Great 'Countries you can't use your plastic in' Hunt

Doc_N

a.sadler wrote: »

In Copenhagen for the week end. Most places add on 3.75% for paying with a 'foreign' credit card. best exchange rate I got was with the no commision Post Office credit card but the saving wasmore than wiped out by the 3.75% rip off. Is this legal under European law ?

Never come across that one (except for small transactions - say, less than DKK50).

This was an add-on to the normal price by the retailer?

ralph_wilson

cubehopper wrote: »

Japan's ATM's generally don't accept foreign ATM cards, and Japan is predominantly a cash society. It's not uncommon to carry £300 in cash at a time in your wallet. Fortunately it is very safe to carry cash as the level of crime is extremely low, if not non-existent.

TIPS:
7Eleven stores have 24 hour ATMs which accept foreign Visa cards but only dispense 10,000Yen notes (about £80)

JP Post Office and Shinsei Bank ATMs accept foreign Visa/Mastercards but have limited opening hours. 9am-9pm Mon-Fri. Even hole in the wall ATMs.

Don't expect shops or restaurants to accept cards. If you're visiting Tokyo, get a Suica pre-paid card free from any train station. You can use it for public transport, and it's widely accepted in stores.

We have visited Japan twice in the past 4 years (Hokkaido & Tokyo, and a Tokyo & Kyoto walking hol). We never had a single problem with credit dards in any shop or restaurant. We used the ATMs in 7-lls for cash, but were surprised to find that Japan is not the tight-laced, cash-only society that all the books told us it would be.

jago25_98

The British Consulate in Amsterdam doesn't accept British debit/credit cards.

Others don't like the fees. My favourite more moderate approach by many places is the sign I saw in English: "We prefer no VISA or Mastercard please - the fees are killing us"