credit card/debit card

Short answer is yes...but with a few exceptions. All ATMs will accept magnetic strip cards. Also, merchants that deal with lots of tourists will have the hardware to read our magnetic strip cards. You'll run into problems at automatic ticket machines, and gas stations. Dutch rail only accepts chip & pin cards at both the machines and the staffed counters. In Belgium and Holland some chain stores like the health & beauty ETOS will accept magnetic strip cards but will require a pin number to finalize the transaction instead of a signature.

I rarely use a credit card - mostly for rental cars, train tickets or larger hotels. In the last two trips (one 28 days and one 16 days) I only ran into a problem with my credit card once. It was a small retail shop off the beaten path. I normally would have paid cash but was running low so tried to use my credit card. They didn't know how to run it, so I walked a block to an ATM and returned with cash (using my debit not credit card). In most tourist friendly areas cashiers know how to run your credit card - they just have to print out a receipt for you to sign. The chances you will have problems using your card are pretty small. Your ATM card won't be a problem. Some caution you need to have a four digit pin (in numbers not letters since the keyboards on Europe ATMs don't show letters). I've always had a four digit pin so never had an issue. For the ATM the biggest thing is basic security, cover the keypad when you punch in your pin so no one can observe or film your pin number. I try to use ATMs that are inside of locking doors, because they are less likely to be tampered with by crooks during off hours. Use some common situational awareness of the surroundings and time of day too. Pulling cash from an ATM on a deserted street in the middle of the night isn't smart anywhere.

According to the German Rail website, their new (2nd generation), touch screen ticket automats take magentic strip cards. They also take cash, which you can get from an ATM.

Just wanted to say...Before you leave for your trip.. you may want to let your bank know your going out of the country & will use your debit/atm card. Cause a friend of mine had an issue when he was in Paris.