Post Office Travel Moneycard for public transport in The Netherlands

Naf

I know it's probably too much to hope for anyone to have the exact experience I need; but here I am hoping anyway.

I've got a Post Office Travel Money Prepaid Credit Card, because I'm advised by friends in The Netherlands that tap on tap off is the easiest way to use transport there, and that Mastercard is the most widely accepted of the cards I'm able to get. (Maestro would be better, but that's another story). I called their CS earlier about activation, and the adviser had the impression that I could have issues with it being declined, something to do with the wifi networks not being secure enough or something. Tweeted them too, and that person wasn't aware of anything.

So does anyone have experience, aside from opinions about the card itself? Either successfully using it on transport in The Netherlands, or else it being declined on transport anywhere?

Thanks.

eDicky

I don't have experience of using the PO card because I would never use such a thing when there are much better alternatives. I was using public transport in the Netherlands extensively (but not for the last few years), tapping in and out with the OV Chipkaart, the Dutch public transport card, which costs about 7€ upfront to obtain. Your Dutch friends are probably using this, unless they are now able to use their regular bank card, which is Maestro (or the Visa equivalent, I forget the name), not MasterCard or Visa debit or credit cards which are not generally accepted, their interchange fees are not tolerated in Netherlands except in tourist areas and department stores etc. So if your PO card is MasterCard I doubt that it would be usable on public transport for that reason.

Naf

eDicky said:

I don't have experience of using the PO card because I would never use such a thing when there are much better alternatives. I was using public transport in the Netherlands extensively (but not for the last few years), tapping in and out with the OV Chipkaart, the Dutch public transport card, which costs about 7€ upfront to obtain. Your Dutch friends are probably using this, unless they are now able to use their regular bank card, which is Maestro (or the Visa equivalent, I forget the name), not MasterCard or Visa debit or credit cards which are not generally accepted, their interchange fees are not tolerated in Netherlands except in tourist areas and department stores etc. So if your PO card is MasterCard I doubt that it would be usable on public transport for that reason.

I'm assured by my friends that the whole of the transport network accepts contactless, including Mastercard. Some of them have used their credit cards. Purchasing the OV still needs a card payment.

razord

Contactless on the Amsterdam metro system is fairly new, but you'll have no problems with any Visa or Mastercard so long as it works anywhere else abroad.

I used my Chase card via Apple Pay just fine when I went last Christmas.

CKhalvashi

I'd never use a card like this too.

I have a free free (for international transactions) Barclaycard and while I haven't been to Amsterdam, it works fine in France, Poland, Romania etc. Georgia is about to go to this system also (instead of a dedicated metro/bus card), so that'll work there too.

You'll almost always be better off with a fee free/very low fee card as opposed to a PO card or similar. I have 2 debit cards from banks, a Wise debit card (I use them for other reasons) and 2 credit cards typically in my wallet. All tend to be cheaper than the card referenced above, even those charging fees.

eDicky

Naf said:

eDicky said:

I don't have experience of using the PO card because I would never use such a thing when there are much better alternatives. I was using public transport in the Netherlands extensively (but not for the last few years), tapping in and out with the OV Chipkaart, the Dutch public transport card, which costs about 7€ upfront to obtain. Your Dutch friends are probably using this, unless they are now able to use their regular bank card, which is Maestro (or the Visa equivalent, I forget the name), not MasterCard or Visa debit or credit cards which are not generally accepted, their interchange fees are not tolerated in Netherlands except in tourist areas and department stores etc. So if your PO card is MasterCard I doubt that it would be usable on public transport for that reason.

I'm assured by my friends that the whole of the transport network accepts contactless, including Mastercard. Some of them have used their credit cards. Purchasing the OV still needs a card payment.

Ok, if that's true, great, and I'm out of date..!

It's four or five years since I used the OV Chipkaart, a contactless system that superseded the old paper strip tickets (Strippenkaart) that you punched in with. The OV involves a deposit and expires after several years so if regular cards are now accepted that's good news.