Using Credit Cards and Money in Europe

Cash or Credit Card? Paying for Things in Europe

Nothing ends a vacation moment faster than having your credit card declined or discovering the ticket machine only accepts cash. Fortunately, a little preparation goes a long way. This guide explains when you’ll need cash, when credit cards work best, and a few payment surprises that catch first-time visitors off guard.

Contents

Cash or Credit Card?
Euros, Pounds & Other Currencies
Using Credit Cards in Europe
Do You Need a PIN?
Buying Tickets Before You Leave
Saving Time
Staying Safe

Do you need cash anymore?

Cash or Credit Card?

In the larger cities, credit cards are widely accepted. You may not need local currency.
However in smaller, rural towns the local shops may only take cash.
The availability of places to exchange currency has dropped significantly in the past few years
Don’t bother shopping around for a better rate – take advantage of the first convenient place you come across.

Places where you might need cash:

Public restrooms
Some buses
Small rural shops
Church donations
Street markets (occasionally)
Small cafés in rural areas

Although it has improved since Covid, there are still toilets that require cash (some without an attendant utilize turnstiles and require coins). The cost ranges from .20P to 1 pound in the UK and .50 cents to 2 Euros on the continent. They should provide change however it might be all in coins.

Need some change to carry for the restrooms? Use your stop at a grocery store to pick items such as bottled water to also get change.

Church or cathedral donations may need cash for the smaller ones. Larger churches have electronic means for collecting donations

Many buses allow ticket purchases via contactless means, but not all. Some only accept cash to purchase bus tickets from the driver

Some urgent care doctors do not have the means to process a credit card transaction. When we went to urgent care it was the first time our doctor used her credit card reader.

If you want to save time or the hassle of money exchanging while traveling, contact your local bank at home to see if they can provide Euros/Pounds before you leave. Not all countries in Europe use the Euro as their main currency. They will probably accept payment in Euros however the exchange rate will not be favorable. Denmark, Switzerland, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Sweden and the UK have their own currency.

Euros or Pounds

Country	Currency
France	Euro
Germany	Euro
Italy	Euro
Spain	Euro
Netherlands	Euro
United Kingdom	Pound Sterling
Switzerland	Swiss Franc
Czechia	Czech Koruna
Poland	Złoty

ATMs

ATMs usually offer competitive exchange rates.
Avoid dynamic currency conversion.
Decline the ATM’s offered exchange rate if your bank advises it.
Use bank-operated ATMs when possible.

Using a credit card in Europe

You may need a PIN to use a credit card internationally. Although you may be able to enjoy your entire vacation without needing a PIN, making purchases from gas stations, some ticket machines, and in some instances credit cards with chips may require a PIN. To obtain one check with your credit card company. Note that a new PIN may be sent via snail mail and therefore take several days – plan in advance.

Tip: If the payment terminal asks whether you want to pay in U.S. dollars or the local currency, choose the local currency (such as euros or pounds). Your credit card issuer will usually provide a better exchange rate than the merchant’s conversion.

Check with your bank or credit card issuer to see whether they recommend submitting a travel notification before your trip.

We have occasionally encountered credit card transactions that were declined despite the card working elsewhere. Carrying a small amount of local currency provides a useful backup if this happens. This happened to us getting on a bus. Our card wasn’t accepted and we had to pay for the tickets with cash.

Using a credit card to make purchases while still at home

We have had some issues buying train tickets and museum tickets in advance while we were still home. Again, we believe this is a security measure. You might try using a debit card instead if you have one. We have the ability to purchase items through EBay and that worked for some reason.

Saving time

Paying with cash consumes a lot of time both exchanging money and actually paying the bills. Tracking down money exchange sites is not a fruitful sightseeing activity. Since Covid, much of Europe is set up for touchless transactions including the waiters in restaurants. They come right to your table and process your bill as you wait.