can anyone help me, bit confused after reading through forum as to whether or not I can use my nationwide visa card for fuel and/or motorway tolls or do we need to take enough euro's for the journey? going to vitrac/dordogne from calais and stopping off at orleans. 8 days and counting and absolutely can't wait!!
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All credir cards work for mtorway tolls as the booths are staffed by people (always very friendly too!) who manually put the card through. Petrol stations with automated pumps which you put your card in won't work, but staffed petrol stations will be fine. We only every take about €100 and use cards for everything. NationWide Credit and debit cards don't charge any commission for use abroad, unlike virtually every other bank by the way!
You can use your credit card for both tolls and petrol. The problem is not with the card itself, but with 'automated 24 hour pumps' which you sometimes have to use on rural roads outside normal working hours or on Sundays. These don't accept our English credit cards - but because they are automated they don't accept cash either. Service areas on the autoroutes are open 24 hours a day and there is almost always a person on duty, so your normal credit card will be accepted. If you are on an N Road, on a Sunday, make sure that you fill up somewhere on Saturday, and if you have a long journey and see a 'manned' petrol station pull in and top up just in case. However, it's always wise to have enough euros with you for emergencies, and I suppose this could include enough for the toll, and a fill-up, just in case.
I used my Nationwide card in June when I got back it turned out the I got between 1.47 euros and 1.50 euros to the £ yet when I changed £100 before going I only got 1.44 euros. Of course there was no charge for using it.
Quote: Originally posted by les + june on 27/07/2005
I used my Nationwide card in June when I got back it turned out the I got between 1.47 euros and 1.50 euros to the £ yet when I changed £100 before going I only got 1.44 euros. Of course there was no charge for using it.
Les
Yes ..... you are probably benefiting from the 'institutional rate' rather than getting the 'tourist rate'. This is why it often pays to use your card rather than cash. It's usually cheaper and it's safer.
Because these big banks deal in mega sums, they get better deals than us mere individuals. So, they can afford to share some of that with us. They make some money - we save some. It works.
HTH
Oozat
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Some French supermarkets now accept UK chip and pin, whereas with others you still have to sign the credit card slip. Is it safe to assume that if the chip and pin works in the store, you can use their automated fuel pumps? These would be handy for travellers on a Sunday, or at night.
Quote: Originally posted by minicamper2001 on 30/07/2005
Some French supermarkets now accept UK chip and pin, whereas with others you still have to sign the credit card slip. Is it safe to assume that if the chip and pin works in the store, you can use their automated fuel pumps? These would be handy for travellers on a Sunday, or at night.
My chip and PIN cards work in French shops and garages, but not at the 24 hour pumps at supermarkets.
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The French chip & PIN system has been running for years, but it isn't yet fully compatible with our new chip & PIN system. I understand that the French system is being adapted to be compatible, and last month, certainly, a couple of places we went to DID validate our chip & PIN card using the keypad and PIN - the others all accept the cards, but just require a signature. On a recent trip to Belgium, everywhere validated the card using the PIN as here.
I found all French supermkts I used recently used chip & pin on my card & it went thru in seconds unlike in previous years when there was somtimes an embarrasing 3-4 minute wait at checkout while card validated--you should always phone your credit card co & tell them before you go abroad tho or you risk your card not working--
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Topic: credit cards for petrol in france
