Cards that work at public transit kiosks?

I can't even remember the last time I needed a PIN for my credit card—it was at least 15+ years ago. I have read a few comments that gas stations will require it if you pay at the tank, but I have never had that experience (and I usually rent cars at least once per trip).

Don't worry about PINs—most places (including bus and metro ticket kiosks) are tap-and-pay, and if any further verification is needed (usually for larger purchases), you will be asked for a signature; not a PIN.

I’ve used my Chase VISA at the Metro machines. No PIN needed. I’ve never had to use a PIN for a charge in France and the only situations I’ve seen reported on the forum are when people try to use gas pumps. I don’t drive in France so no experience there.

This trip I also reloaded an old Navigo Easy and an old Navigo Devouverte using my phone and Apple Pay. Do you have cards in your phone’s wallet?

Just to clarify....At the metro or bus in Paris, you need a transit card, which you have loaded with tickets (paid for by your credit card). The credit (or debit) card itself will not work on the bus, etc. Paper tickets are no longer issued.

We have a pin for both our debit and credit cards. We use the debit card only at bank ATMs for cash withdrawals. A pin is needed at the atm, just like in the US. Four digit pin only, no alpha, just numeric. Don't leave your debit card at home. If you use a credit card at an ATM to get cash you will have a (probably hefty) cash advance fee, and interest will begin accruing right away. Use the credit card for purchases only. A pin will probably never be needed. As mentioned above, if the transaction is over a certain amount, or if it is at certain gas pumps, you may be asked for a signature, but not a pin.

Just to clarify....At the metro or bus in Paris, you need a transit card, which you have loaded with tickets (paid for by your credit card). The credit (or debit) card itself will not work on the bus, etc. Paper tickets are no longer issued.

Judy, I believe Christine was talking about using the credit card to buy tickets at ticket booths/kiosks, not on board.

If you are buying tickets, two things can work for you without a PIN for your credit card. First, one of the validation methods common for cards and kiosks is actually "no verification", meaning for low dollar transactions, the transaction is just approved, especially if you have to insert the card and it reads the chip.

Better yet, many of thee kiosks have been updated to tap-to-pay. If you use that method, then you should be fine for up 50 euro in France.

For ticket amounts over 50 euro, you likely will need to seek out a ticket counter, or split your purchase (buy one ticket at a time if a couple) to get below 50 euro.

Not to argue with your credit card companies, but what they are saying is that their card (you talked to an issuer, not Visa or Mastercard) does not have PIN available, but there are a number of US issued cards that do have PINs, I have one, a Visa, issued by UNFCU. If you are a frequent traveler, you might look into getting a card with a PIN.

If it can tap it should work virtually everywhere. Since COVID tap has become the preferred system of charging things virtually everywhere removing the need to chip and PIN. On charges over a certain amount - usually 75e or so - sometimes they will ask you to insert the chip but everyone handled chip and signature without a fuss. The only unattended kiosks I remember are parking meters which I used many, many times and you can just tap.

Some people have reported issues with French gas station charges and a lack of a PIN but I didn't run into that. (There was a recent thread.) Probably my gas purchases were smaller than the amounts that trigger the need for a PIN.

Many people report breezing through their vacations using their phone to pay for everything. I personally wouldn't count on that but people clearly do.

I would, however, advocate taking your debit card unless you're already holding a fistful of euros that you're sure will take you through your trip. Your debit card will get you cash at ATMs and there are still places that cash is best/needed. One place in particular is market day. Stall vendors really prefer cash or will impose a minimum of 15e or so and on market day you can easily spend 50e total but 5e at a time. I wouldn't use your debit card for anything but cash but I would take it.

Note in Paris you will use probably a Navigo Easy pass to get around rather than your card - but you can recharge it with your card or better yet your phone through the Bonjour RATP app.

Hope that helps,
=Tod

A regular credit card (VISA Master etc) will work at any metro kiosk -- there is a Euro limit without a chip/pin card of about 75 Euro -- I can load a weekly Navigo D but not a monthly with a card. For the monthly pass which is about 90 euros I go to a window.

But if you use the tap and pay on your phone which requires photo face recognition activation, you can buy tickets of any denomination including a monthly pass which I have done. The face recognition process on the phone serves the same purpose as a PIN. Look for the tap/pay pad on the machine before starting; most machines, but not all, have them.

If you tap and pay with the physical card, you are restricted to X Euros (it is roughly 75 I think but plenty for tickets or daily or weekly passes). but with the phone/face recognition tap, there is no restriction.

As others have noted you cannot use a credit card of any sort in place of tickets -- you need tickets or passes on transport cards or on your phone. You can use the credit card to buy the passes or tickets.

If you tap and pay with the physical card, you are restricted to X
Euros (it is roughly 75 I think but plenty for tickets or daily or
weekly passes). but with the phone/face recognition tap, there is no
restriction.

I guess you are only talking about transit kiosks in France?

For my part, I am speaking only of France, particularly Paris.

Twice last month in Paris my cc did not work with the tap function.
Once in a Fragonard perfume shop and once for my taxi to the airport.
I couldn’t remember my pin (it was a new card) but had enough cash to buy my perfume.
I used my spare credit card for the taxi as that pin is ingrained in my brain.
All Canadian cards have PIN numbers as far as I know.
I was glad to have spare cards with me this trip and also a couple of hundred Euro for back up.
I had no trouble “tapping” at all the transit ticket machines I used, so you should be fine using your u.s. cards at those.

I sure hope the Parisians are working on changing over to tap to pay for the metro and buses, the Londoners definitely have an advantage here

As I understand from reading about this topic elsewhere there are no plans for a tap option in Paris. I believe it is related to monthly and annual passes that are connected to work and possibly school. A local Parisian is likely better informed than me to provide a more detailed answer. The Navigo Easy card is their answer for occasional users and tickets.

S J, on our recent trip in France, we needed to use our PIN several times as our main credit card requires it over a certain limit. With our lower exchange rate, we went over that limit on some nice meals and shopping.

Where i live we have one metro that is tap and pay. It's for thr tourists that dont realize how much more buying single tickets costs thereby subsidizing my 65 year old free transportation.