I travelled in Italy last year for three weeks. Both my husband and I used
ATM cards to get cash throughout, and we also both used credit cards for
purchases. Total of four cards used all together. 0 problems. We did not
use them in gas stations (as we did not have a car) but with no problems
at any bank that was there. No fraud, no problem whatever.

So I find it more difficult to believe that your experience is typical. (But
not, of course, difficult to believe it is true)

Julie


Giovanni Azua <[email protected]> wrote:
    > Hi Julie,

    > I think it depends where you go ... e.g. in France all of my
    > cards worked just fine ... in Italy none, just be aware of that
    > and get prepared in advance. Only bad experience in France
    > was in a boutique in Paris they had the sign of accepting AE but I
    > clearly saw them faking a failed operation ... they just did not
    > want to pay the credit card commision and I had to end up
    > paying with my last cash.

    > In Italy all gas stations would have their card machines at
    > least covered or broken or with some text explaining "today
    > does not work" :-) At the end somehow I felt better ... because
    > Italy is dangerous with cards i.e. whether they keep the info
    > and steal from it later on OR I have seen on news faked covers
    > on cash machines for stealing card information and PIN ... they
    > would eventually empty your private bank account.

    > HTH,

    > Regards,
    > Giovanni

    > "Juliana L Holm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >>I think your experience is very unusual. Did you talk to your bank in
    >>advance?
    >> Afterwards?
    >> Julie
    >> Giovanni Azua <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>> I think you have to be very lucky to have your cards working ...
    >>> e.g. I live in Switzerland and have a large and wide cards set
    >>> including: visa, american express, EC, Plus, Maestro. I went to
    >>> Italy for a weekend and was affraid to stay left on street for not
    >>> being able to refuel my car ... NONE of my cards worked in any
    >>> of the Italian banks (lack of connection, cash withdrawal not working
    >>> and NONE of the gas station accepted any kind of cards they only
    >>> accepted cash Euro) all defective ... I tried on around 25 different
    >>> places stations, bank cash machines, etc etc.
    >>> My conclusion was to take from your home country enough cash
    >>> in advance. I was visiting Genova Italy by car and got my slight fright
    >>> of staying lost on highway without gas to continue. As soon as I got
    >>> back to Switzerland everything worked just fine ;)
    >>> HTH,
    >>> Regards,
    >>> Giovanni
    >>> "John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >>> news:[email protected]...
    >>>> Hi All -
    >>>> I'm trying to verify a rumor/fact.
    >>>> Three Wells Fargo bank employees have told my wife that ATM cards will
    >>>> not
    >>>> work in Europe if th PIN begins with the numberal '1'.
    >>>> Since my PIN begins with a 1 I called my bank to get a new PIN. My bank
    >>>> told me that not only is this not a problem but the real problem is if
    >>>> the account number begins with a one. The person at my bank said that
    >>>> several of their bank employees whos ATM card PIN starts with have had
    >>>> no problems using them in Europe.
    >>>> So, I'm confused.
    >>>> Does anyone out there have experiences with this?
    >>>> Thanks!
    >> --
    >> Julie
    >> **********
    >> Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at
    >> www.blurty.com/users/jholm
    >> Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
    >> http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm



--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Did you go to Genoa? I can imagine Milan and Rome to
have less problems ... I do not care if you don't believe me
just be aware if any day you decide to visit Genoa, it was
a really frightening experience for me.

Regards,
Giovanni


"Juliana L Holm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    >I travelled in Italy last year for three weeks. Both my husband and I used
    > ATM cards to get cash throughout, and we also both used credit cards for
    > purchases. Total of four cards used all together. 0 problems. We did
    > not
    > use them in gas stations (as we did not have a car) but with no problems
    > at any bank that was there. No fraud, no problem whatever.
    > So I find it more difficult to believe that your experience is typical.
    > (But
    > not, of course, difficult to believe it is true)
    > Julie
    > Giovanni Azua <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> Hi Julie,
    >> I think it depends where you go ... e.g. in France all of my
    >> cards worked just fine ... in Italy none, just be aware of that
    >> and get prepared in advance. Only bad experience in France
    >> was in a boutique in Paris they had the sign of accepting AE but I
    >> clearly saw them faking a failed operation ... they just did not
    >> want to pay the credit card commision and I had to end up
    >> paying with my last cash.
    >> In Italy all gas stations would have their card machines at
    >> least covered or broken or with some text explaining "today
    >> does not work" :-) At the end somehow I felt better ... because
    >> Italy is dangerous with cards i.e. whether they keep the info
    >> and steal from it later on OR I have seen on news faked covers
    >> on cash machines for stealing card information and PIN ... they
    >> would eventually empty your private bank account.
    >> HTH,
    >> Regards,
    >> Giovanni
    >> "Juliana L Holm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >> news:[email protected]...
    >>>I think your experience is very unusual. Did you talk to your bank in
    >>>advance?
    >>> Afterwards?
    >>> Julie
    >>> Giovanni Azua <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>>> I think you have to be very lucky to have your cards working ...
    >>>> e.g. I live in Switzerland and have a large and wide cards set
    >>>> including: visa, american express, EC, Plus, Maestro. I went to
    >>>> Italy for a weekend and was affraid to stay left on street for not
    >>>> being able to refuel my car ... NONE of my cards worked in any
    >>>> of the Italian banks (lack of connection, cash withdrawal not working
    >>>> and NONE of the gas station accepted any kind of cards they only
    >>>> accepted cash Euro) all defective ... I tried on around 25 different
    >>>> places stations, bank cash machines, etc etc.
    >>>> My conclusion was to take from your home country enough cash
    >>>> in advance. I was visiting Genova Italy by car and got my slight fright
    >>>> of staying lost on highway without gas to continue. As soon as I got
    >>>> back to Switzerland everything worked just fine ;)
    >>>> HTH,
    >>>> Regards,
    >>>> Giovanni
    >>>> "John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >>>> news:[email protected]...
    >>>>> Hi All -
    >>>>> I'm trying to verify a rumor/fact.
    >>>>> Three Wells Fargo bank employees have told my wife that ATM cards will
    >>>>> not
    >>>>> work in Europe if th PIN begins with the numberal '1'.
    >>>>> Since my PIN begins with a 1 I called my bank to get a new PIN. My
    >>>>> bank
    >>>>> told me that not only is this not a problem but the real problem is if
    >>>>> the account number begins with a one. The person at my bank said that
    >>>>> several of their bank employees whos ATM card PIN starts with have had
    >>>>> no problems using them in Europe.
    >>>>> So, I'm confused.
    >>>>> Does anyone out there have experiences with this?
    >>>>> Thanks!
    >>> --
    >>> Julie
    >>> **********
    >>> Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at
    >>> www.blurty.com/users/jholm
    >>> Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
    >>> http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm
    > --
    > Julie
    > **********
    > Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at
    > www.blurty.com/users/jholm
    > Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
    > http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

No. Naples, Pompeii, Rome, Spoleto, Assisi, Siena, Florence, San Gimignano,
Ravenna, Venice, Padua, Verona, Milan.

But your original post did not say "Genoa" it said "Italy". Big difference.

Julie


Giovanni Azua <[email protected]> wrote:
    > Did you go to Genoa? I can imagine Milan and Rome to
    > have less problems ... I do not care if you don't believe me
    > just be aware if any day you decide to visit Genoa, it was
    > a really frightening experience for me.

    > Regards,
    > Giovanni


    > "Juliana L Holm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >>I travelled in Italy last year for three weeks. Both my husband and I used
    >> ATM cards to get cash throughout, and we also both used credit cards for
    >> purchases. Total of four cards used all together. 0 problems. We did
    >> not
    >> use them in gas stations (as we did not have a car) but with no problems
    >> at any bank that was there. No fraud, no problem whatever.
    >> So I find it more difficult to believe that your experience is typical.
    >> (But
    >> not, of course, difficult to believe it is true)
    >> Julie
    >> Giovanni Azua <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>> Hi Julie,
    >>> I think it depends where you go ... e.g. in France all of my
    >>> cards worked just fine ... in Italy none, just be aware of that
    >>> and get prepared in advance. Only bad experience in France
    >>> was in a boutique in Paris they had the sign of accepting AE but I
    >>> clearly saw them faking a failed operation ... they just did not
    >>> want to pay the credit card commision and I had to end up
    >>> paying with my last cash.
    >>> In Italy all gas stations would have their card machines at
    >>> least covered or broken or with some text explaining "today
    >>> does not work" :-) At the end somehow I felt better ... because
    >>> Italy is dangerous with cards i.e. whether they keep the info
    >>> and steal from it later on OR I have seen on news faked covers
    >>> on cash machines for stealing card information and PIN ... they
    >>> would eventually empty your private bank account.
    >>> HTH,
    >>> Regards,
    >>> Giovanni
    >>> "Juliana L Holm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >>> news:[email protected]...
    >>>>I think your experience is very unusual. Did you talk to your bank in
    >>>>advance?
    >>>> Afterwards?
    >>>> Julie
    >>>> Giovanni Azua <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>>>> I think you have to be very lucky to have your cards working ...
    >>>>> e.g. I live in Switzerland and have a large and wide cards set
    >>>>> including: visa, american express, EC, Plus, Maestro. I went to
    >>>>> Italy for a weekend and was affraid to stay left on street for not
    >>>>> being able to refuel my car ... NONE of my cards worked in any
    >>>>> of the Italian banks (lack of connection, cash withdrawal not working
    >>>>> and NONE of the gas station accepted any kind of cards they only
    >>>>> accepted cash Euro) all defective ... I tried on around 25 different
    >>>>> places stations, bank cash machines, etc etc.
    >>>>> My conclusion was to take from your home country enough cash
    >>>>> in advance. I was visiting Genova Italy by car and got my slight fright
    >>>>> of staying lost on highway without gas to continue. As soon as I got
    >>>>> back to Switzerland everything worked just fine ;)
    >>>>> HTH,
    >>>>> Regards,
    >>>>> Giovanni
    >>>>> "John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >>>>> news:[email protected]...
    >>>>>> Hi All -
    >>>>>> I'm trying to verify a rumor/fact.
    >>>>>> Three Wells Fargo bank employees have told my wife that ATM cards will
    >>>>>> not
    >>>>>> work in Europe if th PIN begins with the numberal '1'.
    >>>>>> Since my PIN begins with a 1 I called my bank to get a new PIN. My
    >>>>>> bank
    >>>>>> told me that not only is this not a problem but the real problem is if
    >>>>>> the account number begins with a one. The person at my bank said that
    >>>>>> several of their bank employees whos ATM card PIN starts with have had
    >>>>>> no problems using them in Europe.
    >>>>>> So, I'm confused.
    >>>>>> Does anyone out there have experiences with this?
    >>>>>> Thanks!
    >>>> --
    >>>> Julie
    >>>> **********
    >>>> Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at
    >>>> www.blurty.com/users/jholm
    >>>> Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
    >>>> http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm
    >> --
    >> Julie
    >> **********
    >> Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at
    >> www.blurty.com/users/jholm
    >> Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
    >> http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm



--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

"Juliana L Holm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > No. Naples, Pompeii, Rome, Spoleto, Assisi, Siena, Florence, San
    > Gimignano,
    > Ravenna, Venice, Padua, Verona, Milan.
    > But your original post did not say "Genoa" it said "Italy". Big
    > difference.
    >> I was visiting Genova Italy by car and got my slight fright of staying
    >> lost
    >> on highway without gas to continue.
    :-)

My mistake. However, you put this line at the very end of your post, and at
the top you said that NONE of your cards worked in any of the Italian Banks.

While you say your destination was Genoa, it does not follow that is the
only place where you used your card.

The original post does indeed imply that cards are not working in Italy,
since you also say once you got past the swiss border you were fine again.

For What it is worth I once had a situation where nothing at all worked in
Munich airport. That was because the Network was down. I don't know how long
the network was down, but I do know that the next day I was able to use my ATM
card in the Bahnhof with no problem.

I always take some of the local currency when I travel, but I never take enough
to cover the entire trip and always rely on my ATM Card.

For curiosity's sake, how did you manage to get out of italy with no money and
no gas? Must be a story in that!

Julie
Giovanni Azua <[email protected]> wrote:

    > "Juliana L Holm" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> No. Naples, Pompeii, Rome, Spoleto, Assisi, Siena, Florence, San
    >> Gimignano,
    >> Ravenna, Venice, Padua, Verona, Milan.
    >> But your original post did not say "Genoa" it said "Italy". Big
    >> difference.
    >>> I was visiting Genova Italy by car and got my slight fright of staying
    >>> lost
    >>> on highway without gas to continue.
    > :-)



--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Juliana L Holm <[email protected]> wrote:
    >For What it is worth I once had a situation where nothing at all worked in
    >Munich airport. That was because the Network was down. I don't know how long
    >the network was down, but I do know that the next day I was able to use my ATM
    >card in the Bahnhof with no problem.
    >I always take some of the local currency when I travel, but I never take enough
    >to cover the entire trip and always rely on my ATM Card.
    >For curiosity's sake, how did you manage to get out of italy with no money and
    >no gas? Must be a story in that!
    >Julie

I´ve tried occasionally that an ATM has gone out of cash, if there
has been a weekend + some national holiday.

Kristian

"Juliana L Holm" <[email protected]> wrote
    > While you say your destination was Genoa, it does not follow that is the
    > only place where you used your card.
That's right going to Genoa Italy from Switzerland you have to pass by
Como, Milan and few more small towns on the way :)

    > The original post does indeed imply that cards are not working in Italy,
    > since you also say once you got past the swiss border you were fine again.
Yep in CH everything worked ;) only few times I have had problems at
CH cash machines or petrol stations.

    > I always take some of the local currency when I travel, but I never take
    > enough
    > to cover the entire trip and always rely on my ATM Card.
This is the most recommended and is what I did but I was in trouble.

    > For curiosity's sake, how did you manage to get out of italy with no money
    > and
    > no gas? Must be a story in that!
Good question, I went to Genoa to visit a friend, he would lend me some
cash and I paid him back later on :) the big problem was actually on sunday
returning home, though.

But it was no surprise for me ... I lived in Italy for two years (Pisa and
Milan)
and many times specially on weekends none of the Italian cards would work :)
lack of connection or defective machines whatever, I had my accounts on
"Banca Popolare di Milano".

Regards,
Giovanni

Tim Challenger <[email protected]> wrote:

    > On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 14:05:42 +0100, [email protected]
    > wrote:
[]
    > > The only experience I have buying petrol on
    > > mainland europe was when offering to fill up my brother's car in Norway-
    > > to paraphrase the Little Britain character, 'the computer said no.'
    > > Cough.
    >
    > embarrassing, isn't it? :-)

Argos declined my debit card a few weeks ago. I don't know what the
problem was- and the bank didn't either- no problem with the card, money
etc. I'm still a little edgy about it, and still nervously eye the
closest exits when using the card in shops. :)

--
David Horne- http://www.davidhorne.net
usenet (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
photos at http://homepage.mac.com/davidhornecomposer

Credit and ATM cards can be difficult at times. Once my US credit card
would not be accepted at a gas pump in Florida but then another one of mine
worked fine. I have used credit cards all over Europe and Russia and the
only problem I had was once at the rail station in Paris. My friend's card
worked fine. This same friend and I were in China, where at an ATM, my card
worked to give me cash but his would not. We went to a different bank and
his then worked fine to give him cash. Just keep trying.

Al <[email protected]> wrote:
    > Credit and ATM cards can be difficult at times. Once my US credit card
    > would not be accepted at a gas pump in Florida but then another one of mine
    > worked fine. I have used credit cards all over Europe and Russia and the
    > only problem I had was once at the rail station in Paris. My friend's card
    > worked fine. This same friend and I were in China, where at an ATM, my card
    > worked to give me cash but his would not. We went to a different bank and
    > his then worked fine to give him cash. Just keep trying.

I always get cash BEFORE I run out. For example, I'll arrive in Germany with
55 Euro cash, but I'll get cash as quickly as I can afterwards.

Julie


--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

You hit on the only ATM problem I've experienced abroad; in the US
also... By Sunday afternoon into Monday morning It's a crapshoot to
find machines with any money left in them... No problems ever anywhere
with a starting "1" in your PIN; just make sure you have a Four digit
PIN.

Tim K

"Giovanni Azua" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

    > >
    > Good question, I went to Genoa to visit a friend, he would lend me
some
    > cash and I paid him back later on :) the big problem was actually on
sunday
    > returning home, though.
    > But it was no surprise for me ... I lived in Italy for two years (Pisa
and
    > Milan)
    > and many times specially on weekends none of the Italian cards would
work :)
    > lack of connection or defective machines whatever, I had my accounts
on
    > "Banca Popolare di Milano".
    > Regards,
    > Giovanni

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 15:49:27 +0200, "Giovanni Azua"
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >But it was no surprise for me ... I lived in Italy for two years (Pisa and
    >Milan)
    >and many times specially on weekends none of the Italian cards would work :)
    >lack of connection or defective machines whatever, I had my accounts on
    >"Banca Popolare di Milano".

I live in Italy and I use three credit cards and three ATM cards in
Italian bancomats. One of the credit cards is Italian and two are
American. Two of the ATM cards are Italian and one is American.

I've lived in Italy for seven years now; before that I lived in the
US. In these seven years I've never experienced the pervasive problem
you describe. Very occasionally an ATM is out of service, but then I'm
always able to get cash from a different one in my town. I've never
experienced a situation where I couldn't get money. I've never had
problems with the American cards.

I've only rarely bought gasoline using an ATM card, so I can't speak
with authority about those.

Perhaps your Swiss cards weren't sufficiently adapted to international
standards?

Also, it occurred to me that maybe your experience was from a long
time ago. On my first trip to Italy, over ten years ago, I had trouble
finding a bank that would accept my American ATM card. I had been told
by my American bank that it would work at the ATMs of a certain
Italian bank (I forget which), but it was not a bank that was very
often seen in Rome. Also, ten years ago, it sometimes happened to me
in a small town that if one ATM machine was out of service, all the
others were as well. These things don't happen any more.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 15:02:08 +0200, Tim Challenger
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >Italy is just because I think everything is broken.

This old canard is just not true, at least not these days.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

B Vaughan <[email protected]> wrote:

    >>Italy is just because I think everything is broken.

    > This old canard is just not true, at least not these days.
    > --
This was my experience this last May, also. That is to say more clearly,
my experience is that we did nto run into things that were broken on any kind
of regular basis. Even in Naples, which is a city that is frequently cited
as having more of this kind of problem.

--
Julie
**********
Check out the blog of my 9 week Germany adventure at www.blurty.com/users/jholm
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 16:28:42 +0200, B Vaughan wrote:

    > On Mon, 26 Sep 2005 15:02:08 +0200, Tim Challenger
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >>Italy is just because I think everything is broken.
    >
    > This old canard is just not true, at least not these days.

Have you tried using the petrol machines in Cortina recently?

--
Tim C.