The Netherlands - Nobody wants my credit card

Networkguy

We have just returned from a week in the Netherlands.

Armed with my Post Office credit card and a small amount of cash, I thought I was all set until the first day we went shopping.

I soon discovered that most shops and attractions don't accept credit cards. Indeed the only form of plastic in use was something referred to as PIN which from what I have read is issued by local banks and is a debit card but is not operated by the likes of Visa or Mastercard etc.

So I ended up having to grab cash out of a cash machine (not a cheap way of doing it) to see me through the week.

But we are returning in a couple of months and I don't want to fall into the same trap twice so has anybody else come across this?

Is there anything I can do here (except take a load of cash)?

Thanks

zagfles

We paid for a few things by card in NL, though mainly restaurants and an on-site supermarket at the place we were staying. Though we mainly used cash.

It's the same in Germany, a lot of places don't take cards where you'd take it for granted here. I made the mistake of filling up at a petrol station in Germany, without even thinking about whether they take cards (they didn't) or whether I had enough cash. It came to almost EUR100 and I didn't have enough. Luckily they were very understanding and pointed me in the direction of the nearset cashpoint

Suggest you get a Halifax Clarity or MetroBank card for your next trip so you can get cash out cheaply.

James1715

I lived in the Netherlands for two years, and there is not an easy way around this. I found the dutch public and banks alike dislike the whole concept of credit cards / debt in general. Bizarre things like when your electricity bill arrives, you find that the money you owed was already taken from your bank account 14 days ago. As brits we could learn a lot from this attitude, but I have to admit it is almost prohibitive.

When me moved, we had no local bank accounts and had to carry around large amounts of cash to buy things, furniture etc. Most supermarkets and attractions will only accept a betaalpas which is a type of local debit card. Larger corporations (holiday inn, airlines etc.) accept credit cards but they are few and far between. The same problem applies to petrol stations at supermarkets, so if using credit card you will have to fill up at the larger branded service stations on the motorways.

One thing which might work. A large number of retailers accept Maestro cards as this is another mechanism which is advertised in conjunction within the NL pin system. If you are able to get hold of a UK issued maestro card this stands a good chance of being accepted, I couldnt imagine there is a restriction between UK / NL maestro cards if the maestro logo is displayed by the retailer.

NFH

This is a problem in several countries in that region, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. However, I've never had a problem using my German-issued Maestro card. The problem is that British banks have mostly ditched Maestro, leaving their customers without an accepted method of payment in several European countries.

prowla

Yup - I went there for a week at the start of August and I found that too.
I arrived at my destination town after midnight and was heading to the hotel in a taxi before I realised there didn't appear to be a machine; we had to re-route via a cashpoint.

Networkguy

NFH wrote: »

This is a problem in several countries in that region, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. However, I've never had a problem using my German-issued Maestro card. The problem is that British banks have mostly ditched Maestro, leaving their customers without an accepted method of payment in several European countries.

I had spotted the Maestro thing but as you say, all the UK banks have moved to Visa Debit in recent years so again, not really an option.


So it's looking like cash then or a card that doesn't charge for cash machine withdrawals abroad.


Thanks everybody.

Bob_the_Saver

It's really strange but I've never been to The Netherlands, so many other places but not there. So that's two things to remember now, credit cards are difficult and it's where you put your finger in a Dyke.

Doshwaster

Odd. I've been to the Netherlands several times and never noticed this. Maybe it's because I've been with work so business type places accept cards - and there other types of places you may visit in Amsterdam you wouldn't want to appear on your credit card anyway.

Networkguy

Doshwaster wrote: »

Odd. I've been to the Netherlands several times and never noticed this. Maybe it's because I've been with work so business type places accept cards - and there other types of places you may visit in Amsterdam you wouldn't want to appear on your credit card anyway.

Amsterdam has never been a problem.


Last week however we were in the north east of the country where the local town had a population of less than 10000. The Netherlands you don't normally see.

kernowguy

Just returned from Germany and Holland and can confirm problems with Mastercard in particular in both places. If credit cards are accepted then MC is usually not. From experience years ago in Germany there was always a problem with credit cards but they had got over that in recent years. Problem now is that they do not like Mastercard and my provider has switched to that from Visa and they do not like UK debit cards at all! I was told by my bank that the problem was between Visa and the European Banks but if the shop processing the payment puts it through on Visa rather than Visa Debit it will work. Problem I found was that as soon as I produced a Mastercard or Visa Debit card they were refused immediately. Now I carry enough cash just in case I have to pay cash. So much for an integrated Europe!

callum9999

kernowguy wrote: »

Just returned from Germany and Holland and can confirm problems with Mastercard in particular in both places. If credit cards are accepted then MC is usually not. From experience years ago in Germany there was always a problem with credit cards but they had got over that in recent years. Problem now is that they do not like Mastercard and my provider has switched to that from Visa and they do not like UK debit cards at all! I was told by my bank that the problem was between Visa and the European Banks but if the shop processing the payment puts it through on Visa rather than Visa Debit it will work. Problem I found was that as soon as I produced a Mastercard or Visa Debit card they were refused immediately. Now I carry enough cash just in case I have to pay cash. So much for an integrated Europe!

Bizarre. I had no issues with my Visa Debit or Mastercards over there. Is this in small villages etc?