# Chip and pin cards



## "Roger" (Aug 27, 2017)

I have had a chip and sign credit card for years and never had any problem using it at a restaurant or merchant in Europe. Their hand held machine spin out a receipt that I sign. I also realize that there are some places in Europe where you would need a chip and pin card. (An unattended train station that allows you to buy tickets from a machine, for example - a PIN is required.) Now my question ...

I just got a new ATM card with a chip. Since ATM machines require a PIN, it, in essence, is a chip and pin card. So do debit cards (ATM cards) work in the unattended machines in Europe? Or do those machines require a credit card as opposed to a debit card?


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## sheweeble (Aug 28, 2017)

We have ATM bank cards that are chip and pin and have used them with no problem at ATM machines in Europe. Just need to make sure your pin is 4 numbers.   We are from Canada but the technology would be the same I think.


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## Tamino (Aug 28, 2017)

"Roger" said:


> I just got a new ATM card with a chip. Since ATM machines require a PIN, it, in essence, is a chip and pin card. So do debit cards (ATM cards) work in the unattended machines in Europe? Or do those machines require a credit card as opposed to a debit card?



I believe that using an ATM card for merchant purchases varies by policies of the card issuing bank.  I accidentally used my US bank ATM card once at Leroy Merlin and it processed flawlessly.  I have heard others complain that ATM or debit cards have not been accepted for merchant purchases.

I should think it wise to carry both an ATM/debit card as well as a credit card when traveling.


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## sheweeble (Aug 28, 2017)

Tamino said:


> I believe that using an ATM card for merchant purchases varies by policies of the card issuing bank.  I accidentally used my US bank ATM card once at Leroy Merlin and it processed flawlessly.  I have heard others complain that ATM or debit cards have not been accepted for merchant purchases.
> 
> I should think it wise to carry both an ATM/debit card as well as a credit card when traveling.


Right I agree with that, I have never used my ATM/debit card at a place of business, but if it is a debit/visa card it works just like a visa card would, but the transaction would come out of your chequing account.  We are often in more rural areas and a lot of restaurants and shops don't take any kind of card.  We usually take the max out in cash every 4 or 5 days and pay cash for most things.


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## beejaybeeohio (Aug 28, 2017)

I use my credit union's atm card with a pin and stripe for bank cash withdrawals.  We finally got a credit card with chip/pin last year, but have never been required nor prompted to enter our pin in NZ, AUS, Germany, Czechia, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, and the UK countries where we traveled in 2016. I was a bit deflated not to get to use my long-awaited pin#!


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## sheweeble (Aug 28, 2017)

beejaybeeohio said:


> I use my credit union's atm card with a pin and stripe for bank cash withdrawals.  We finally got a credit card with chip/pin last year, but have never been required nor prompted to enter our pin in NZ, AUS, Germany, Czechia, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, and the UK countries where we traveled in 2016. I was a bit deflated not to get to use my long-awaited pin#!


Come to Canada, you can use your pin here!


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## Tamino (Aug 29, 2017)

beejaybeeohio said:


> We finally got a credit card with chip/pin last year, but have never been required nor prompted to enter our pin in NZ, AUS, Germany, Czechia, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, and the UK countries where we traveled in 2016. I was a bit deflated not to get to use my long-awaited pin#!



Your credit card may have a PIN but it is a chip & signature card as are most credit cards issued by US banks.  Regardless of the country in which you use it, you will always sign when making purchases at staffed sales locations.  The only time you might use the PIN would be at unmanned or kiosk points of sale and then only when the transaction total is greater than your banks predetermined no verification limit.


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