IBJoel

I did exactly this earlier this year (plus some GBP for the UK) and had zero issues. Euros and a Visa debit only. Worst I had was an added 3% or so charge for the card. I was in Ireland, UK, France, Germany, Czechia, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Solo backpacking.

lhrsfo

Apart from deposit type transactions (rental car, hotels), there is no effective difference in Europe between a debit card and a credit card. The debit card should be either Visa or Mastercard branded and you are good to go.

Stored value cards like Revolut are treated as debit cards, and a Revolut would probably be the way to go as it is significantly cheaper to use than the more traditional types and needn't require the OP's mother to use the associated app.

mctaste

technophobic but has a smartphone, but wont carry a piece of plastic. makes no sense!

TravelerMSY

She should try to get one. Even a garbage credit card with lowish limits is better than nothing. As a backup...

Debit products are inferior in almost every respect, other than the fact that they’re easy to get.

Keep in mind, I’m suggesting credit as a backup payment system for a big emergency. If she’s got 20k funding the debit card, then she’s good to go.

FriscoHeavy

Cash and debit when I travel internationally. A debit cards spends the exact same way as a credit card, but with actual money that you have.

Restaurants, hotels, subway/train kiosks, etc all work perfectly with a debit card (that has a PIN).

You don’t need a credit card - it’s a complete myth.

mctaste

other than if your debit card and pin get skimmed, your account can be drained...

arttravel

I was traveling in Europe when I found out my debit card was skimmed. I used the card only to take cash out of ATMs. The skimming had occurred in my home town and at a bank branch (so the bank told me when I returned -- I was one of many). My debit/ATM card was suspended while traveling. I was allowed to make one lest withdrawal from an ATM while I had the bank on the telephone -- they momentarily unblocked my card. My credit cards still worked but there were some transactions that I needed cash for and did not want to deal with cash advance fees, I would say always have a back up -- a second card whether credit or debit. I also had a moment when a bank network was down, and I just used a different card to pay.

The scammers initially stole $500 and tried again, and that was when the card was blocked. The computer recognized that I could not be withdrawing from ATMs in France and New York City within the same hour. I did get the $500 back, but it took some time.

Pickpockets are a concern; is there any way to get a back up card? Even prepaid or secured? Or even a second debit card in case one is stolen/skimmed and cancelled?

GUWonder

There may be not much to drain if planned properly. Also, there are banks that provide $0-50 maximum customer liability for fraudulent charges when such charges are reported in a relatively timely manner.

In my experience, it seems like my debit card accounts have been far more secure from fraudulent charges than my charge and credit card accounts, even as they have been used for the same kind of things at the same kind of places.

I know people who only use credit cards for purchases abroad and never use their ATM debit cards for purchases but whose bank accounts were drained of cash because they set their credit card account balances to be autopaid and just never checked the credit card account while on extended vacation.

arttravel

I had zero liability for my skimmed atm/debit card— but it still took two weeks once I got home — had to fill out forms. Once it was apparent that my card was skimmed the bank canceled it — a replacement would only be sent to my home address. If that had been my only access to funds I would have had serious problems while in Europe.

The_Bouncer

Both Bavaria and Switzerland are highly cash friendly. If you friend can get by in the USA without a credit card, she will have a far easier time in Europe.

GUWonder

Sounds like a situation where having cash with you on the trip is king when the debit card problems hit. And it helps to have separate checking accounts, with each having its own debit card and able to handle online deposits of checks.

DeeGee26.2

Bavaria and Switzerland aren't particular crime hotspots either. Cash is absolute king still in Germany, and to be honest she might well have trouble using her debit card in many places as Germany has decided to opt for a sort of electronic wallet type thing linked to German bank accounts rather than any kind of proper international standard for electronic payments. My Mother in Law quite happily runs around with a couple of hundred Euro at a time in her wallet.

der_saeufer

A lot of people that live here don't have credit cards. As long as she's not renting a car, she's unlikely to have any issues.

If she currently uses a credit union and pays only 1% FTF for purchases and ATMs, that's probably fine. If she uses one of the criminal organizations banks that charge $5 +3% or whatever, she should open a Schwab checking account for the zero-fee debit card. It's not a bad idea to do that anyway just to have a spare card.

Almost all American debit cards these days support online PIN for purchases, so she's highly unlikely to run into any issues buying train tickets, etc. from kiosks (it's credit cards with no PIN support that are the issue there).

1P

In days gone by, ladies would have a special purse located in their lower underwear — much more difficult for bag-snatching thieves to get at! — while only carrying in a handbag a smaller amount required each day for projected expenditure. I would never advocate anyone hiding cash in their luggage, and unfortunately the toiletry bag is one of the first places a burglar will look.

suziemay

She should be able to travel with just cash but since she will be solo, I would think having a credit card as backup for peace of mind would be wise. Could a family member or close friend add her as an authorized user on a Visa or MasterCard?

I travel solo frequently and don’t like having a lot of cash on me so I’m the total opposite of your friend. Having too much cash on me makes me nervous!