Prepaid credit card for public transport in Italy

There have been reports here and elsewhere that prepaid credit cards do not necessarily work overseas. In addition, some of them have fees that make them costly to use. I would proceed with extreme caution.

There is virtually always an alternative to using a credit card--individual tickets, single- or multi-day passes, reloadable smart cards from the local transit system, etc. Especially if you're in one place for multiple days, one of the alternatives might be a practical solution for you.

I'm with you on not being thrilled if I need to pull a credit card out of my purse frequently, so I sometimes use a reloadable local transit card instead. I'm mostly a walker, so day passes don't usually make sense for me.

In situations when you have to tap out as well as in, it's important to use the same payment technique for both parts of the trip.

What you are describing (I think) is not a credit card, but a prepaid debit card - typically and most widely sold as "gift cards." You will be hard-pressed to find any that will work outside the USA. There are some, but you won't find them among the countless cards you see for sale everywhere in stores. The kind you see commonly all have "valid only in the united states" prominently printed on the packaging and the card itself.

I think your concerns about the risks of using a contactless credit card (in Italy or just down the street from where you go every day) are misplaced and not worth the worry. One of the benefits of using credit cards (as opposed to using a debit card of any kind, most of al a prepaid "gift" or or even an old-school "ATM" card) is that with a credit card, it's not your money at risk: with a credit card, the bank is on the hook for any fraudulent use that might occur. The chances of having fraudulent changes hit your credit card (because of contactless technology) is near-zero. And in the exceedingly unlikely event that happens, your bank won't hold you responsible. OTOH, with a debit card - worst of all, a prepaid gift card loaded with money - you have effectively zero protection against fraud. It's like carrying around (and waving around) cash. Drop it, have someone snatch it from your pocket, leave it unattended someplace, and it's gone, with no recourse.

I suggest you cross this ("this" being fear of invisible electronic thieves in Europe, lurking on the dark web and looking to suck your money from your credit card from a distance) off your list of things to worry about. That's not a real-world concern. Mostly it's FUD spread by people trying to sell you silly "RFD-safe" wallets and other useless gizmos. Credit cards are extremely safe (even if you do dumb things with them and a thief gets their hands on it).

We have successfully used Wise cards for these types of situations. I prefer to not have my phone or main credit cards out when I am in busy, crowded spots such as transit stops and metro systems. We loaded a few different currencies on it based on our destinations and it worked for tapping without any issue.

Thanks everyone for the info. The WISE card sounds the best idea. My concern is not about using a credit card in a hotel or restaurant (and I plan on taking euro cash) but I don't like the idea of tapping a credit card with a large credit balance to enter the subway or a bus. I won't get a paper receipt and if there is an error there is no-one to correct it plus I don't like taking out a credit card in a crowded place. Trying to buy public transport tickets from machines can be confusing and time consuming. I am trying to avoid that. I will see how I can buy a WISE card.