European self serve fuel stations (1 Viewer)

Wikisnoodle

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One problem that frustrates us when touring in Europe (approx 4 weeks/year) is that most of the cheaper self serve fuel stations won't accept our Mastercard or Visa card (credit or debit). Is it possible for someone based in the UK to get a card that would work and, if so, who from?
 
Jan 19, 2012
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We've only been in France and Belgium but have never had our Halifax Clarity card refused. Which countries are you experiencing problems in?
 
Feb 9, 2008
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I have the same problem with my Caxton card in France. However, my visa card is always accepted and my Caxton card too when their is someone in the booth !

Unmanned fuel stations are increasing for obvious reasons.

Not sure what the solution is however.

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hilldweller

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self serve fuel stations

Pretty unnerving too. A pay station miles from the pump and instructions I can't understand. So I'm wondering whose fuel I am paying for. I often do a €10 note test run just to see if I've got it right.

We survive, it adds to the fun.
 

JockandRita

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We use our Nationwide credit card, have done for years, never had a problem.
Yep, same here. :thumb: We used a Norwich & Peterborough debit card on the way down to Spain and back this year, with no problems either.

Cheers,

Jock.

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JeanLuc

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This used to be a common problem but is much less of an issue today. I thought the majority of French supermarkets had reprogrammed their systems to accept foreign-issued debit and credit cards; there are still a few where we have had problems though. I carry two credit cards for fuel, both Visa and issued by different UK banks; usually one or other will work.
Perhaps it would be worth noting the supermarket groups that accept your card, then try to stick to them.
 
Aug 23, 2009
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When we moved to France in 2000 their chip and pin system had been in existence for some years and there were hardly any atm's, self service fuel points and supermarkets that would accept the later technology UK issued cards. If you didn't have a French bank account you had to use the old paper voucher card machines in supermarkets and pay cash for fuel - making sure that you bought it during the hours that the kiosk was manned.
Fortunately most places are now updates to a common system although we found a couple last year that gave us trouble.
 

BwB

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Last time I experienced a problem like that was in the '90's. I've noticed, since about 2007, that many of the pump card readers will change the display to English when I use a UK card so things are always improving.

When it did used to happen to me in the 90's I would hang about until a local came along and offer him the cash in exchange for using his card and they were always happy to help.

I normally use a debit card so maybe that's more acceptable than a credit card? Just a thought - don't know for sure.

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Minxy

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We only use a Nationwide credit card and haven't had a problem at all.
 

motorhomer

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Last time I experienced a problem like that was in the '90's. I've noticed, since about 2007, that many of the pump card readers will change the display to English when I use a UK card so things are always improving.

When it did used to happen to me in the 90's I would hang about until a local came along and offer him the cash in exchange for using his card and they were always happy to help.

I normally use a debit card so maybe that's more acceptable than a credit card? Just a thought - don't know for sure.

Me too. My problem was on a Saturday, towing a caravan up to Calais to come home. Almost ran out of fuel, no self service pumps would take my card and as it was Saturday lunch time supermarkets were all closed until 3 (I think).
Had no choice but to wait for a local and give him cash to put some fuel into my car on his card.

I have had no problems in recent years though.
 

MikeandCarolyn

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I use a Natwest debit card-only had problem twice in 3 yrs.
Never let tank drop below 1/4 so no problem looking for another station if there is a problem ::bigsmile:

Mike.

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Forestboy

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We had this problem in October in France at unmanned stations on quite a few occasions. Luckily each time we managed to find a manned station but a couple of times we nearly ran out of fuel. We had Visa, Mastercard and Halifax card non accepted in unmanned stations.
 
Jul 4, 2010
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There are a new breed of unmanned fuel stations, often owned by the large fuel co's, these are not connected to supermarkets. They are increasing as others have said so will create more problems for non French in the future.
No idea why so much of the country accept UK cards and these don't, but we have come across this with more frequency in the last few years.

We are fortunate enough to have a French bank card (although our main funds are in our UK account) but prefer not to use that. So to counter this problem there are a few things you can try.

If you see reasonably priced fuel and are say half full then top us if you are in a region you are not familiar with.

In the main most supermarkets will accept UK cards when closed, so look for supermarkets hoardings or 'Centre Commercial' sign posts

In extreme, stop and ask where the nearest fuel station is at whatever price, there are many more than you realise.

Stay where you are and ask a French person if you can pay them cash (better keep to say 20 or 30 euros max) for them using their debit card for you. That will always work as long as it's not 3am.
 
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Gunner29

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Have used the CC visa card for past 7 yrs and never had a problem.
With all the points gained we caimed 4 free nights on CC sites as well

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klyne

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Funnily enough during the Autumn in France I started to use a few self pay fuel pumps through choice as I have found them less busy than the cashier ones. Also for anyone towing or with a motorhome these pumps have easier access both in and out!

David
 

Heyupluv

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Pretty unnerving too. A pay station miles from the pump and instructions I can't understand. So I'm wondering whose fuel I am paying for. I often do a €10 note test run just to see if I've got it right.

We survive, it adds to the fun.

Brian in France. all the pumps that you pay the attendant at a booth...you fill with diesel or petrol...take the number of the pump and then drive to the pay booth....the attendant does not allow the other person now stationed on the pump you have just used to take any fuel until you have paid...and self service you pay at the pump......that is why it takes so long in France filling stations:Doh:

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Apr 27, 2008
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We have found for the last few years that most will take UK cards. It used to be a big problem back in the 90s though.
Supermarket pumps always seem to accept UK cards, and these are always the cheapest too:Smile:
 
Jul 4, 2010
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The single pay point self service I was describing was in Italy. We came across a lot of small filling stations with no attendants.

They are appearing now in France too, there's one about 15 km from us. If this is the same as you used in Italy there is a single pay machine for maybe 3 or 4 pumps. You put the number of the pump you intend to use and pay up front, in effect pay for something you don't know the value of as you aren't sure how much you will use.
When finished the pay machine tells you how much you used and what you will be charged for, a ticket follows when you are done.
This may get a little confusing if there is someone ar each pump at the same time, but if you are on your own at the fuel station it's only your ticket that will come out at the end.

We drove from central France to Madrid and back in November. We had to use one of these pumps in France as it was late at night (the service station is usually staffed in the day), and one in the day in Spain that was fully automated (the cheapest fuel on the whole trip). The automated one was on an industrial estate with no office for personnel. So that was two in one single trip and neither were by design just in the right place for us at the time.

Elf in France appear to be adding more and more of these fully automated ones, in particular in the north (away from the coast).

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Jul 4, 2010
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We have found for the last few years that most will take UK cards. It used to be a big problem back in the 90s though.
Supermarket pumps always seem to accept UK cards, and these are always the cheapest too:Smile:

That's about right except there are some changes at a few supermarkets recently. We have a regular route using the A77. At the southern end at Cosne Cours there is an Auchan supermarket where we have refuelled in each direction maybe about every 5 weeks for nearly 7 years.

About last summer the pump indicated that it couldn't take any cards, ie was faulty. A few weeks later on the way back same again (thinking they should get their maintenance sorted out). Next time it wouldn't accept our UK debit cards at all (yes plenty of funds). Same on our return (the 4th visit). When this happened on the 5th visit I tried our Credit Agricole card and it worked where our UK ones didn't.

We already knew there was a Carrefour supermarket about another 200m past Auchan, so now we just drive past Auchan and don't bother to try them. That was a case of reverting to how it was in the 1990's.

Our journeys start and end in the evening when the kiosk is closed.
 
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Wikisnoodle

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Thanks for sharing all your experiences. We use a Nationwide Mastercard Debit card and a Tesco Visa Credit card and over and over again in the past 4 years, across France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Benelux, we have been denied at the cheaper self-serve-only forecourts. We've not had a problem at manned fuelstops and at any other use of the cards.

I don't have a record of which forecourts deny us, but it would be a far longer list than those we've been successful at!
 

makems

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I've also had problems with credit cards being declined at unmanned stations in Holland.

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Apr 19, 2008
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Tesco credit card no general problem, however one trip 2012 self service card did not operate however moved van to another pump and all was well. not manned and supermarket was closed.
 
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Wikisnoodle

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We have found for the last few years that most will take UK cards. It used to be a big problem back in the 90s though.
Supermarket pumps always seem to accept UK cards, and these are always the cheapest too:Smile:

We're fast coming to the conclusion that we must travel in an Autotrail time-machine! :)

Popping in and out of multiple cheaper forecourts looking for one that might work doesn't add to the pleasure of touring.
 

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