Foreign Credit Cards (e.g. Visa, Mastercards and so on)

Hi,

I was trying to book 2 tickets on www.nshispeed.nl and www.thalys.com, but found out that they cannot process foreign credit cards. How can I go about doing this?

Btw, when I reach Amsterdam, can I use foreign credit cards to pay for hotels, tickets and so on. Thanks

Visa is much preferred. I've only run into a six digit requirement in my life.

Make sure you use four.

And tell your bank you're going to Europe so they won't block it.

Use atm that don't charge at the Europe end.

Like going gambling; Never carry more cash on you, than you can afford to lose.

Pickp. and snatchers like tourists. I still use my www.rickstevews.com money belt. It saved passp. plane ticket and other things in the funny instructions. Saved my assets and all fixtures thrice. (in many years of wandering der globe)

There's really not much you can do.....

I run into problems a lot when I try to use my foreign credit card in the Netherlands. The bigger places will take them, but most online transactions (like train tickets) only use iDeal, which is basically online banking for Dutch bank accounts.

I pay for almost everything with cash, and consider it a bonus when I find a place that takes my Mastercard. For online bookings, the only real way to do it (apart from buying tickets in person) is to ask someone with a Dutch bank account to make the transaction for you and give them the money. However, this often won't work when you go to pick up the tickets as the name of the ticket-holder and the card-holder need to be the same.

It's often inconvenient, but this is probably why the Dutch have the lowest per-person credit card debt on the planet!

Well, to sweeten the pill I can share my positive experience of using Visa card in Amsterdam last year.
My card was accepted for payment at a hostel (Flying Pig), in supermarkets and at van Gogh Museum. There was no problem with it.

Often supermarkets don't accept creditcards. Neither foreign nor dutch. This to lower costs. Probably Albert Heijn supermarkets will accept credit cards.
I've worked in several hotels where they accept all kinds of creditcards, even Diners club.......We often charged the creditcard to provide the people with cash money. Just ask in your hotel.
In the hotels and restaurants I visit for my work or privat I can pay with credit cards, even the parking.
But remember: Creditcards are less accepeted here in the Netherlands to pay tickets etc. in museums. We are creedy! We use our debet cards likewise credit cards in the USA! Our debet cards are cheaper! Yep, we are real dutch!

Edited by: elrosso

Thank you

Always get a small neighborhood map from your desk clerk!!!!!!

Can't you book here: http://www.nshispeed.nl/en/where-to-buy
with your creditcard? Send them an email to help you. They should accept foreign cards.

Or contact www.d-reizen.nl. It's the most famous travel office in the Netherlands. They sell all kind of trips. Also traintickets. Maybe they can help? email: klantenservice@d-reizen.nl

We've got good experience with Globe as well: E-mail: reserveringen@globereisburo.nl

Give it a try!

Try PayPal. :-)

I just got back from a two week trip to Holland. I traveled around a bit but spent most of my time in Amsterdam and Alkmaar. While I had the time of my life, love Holland and really appreciate the Dutch, do NOT, what ever you do, count on any VISA card (credit, or linked to your debit) working. I understand smaller stores in more remote parts of the country could be questionable, but high end restaurants? Major shopping centers? Hmmm.

I don't consider myself to be ignorant, and have plenty of experience traveling in more remote areas, but it just came as a big surprise to me and if it hadn't been for my Dutch companion, I wouldn't have had much of an (affordable) alternative.

I bank with Wells Fargo, and made all of the necessary arrangements beforehand. I also consulted with Wells Fargo about their suggestions for this specific trip. As you may already be aware, when withdrawing cash from an ATM, it's worthwhile to withdraw in larger chunks, rather than take out 50-100 euro each time based on ATM fees (of course I'm aware of the danger of carrying cash). But almost all ATM's have a 100 euro cap for international bank cards...

I will say, that any time I attempted to use my VISA and it didn't work, the Dutch had many tips for me - ie: where to find an ATM, etc.

So part of my reason for posting is to share information, but I also am curious about if any of you have suggestions for an alternative? Would love to get my hands on a Dutch bank account, because I intend to return to Holland as often as I can! I could stay forever I think... if it weren't for this banking issue and my love for California avocados (but that's for a different thread).

Thanks!

I heard that if you have an HSBC account in your home country, it's quite easy to set one up in Europe. I wonder if they have HSBCs in Holland.

A side-note that made me smile: I needed to buy a printer this week, and one of the biggest electronics stores in the country WOULD accept my card for an online purchase.... But only if it was issued in the Netherlands. Mastercard, we've come to a parting of the ways :-)

I wonder if they have HSBCs in Holland
No. Their office in the Netherlands only deals with corporate clients, it seems.

From what I have read and heard (I haven't been to the Netherlands yet, going in May) the Dutch businesses hate paying the fees associated with accepting credit cards and thus prefer cash. Several of the hotels I have been looking at will secure your reservation with a credit card but require payment in cash. Presumably if you don't show up or trash the place, it is worth the fees to charge your card! I'm planning on getting as much cash from the airport ATM as I can to start and pay cash as much as I can.

Like going gambling, he repeated;

Never carry more cash on you, than you can afford to lose.
There are atm all over town. 4 digit pin.

Be sure to tell your home bank branch that you're going to Europe. So they won't cut it off, thinking it may be stolen.

As far as I know, I'm dutch, you can pay in most hotels and restaurants with your creditcard. Family owned hotels will accept creditcards as well but maybe less. Don't take to much cash with you if you would like to visit the big city's. It's safe but there are ATM's everywhere in the Netherlands, even in the rural areas. Every town has at least 1 ATM.

From what I have read and heard (I haven't been to the Netherlands yet, going in May) the Dutch businesses hate paying the fees associated with accepting credit cards and thus prefer cash
Most businesses seem to prefer payment by debet (PIN) card rather than anything else.

Presumably if you don't show up or trash the place, it is worth the fees to charge your card!
I think you're missing the point. Apart from that, asking for a credit card to guarantee a room (btw, this is in my experience only required when you plan to arrive after a certain time, usually 16:00h or so) is by no means a typically Dutch practice - I remember having to give my credit card number for every hotel booking I made in the US, for example.
No-one in his right mind would even consider using his credit card here to purchase a Big Mac menu or an ice cream, but that doesn't mean you'll need to plan on "getting as much cash from the airport ATM as I can" - in fact, boarding the train from Schiphol Airport and walking around Amsterdam in a jetlagged state with hundreds of euros in cash would be a truly dumb thing to do.

Ah, but I will be flying in from nearby, not the US so no jet lag. No offence meant towards anyone Dutch as far as credit card practices. Not using the credit cards for every little thing def makes sense. I also am trying to reduce the ATM and foreign transaction fees by getting a few bigger withdrawals vs lots of small ones. Am I going to have hundreds and hundreds of Euros on my person? I wish I was that wealthy but a reasonable amount is useful.