Chip and PIN

It is the European system so it is wall to wall. Most vendors and areas that service tourists will handle both our magnetic strip cards. Some may ask for your credit card pin number. All ATMs will be fines. Most large train stations will have both the old tickets machines and the new ones that will only take the European chip card. However, automated toll booths, fuels stations, will not. For us it is not a big problem because we rarely charge anything. But if you use your credit card all the time, then you may have to do a little checking before making the purchase.

Jim, As the previous reply indicated, use of "chip & PIN" is fairly widespread at the present time, and increasing. Whether you're able to use a magnetic stripe credit card will depend on what you're using it for. When I was in Italy last year, the ticket Kiosks at Termini, Malpensa and other locations were still accepting magnetic stripe credit cards. However that may have changed now, as the upgrade to the new technology is a year further along? Although I have "chip & PIN" cards, the machines didn't request a PIN, which suggests they were processing the transaction using the magnetic stripe. With automated fuel pumps, automated bicycle rentals (Milan), etc., it's likely that "chip & PIN" cards will be mandatory. At staffed ticket offices, the magnetic stripe cards should work fine. Happy travels!

The newest train ticket kiosks in Roma Termini do take non-Chip credit cards. I just used my Capitol One Mastercard in one a few weeks ago to buy MINI fare tickets. Italy is far more flexible with the non-Chip cards as tourism is the #1 industry and many Italians still use and prefer... cash! In Copenhagen, EVERYONE uses their "cards" for EVERYTHING and chip-cards rule! Even at the 7-11 people will use their card to buy only a candy bar. (Yes, we have 7-11 in Denmark - certainly an advanced country!).

I've only ever had a problem at automated gas stations early in the morning on the way to the airport. Magnetic stripe cards just don't work -- only chip and pin. All other machines and all shops have been able to swipe a card in my experience. We were able to get autostrada toll booths in Tuscany to take mag stripe cards a few years ago, but haven't tried it recently.

I recently got a new-type card from my credit card company, a Chase Slate Card, with a little rounded side silver rectangle with a bird in the middle on the back, and the word "Blue Print". Is that a chip card? If not, how do I get one?

Elane, it is the Am form of chip, if you want to call it that, but it does not work in Europe. Other than Am Express no bank in the US is issuing a European style chip and pin card.

Elane - that little silver rectangle is a hologram, not a chip. It's purpose is to prevent counterfeiting. When you tilt the card back & forth, the bird will appear to "fly." This is a way for salesclerks to check that a card is genuine.

"...other than Am Express no bank in the US is issuing a European style chip and pin card...." At one time, Am Ex's blue card did have the chip....but no more. So currently the only financial institution in the US issuing chip&pin cards is the UN credit union in NYC.