Pay with Visa card without chip? + travel adapter

  • JohnT
    Participant
    4 posts
    13 June 2017 at 15:49:36 #812253

    Hello,

    We will be visiting next week, travelling to Zurich, Lucerne, Engelberg, and Muerren/Berner Oberland.

    1.We’d like to use mainly a TD US$ Visa card. The card doesn’t have a chip and I have never used it with a PIN (and I don’t recall it). We do have a backup card with chip, but the Visa card would be the main card.

    Would a VISA card without chip and PIN (swipe only) be widely accepted to pay for hotels, restaurants, co-op stores, and trains?

    2. We have a travel plug adapter Canada to Europe with 2 prongs (pins)- would it work in most places ? We don’t have the Swiss 3 prong adapter.

    Thanks.

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    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    14 June 2017 at 6:32:36 #865072

    Hi JohnT,

    1. I have run into the odd chip issue here (machine isn’t working properly) and I swipe instead – so far so good. I haven’t seen a non-chip card in many years in Europe – if there is a PIN for it I would go to your bank and find out what it is before traveling.

      I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t work though – so double check with your bank and be ready with your back up chip card and PIN.

    2. I think it would be accepted yes – you may want to call your hotels and ask
    3. No, that adapter won’t work – close! The Swiss decided to make the shape of the wall outlet different and the thickness of the prongs is too big as well – see image attachments and here for more information.IF you don’t find an adapter before traveling here it is easy to buy one at the airport or main train station. Interdiscount, Fust or Migros Eletronics are your best bet (especially Interdiscount as they are at the airport and train station as well as many other locations).
  • The thread ‘Pay with Visa card without chip? + travel adapter’ is closed to new replies.

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