Card Invalid at ATM machine

Look at the "network" symbols on the back of the card - you may see things like "Plus" or "STAR" or others. Look for an ATM that has the same symbols.

That is not necessarily the message I'd expect to see if they just need to try a lower amount, but trying a lower amount still might be the answer. Different banks over there can apply their own per-transaction limits, in addition to the daily withdrawal limit set by your bank.

There have been several times when, unbeknownst to me, my withdrawal limit was less than I thought it was supposed to be and I asked for too much money. In both those cases, the message I got was, "call your bank".

Have they used these same cards elsewhere in Europe?

They used their cards at the airport ATM in Hungary and it worked fine.

1) Did they notify their bank that they would using their cards in Europe? Could their bank have failed to put the information in their file?
2) Did they use them just once in Hungary?

I have heard that if your bank sees that the card is being used in Europe, THEN they put a fraud stop on the card, but the card has to be used at least once before they do that.

How do you know it isn't their bank in the US? Have you talked to that bank?

I’ve had this happen to other visitors. Try another bank. (Only use ATMs in bank lobbys)

I've learned not to try to get money on Sunday mornings in Europe. US banks typically shut down for a couple hours once a week for maintenance in the wee hours between Sat night and Sunday morning, which is morning in Europe.

Not every ATM everywhere takes every card.

I have been frustrated in France when going to Agricole and other farming credit union ATMs which don't take British ATM cards.

Simple solution, try a mainstream bank. Same error message = card or home bank problem. If it works, it was the ATM previously.

ATMs in Austria are not specific to a certain type of card.

The "Maestro" system is the international network for debit cards. Most people in Austria use debit cards for getting cash from an ATM, just to avoid the 3% penalty when using a credit card instead.

You will see the Maestro logo on all ATMs, if your card bears the same logo you should be fine. Nevertheless a geographical blocking could be in place if you are not entitled to use the card overseas without prior notification of your bank.

1) Try a lower amount. As said, while the usual message if you're trying to withdraw to much is very clear, maybe that's the problem.

2) Try a different ATM, from a different bank.

3) Call the bank and ask if there's a block of some sort on the card. I've encountered the same thing Lee was talking about, with my credit card - the first foreign transaction went through, but then it was blocked. Luckily, I was still in the US (these transactions were online), so it was easy to fix without taking time out from my vacation.

If they need to call the US collect for their card problems, they can use AT&T USA Direct. From an Austrian land line, call 800-200-288. You get an English-speaking operator; ask to place a collect call to the US, and give the non-800 number on the back of the card. Of course, there are other ways to call the US too these days (Skype, their US cell phone, etc).

You say "their cards were invalid" - plural cards. If the cards are on different accounts and neither one was working, this implies it was the particular machine or that they had exceeded some limit (either the machine's or the account's), rather than that the accounts themselves are blocked.

Thank you. They were both able to use there cards today. They tried the lower amount and it worked.

Many foreign bank ATMs have significantly lower withdrawal limits than you will find at home. The limit will likely be the highest amount they offer on the screen. You can always do more than one transaction, as long as you stay below your card's total daily limit.

On Saturday, I went to the Deutsch Post Bank near Wittenbergplatz in Berlin. I got 400 euro out of an ATM without a problem. I went the next morning to get the same amount out at the same location but used a different machine in the lobby. (The previous machine almost ate my card). The machine said the transaction could not be performed. I had informed my bank ahead of time of my travel but figured the withdrawals looked suspicious. I called the bank; they said I was good, and their was not a request from the Post Bank machine to my bank for the money. I went back Monday morning — same machine again would not give me cash but another machine in the lobby would (though others got cash out of the machine that would not give me cash). So... something about that machine that it did not want to give the cash. Moral of the story: try a different machine (or a lower amount).