Latest posts for the topic "credit cards in Austria"

credit cards in Austria

Wed, 6 Feb 2013 22:32:27 GMT

Anybody who's been to Hochkonig(Maria Alm)know if the mountain restaurants accept credit cards,went to Obergurgl for xmas and the mountain huts didn't take cards only cash.
Cheers :D

Re:credit cards in Austria

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:04:06 GMT

Tend to use cash myself .... but in France the French always seem to use credit/Debit cards all of the time.
Perhaps speak to the local tourist board 8)

Re:credit cards in Austria

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 08:58:09 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:Tend to use cash myself .... but in France the French always seem to use credit/Debit cards all of the time.
Perhaps speak to the local tourist board 8)

I only use cash myself on ski holidays to pay small bills, like in restaurants, because my bank charge me a lot to use my debit card :(

They use the Visa rate to convert euros to pounds, and then charge another 2.99% of the total amount, and then charge me GBP1.00 each time I use it.

So if I spent, say, GBP15 on lunch it would cost me:
2.99% x 15 = GBP0.45 plus GBP1.00 = GBP1.45 :shock:

And if I get money out of the ATM whilst I'm abroad with my debit card, they use the Visa exchange rate again, charge me 2.99% again, but then charge another 1.5% with a minimum charge of GBP2.00.

So if I was silly enough to get GBP20 out of the ATM whilst abroad on holiday it would cost me:
2.99% x GBP20 = GBP0.60 plus GBP2.00 = GBP2.60 :shock:

Usually I buy about 200 euros before I go on holiday, trying to catch the best exchange rate I can, and use these in restaurants etc. and use my card to pay for anything over about GBP100.

I have thought about getting a special card to use on holiday, with cheaper charges, like the one the Post Office do, but I've never got around to it ...

Re:credit cards in Austria

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 09:06:01 GMT

no I never use a debit card or take money from an atm when abroad but I have a credit card that gives me points every time Ispend on it so get plenty of freebie trips so it's beneficial for me to use a cc as we pay our bill off in full each month.

Re:credit cards in Austria

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 09:51:43 GMT

Good question Birdy, and one I've not thought of even having gone to Maria Alm the last 6 years but its got me thinking now.
To be honest, the restaurants are so reasonable on the slopes that I don't think I've ever needed to use a card but if they did accept them, and I see no reason why they wouldn't it would only be Visa/Mastercard
They look at me in a funny way if i produce my Amex card(ski shop/retaurant/lift counter...anywhere really). Even the hotel doesn't accept that, so if your card is an Amex, make sure you have an alternative

Re:credit cards in Austria

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:18:34 GMT

I agree with what has been said, but one tip which may be of use is to get a Halifax Clarity credit card, and use that for everything where you don't want to use cash. Reason is, they don't charge any fees for overseas use, the exchange rate they apply is very fair, and you can even withdraw cash from ATMs abroad without any fees. Of course, interest applies from the time you withdraw the cash, but if you pay this back in via internet banking, or pre-set up a payment before you leave the UK, then you avoid interest charges. I'm not aware of any other credit cards which are quite so rip-off free overseas as this one, but no doubt there are some others which other J2Skiers may know of.

Re:credit cards in Austria

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 15:57:18 GMT

I always use my CaxtonFX card (for all travel of which i do alot), it preloaded before you leave at the best rates you will find around,no charges to withdraw or pay, it is connected to your normal bank account so can be re-loaded any time either online, by text or by phone. So no carrying large amounts of cash. Oh and if you loose it they will replace worlwide in 24h.

Re:credit cards in Austria

Thu, 7 Feb 2013 16:18:20 GMT

I use cash in all restaurants, and shops, and use Barclaycard to pay for ski hire, lift passes, and any other large(ish) amounts.

Re:credit cards in Austria

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 06:53:19 GMT

None of which answers the question of whether or not the restaurants on the slopes in the Maria Alm region take credit cards

When are you going?....I'll be able to tell you for sure in a couple of weeks as we go on the 16th

Re:credit cards in Austria

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 08:32:21 GMT

thanks for the sympathy in not getting a definitive answer to my question robandliza but we're also going out there on the 16th,it appears from other forums that a lot of the mountain huts don't take cc's so looks like cash

Re:credit cards in Austria

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 10:55:30 GMT

see you there........lunch on you ,credit card optional :)

Re:credit cards in Austria

Fri, 8 Feb 2013 11:33:17 GMT

The only clear information from my experience is that most places in Austria take credit cards but often not supermarkets. The card machines in supermarkets only seem to accept pre-paid cards. A minority of the smaller huts do have a 'no credit card' sign up (and often have lower prices than the bigger bars and huts).

Cash is also more convenient if you adopt the local custom in Austria (and in the south of Germany - less so in the more hard-nosed mentality of northern Germany) of rounding up the bill by about 10% for a tip.