Buying fuel in Europe

greathat

Last time we went to Holland on holiday we really struggled in some areas to buy fuel as it was all automated and our cards weren't accepted. Anyone know if this is still the case and if you need a particular type of card? I remember driving along with the tank on empty getting very stressed until we finally found a petrol station with a person in it!

Iceweasel

Exactly which cards were not accepted?

I regularly use Maestro, Visa, Visa Debit, and MasterCard, all over Europe including The Netherlands without any hassle - ever.

I prefer to use the Post Office MasterCard as they don't charge fees on overseas purchases.

greathat

We had Visa and Mastercards with us which didn't work. This was a few years ago, it might have changed. We could use the cards no problem everywhere else, it was just at the pay at pump type petrol stations they didn't work

Iceweasel

I wouldn't worry about it - most places in Europe are away ahead of us in the UK as far as card machines are concerned.

Motorway Tolls and filling stations are pretty problem free these days - even as far away as Macedonia and Albania.

Most places will be all 'contactless' soon.

AdrianC

France used to be an issue at automated pumps, but UK cards have been accepted there for a few years.
Italy can be entertaining, but the auto pumps take notes - make sure you've always got a €50 in your wallet.

Other than that, I can't think of any problems you'd be likely to come across. When were your previous experiences? Quite a few years ago, in the changeover-period to chip'n'pin?

totallybored

I've been to Holland a few times recently and didn't have a problem with fuel. I did however get it on the motorway a couple of times (not the cheapest!!) and then a random petrol station but it had a man.

I did struggle at a petrol station in Belgium as I couldn't figure out how to pay! There was one machine on the forecourt for all card payments that I hadn't spotted and the attached shop wouldn't take payments!

Iceweasel

Some of the motorway services in Belgium can be a pain if you don't understand French, Dutch, or Walloon.

They are manned 24 hours a day and some have pumps that appear to be the standard pay at pump type - but the Belgians have been ripped off so much in recent years that many require you to enter the building to obtain pre-approval before you can use your card.

One I visited even swiped my card and asked how many €s worth of fuel I wanted.

When I went back to the pump and inserted my card the pump automatically delivered the set amount.

On a separate note did you seen the warning from the British Embassy / Foreign Office, last year, and the year before, regards the 'broken down' British tourists?

It has happened at the height of the tourist season for a few years now, and it'll likely happen again this summer.

Apparently gangs of 'Eastern European looking' people have been flagging down British cars for help - and then robbing them or taking them at gunpoint to a cash machine.

They operate close to the French /Belgium border so they can skip over into the next country and confuse the local police - or at least delay the enquiry enough to get clean away.

They have British registered cars and often use a woman and a couple of kiddies to create the impression of a British family in distress.

I know that normally I would stop for another Brit in trouble - but not now - or at least until they catch these bast*rds.

Be aware - and wary!