern.

Fourthly, as most US bank issued cards are chip & signature, they are accepted at manned sales locations. It is at unmanned points of sale where things become complicated and everything depends upon the card issuing bank and the rules they adopt for their cards.

Transactions below the CVM limit - cards with a threshold on unverified transactions are typically accepted at kiosks and unmanned points of sale as long as the transaction is below a small, predetermined limit. These limits vary but are probably somewhere around $50. Thus, a user with a chip & signature card can typically use a kiosk to load a weekly Navigo fare at 22.80€. PIN use is not required.

Transactions above the CVM limit - banks can issue chip & signature cards with functional PINs. The PIN is only used at unmanned points of sale at transaction values above the CVM limit. For example, the same Navigo user who can purchase a weekly fare at 22.80€ at a kiosk, may not be able to purchase a monthly zone 1-5 fare at 75.20€ from the same machine without using the PIN. If his bank does not issue functional PINs with their credit cards, the user has no way of making a kiosk purchase above the CVM limit.

This also comes into play at pay-at-the-pump refueling stations. If your card has a functioning PIN, you can purchase gas almost anywhere, anytime. Without a functioning PIN, you can only purchase gas at stations where an on duty attendant is present.

Lastly, you don't ask about on line transactions, but they have become increasingly problematic using US issued cards on French websites.

Your banker needs to make a trip out of the US to update his understanding, and the problems, of US credit card use.

mlin32

I also am an expat that still uses US credit cards including an AMEX.

Really, like mentioned above, Amex is not widely accepted outside major department stores/chain hotels or in the Paris area. Stick with MC or Visa. I think even Auchan, a major retailer nationwide, doesn't accept Amex.

I've done a 65 € Amex transaction at a SNCF kiosk, no issue.

Public transports will vary. The Navigo/métro Paris is less of an issue but even then I am not sure Amex is taken there. But the trams and bus kiosks (unmanned) at other smaller cities may have an issue if the card does not have an offline PIN.

ATM will be a problem without a PIN.

Landing Gear

Thanks to you and Tamino for your boots on the ground experience and everyone else for their help. I did not use an ATM at all while in Paris. I had brought a few (under 300) Euros with me and that was more than enough. My travel partner used one from BNP and it worked fine.

While in the Metro I tried to use a vending machine to buy a bottle of water. The only cards acceptable were the RFID-enabled ones. The only such card I had was my AMEX and it was refused (some message about not possible to gérer the card). I did not see any way to swipe or insert a card.

GUWonder

My attempts to use electronic kiosks to buy Metro tickets with my chip US Amex (chip but not chip+PIN) in Paris were met by failure, but the same Amex cards work fine to buy Metro tickets/passes at staffed counters at CDG, on a level down below the Sheraton CDG that sell a variety of tickets/passes.

ajGoes

My chip & signature Chase Explorer Mastercard worked last summer in the SNCF kiosks — but only after displaying a screen that said a PIN was required. That screen displayed for enough time that at least once I pulled the card out to try again. When I left it in long enough — maybe ten or fifteen seconds — that screen disappeared and the charge was processed.

GUWonder

Chase VISAs seem to work in them too IME. It may be a function of the amount of the charge, but there were circumstances where the Chase VISA worked while the Amex didn't.

stockmanjr

Can I pay via NFC on RATP/SNCF?
Cheers
Howie

DCJoe1

No, there is no contactless payment system in Paris other than the Navigo cards.

stockmanjr

Figured I would ask!
Cheers
Howie

Landing Gear

The veg vending machines on the Metro platforms are contactless payment. They refused my AMEX.