what plastic to take

[stoketim]

 Just returned from Germany and had several problems using Visa debt and Visa Credit cards at petrol stations, Hotels and Kawa dearlers. so what plastic do you take with you?

[doebag]

Do you mean trouble because it was Visa, as opposed to Mastercard, or because it was/was not chip and pin ? Or was the problem your bank not authorising because you were out of the UK

I have never really had a problem with Visa abroad, but my credit card is MasterCard just to be on the safe side. Oh and I normally have a refillable cash passport type card so if lost or cloned, the toe rags cannot clear out my entire bank account.

Only time I had a problem abroad was with a series of purchases in quick succession, the bank allowed the first two, but queried the third as an unusual spending pattern.

[stoketim]

I think the problem was because it was Visa didn't matter whether it was debt or Credit. it was certainly authorised for use aboard.

[O.C.]

Never had any problem with using plastic in EU....could this be an EU reaction to Brexit vote   

You can always take a pre-paid holiday card I think they are available from good travel agents or your local post office     

[doebag]

I have not read the entire article, but this may help

http://www.touristbee.com/2007/12/use-your-atm-card-in-europe

Like OC said, prepaid cards are a safe way to not lose your entire bank contents.

[ChrisB]

Ask your bank what they suggest. Santander charge £1.25 per transaction on their debit cards but no charge when using Santander credit cards. In both cases the exchange rate is competitive with the high street.

[virginiajim]

I always let me card provider know that I'm traveling and to what states I'm going through.  I guess it would be countries in your example.  Sometimes there are middlemen transaction processors that can give you grief.  For instance I've had issues using the same petrol station (Shell) in the same day over here.  It would refuse the card.  When calling VISA they say they didn't deny anything.  I always carry a different card (Amex), just in case.

[beegee]

Never had problems with mastercard on continent.  But to be sure its not bad to take some cash with you (in case there is a temporary technical problem i would not like to be without gas😉)