Has anyone had success using Apple Pay recently in Europe (specifically in Germany and Austria)? I understand the German penchant for cash transactions, but am wondering if Apple Pay will be readily accepted in those places that take credit. Thanks!
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9100 posts
Apple Pay and other RFID payment schemes aren't a thing yet in those two countries. No problems using the physical card though. You can install the various transit operators apps on your phone and purchase individual tickets and passes with your credit card and display the ticket on your screen.
In the UK it's almost universally accepted.
Posted by
New York, NY
4000 posts
I use Apple Pay quite a bit in England. I haven't used it in Germany although I have used credit cards extensively as I got Apple Pay 2 years ago and it's been 3 years since I've traveled to Germany.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32212 posts
Kim,
When I was in Switzerland last fall, I did an informal survey and found that neither Apple Pay nor "Tap" transactions were accepted in any of the locations I visited. In fact, none of the merchants had ever heard of it. One of the problems is that the POS terminals have to be updated to include NFC chips to process either "Tap" or Apple Pay, and none of the terminals in use had that capability. I haven't tried in Germany or Austria, but generally speaking I've found that implementation of newer features doesn't seem to happen as quickly as in North America. The U.K. seems to be an exception to that.
Even in my home area, some merchants have not yet updated their POS terminals to allow Tap or Apple Pay. I've been doing a survey here too, and the usual excuse given is that there's an extra charge to the merchant for "Tap" transactions. It's possible that the processing company also charges a higher initial cost for the newer terminals. Some merchants have told me that they don't pay any extra charges for Tap transactions, so I'm not sure why some still won't accept Tap?