Using Credit Cards Abroad

charlieandbarry

Hi,
I'm planning a trip round France in the next month that will incorporate lots of driving and therefore many Toll Charges. I thought that for ease i would take out an Interest Free Credit Card, pay the toll charges on this, then sort out when i get home. I'm not 100% sure if any CC companies would charge me a % rate for doing this or what exchange rate i would get. If they do, or i get a poor rate, i'd probably be better paying by cash rather than cc. Can anyone advise ? Thanks.

nomoneytoday

I would use a Nationwide or Post Office card. 0% loading in Europe so get a good rate

pre123

nomoneytoday wrote: »

I would use a Nationwide or Post Office card. 0% loading in Europe so get a good rate

i believe NW are going to start charging the visa's fees of 0.84% as of 1st June on purchases outside UK so id go for the PO C/C using it for a while with no probs and you get top exchange rate when using abroad!!

check http://www.money.co.uk/article/1003002-nationwide-to-start-charging-for-foreign-transactions-on-isa-credit-and-debit-cards.htm

simon_templar_2

From May 11th Abbey are doing the Zero card again.

virgo17

pre123 wrote: »

i believe NW are going to start charging the visa's fees of 0.84% as of 1st June on purchases outside UK

Is this not outside Europe?

solarstone

Nationwide will be charging for all non-sterling credit card transactions from tomorrow I believe. I think Visa always did charge NW for these transactions, but NW never passed them onto the customer. Sign of the times I guess.

virgo17

I have checked further into this for my Gold Card and according to Nationwide's own web page at:-

http://www.nationwide.co.uk/creditcard/goldcard/foreigntransactions.htm

use in most (if not all) European countries will NOT attract a fee from Visa and thus not from Nationwide. Spain is of particular interest to me and the web page specifically states "Spain - No fee charged". :j

Outside Europe things are different.

Mische

nomoneytoday wrote: »

I would use a Nationwide or Post Office card. 0% loading in Europe so get a good rate

Hey, I didn't know about this. To think my Nationwide card has been lying dormant in my closet for almost months now. Thanks for telling!