Credit /Debit Cards in Germany

[jumble]

I have not been to Germany for many years but am going next week
Last time i encountered a few places that would only accept cash including the bus ticket office in Darmstadt and some cafes
I have been to Milan and Prague and Amsterdam and on those occasions I took no Euros/Crowns but have used only my Clarity and Santander zero legacy card
Question
Is it prudent to take some Euros for a week in Germany or have they caught up with the rest of the world re contactless?

 

[The exile]

I have not been to Germany for many years but am going next week
Last time i encountered a few places that would only accept cash including the bus ticket office in Darmstadt and some cafes
I have been to Milan and Prague and Amsterdam and on those occasions I took no Euros/Crowns but have used only my Clarity and Santander zero legacy card
Question
Is it prudent to take some Euros for a week in Germany or have they caught up with the rest of the world re contactless?

Given yesterday’s happenings in Denmark, I’d always have at least a days worth of emergency cash. It’s one thing being unable to use any kind of cards when you’re at home (and probably have a few supplies in the fridge and access to drinking water from a tap) but a completely different story if you’re not.

 

[matt]

Depending where you are going in Germany it would advisable to have some cash.

 

[Joe Paxton]

Defo have some cash - card acceptance is increasing in Germany but is by no means universal, culturally cash use remains widespread.

No real need to change up cash before you leave though, just get it from a cash machine when you're there - assuming you've got a debit card that won't sting you for so doing. (Is the "Santander zero legacy card" a debit card?)

 

[blimmo]

Last time I was in Germany I got caught out by a very fancy restaurant only taking local debit cards. The kebab shop I expected to be cash only but at the fancy restaurant I had to run to the ATM.

 

[matt]

I visited one of the narrow gauge lines near Dresden recently. They claimed not to take cards only EC cards (not too sure what that is) However when I said I didn't have enough cash on more they accepted my credit card. Strangely at one of the other lines operated by the same company, the train guard happily sold me a ticket on the platform using my credit card.

 

[riceuten]

I've been visiting Germany for a number of years, and have seen the transformation from almost no card acceptance (except German issued Eurocards (EC-Cards)) to reasonably widespread acceptance of Visa/MC (not Amex). Most high street chains like Mueller, most supermarkets, chain fast food places like McD's and Burger King will accept cards.

Independent cafes, bakeries, some restaurants, bus companies out in the sticks, less so. You'd be unwise in cafes, bakeries or restaurants to offer a card for less than €10-€20, unless they indicate otherwise.

DB (and other transport authorities) ticket machines are being (slowly) converted but can't always be relied on. You can often sidestep restrictions by using your phone to acquire tickets from DB (and other transport authorities) apps, which are then displayed as a QR code and which their ticket machines can read. Quite a few have an English translation.

For pulling cash out of an ATM, it's bizarre with Santander - I have a fee free (but minimum bells and whistles) 'Everyday Current Account' (or as some would have it a "pov account"). I have resisted the urge to acquire a paid for account with cashback, in various Santander incarnations. One of the quirks of Santander is, with my "pov" card, I can extract up to €200 (possibly more) a day from my account, fee free at the MC rate.

If I had an Edge/Edge Up/Zero/123 account, I would have to pay a whopping 2.99% fee to do this. But if I used my Santander "Pov" card in a shop, I would be subject to a similar exchange rate loading (and I believe the holders of Edge/Edge Up/Zero/123 accounts get off scot-free). So I don't.

 

[rvdborgt]

They claimed not to take cards only EC cards (not too sure what that is)

EC cards (Eurocheque cards) haven't existed for quite some time now. When people still use this term, they normally mean a debit card.

 

[riceuten]

I visited one of the narrow gauge lines near Dresden recently. They claimed not to take cards only EC cards (not too sure what that is) However when I said I didn't have enough cash on more they accepted my credit card. Strangely at one of the other lines operated by the same company, the train guard happily sold me a ticket on the platform using my credit card.

EC cards (Eurocheque cards) haven't existed for quite some time now. When people still use this term, they normally mean a debit card

The former used to be code for "we don't take foreign cards at all". As RVDBorgt says, EC and Maestro cards are no longer issued. It's often a choice made by shopkeepers who are terrified of foreign things.

 

[43096]

This is rather painting a picture that I don't recognise - having spent 10 days in Belgium, Germany, Czechia and Austria a few weeks back, I didn't spend a single bit of cash. Everywhere - and I mean everywhere - took cards.

 

[U-Bahnfreund]

I live in Germany and almost never pay anything in cash. I try having like 10€ on me for when an ice cream stand doesn't accept cards, but otherwise I really never use cash. Urban, in the south-west, for reference.

 

[riceuten]

This is rather painting a picture that I don't recognise - having spent 10 days in Belgium, Germany, Czechia and Austria a few weeks back, I didn't spend a single bit of cash. Everywhere - and I mean everywhere - took cards.

Where in Germany ? In big cities, for sure. In the back of beyond, it’s patchier. I agree with you that Belgium, the Czech Republic (as well as France, Poland, Spain, Italy etc) all take cards without a fuss. If you venture out of the tourist trail, it’s not always the same story.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 May 2026 ==

I live in Germany and almost never pay anything in cash. I try having like 10€ on me for when an ice cream stand doesn't accept cards, but otherwise I really never use cash. Urban, in the south-west, for reference.

Countryside and small town in the south west as well. Stuttgart, Saarbrücken, Trier, Karlsruhe, Kaiserslautern, for sure. Towns smaller than this, less so.

 

[AdamWW]

This is rather painting a picture that I don't recognise - having spent 10 days in Belgium, Germany, Czechia and Austria a few weeks back, I didn't spend a single bit of cash. Everywhere - and I mean everywhere - took cards.

In Germany last year (Bavaria) I did come across places that only accepted cash, and not exactly in out of the way places. A bit of a surprise because it's not something I expect any more in Europe.

 

[Porty]

In Germany last year (Bavaria) I did come across places that only accepted cash, and not exactly in out of the way places. A bit of a surprise because it's not something I expect any more in Europe.

In Berlin, Munich and Nuremberg this year and last year I only needed cash in a small shop as they had a minimum €5 for cards. Easily solved by going a few doors down the street for my small purchase. Biggest need for cash was in museum lockers needing a €1 or €2 coin. In all cases he staffed desks gave me a plastic token to use instead, and in one case a coin.

 

[AdamWW]

In Berlin, Munich and Nuremberg this year and last year I only needed cash in a small shop as they had a minimum €5 for cards. Easily solved by going a few doors down the street for my small purchase. Biggest need for cash was in museum lockers needing a €1 or €2 coin. In all cases he staffed desks gave me a plastic token to use instead, and in one case a coin.

I remember having a meal in a pub where they only took cash. From us, anyway.

 

[bahnause]

Germany is a card only country for me. Don’t feel the need for cash.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I've worked extensively in western Europe for the past 30 years. Since Covid, I can't remember using cash anywhere, including Germany (even relatively rural areas).

 

[blimmo]

EC cards (Eurocheque cards) haven't existed for quite some time now. When people still use this term, they normally mean a debit card.

The restaurant I visited in September last year (Goslar) claimed to accept "ec cards and girocards". I got as far as tapping my visa debit card on the machine which simply didn't respond at all. Everyone seemed to think visa meant credit card and called their local card only machines debit card only.

 

[A S Leib]

I live in Germany and almost never pay anything in cash. I try having like 10€ on me for when an ice cream stand doesn't accept cards, but otherwise I really never use cash. Urban, in the south-west, for reference.

Same sort of area for me, and my experience has been similar. I'd recommend having slightly more than €10 in case, for example, DB dining carriages aren't accepting cards which has happened to me at least twice in the past few weeks.

 

[Acathater]

I visited one of the narrow gauge lines near Dresden recently. They claimed not to take cards only EC cards (not too sure what that is) However when I said I didn't have enough cash on more they accepted my credit card. Strangely at one of the other lines operated by the same company, the train guard happily sold me a ticket on the platform using my credit card.

"EC" cards were the card guarantee part of the old pan-European Eurocheque system, but could also be used as debit cards. The whole system was more or less scrapped around 25 years ago.
Unfortunate that the network no longer exists as it would now be a European controlled alternative to the American controlled Visa and Mastercard networks

 

[MikeFromLFE]

This is rather painting a picture that I don't recognise - having spent 10 days in Belgium, Germany, Czechia and Austria a few weeks back, I didn't spend a single bit of cash. Everywhere - and I mean everywhere - took cards.

Same here - last September we went through Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Germany & Netherlandsand came home with exactly the same amount of cash€ as we went with.
Very similar pattern in 2024 when we went to Netherlands & Germany - I'm pretty sure we didn't send any cash.
I guess if you go well off the tourist trail then you might hit cash only, but we never did!

 

[43096]

Same here - last September we went through Austria, Slovakia, Czechia, Germany & Netherlandsand came home with exactly the same amount of cash€ as we went with.
Very similar pattern in 2024 when we went to Netherlands & Germany - I'm pretty sure we didn't send any cash.
I guess if you go well off the tourist trail then you might hit cash only, but we never did!

I think the last time I used cash in Europe was a taxi from Ljubljana airport last year sometime.

 

[Thames99]

I agree that Germany has changed very much in the lasy few years and card payments are very common even for small amounts. Sitting in a cafe in Mainz it was noticeable that almost everyone was paying contactlessly even for a couple of euros for a take away coffee. The days of needing to carry a hundred euros around with you are long gone.

 

[crablab]

Is it prudent to take some Euros for a week in Germany or have they caught up with the rest of the world re contactless?

I travel regularly and extensively in Germany and do not carry cash.

 

[Davester50]

Not sure why anyone travelling overseas wouldn't take enough cash to at least get a meal or a taxi in the local currency.
I very rarely use cash, but I still always take enough for emergencies.

 

[canary fan]

I have not been to Germany for many years but am going next week
Last time i encountered a few places that would only accept cash including the bus ticket office in Darmstadt and some cafes
I have been to Milan and Prague and Amsterdam and on those occasions I took no Euros/Crowns but have used only my Clarity and Santander zero legacy card
Question
Is it prudent to take some Euros for a week in Germany or have they caught up with the rest of the world re contactless?

Personally, I surprised you managed it in Amsterdam. I’ve always found the Netherlands to be more reluctant to take cards( visa and Mastercard anyway) than elsewhere in Europe. Germany is generally fine now, with local exceptions.

 

[Segedunum]

I agree that Germany has changed very much in the lasy few years and card payments are very common even for small amounts. Sitting in a cafe in Mainz it was noticeable that almost everyone was paying contactlessly even for a couple of euros for a take away coffee. The days of needing to carry a hundred euros around with you are long gone.

Indeed I recall going into a supermarket in Cologne in Nov 2017 and was baffled to see the person in front of me writing a cheque! The cashier seemed quite shocked at my use of contactless straight after

Post-covid this has changed quite drastically but off the tourist trail its still prudent to have a small amount of cash on you.

 

[DanielB]

Personally, I surprised you managed it in Amsterdam. I’ve always found the Netherlands to be more reluctant to take cards( visa and Mastercard anyway) than elsewhere in Europe. Germany is generally fine now, with local exceptions.

The Netherlands has never been a creditcard nation, but debit cards are widely accepted and cash is not used that much anymore.
Completely cashless supermarkets are becoming more common recently.

 

[johncrossley]

The Netherlands has never been a creditcard nation, but debit cards are widely accepted and cash is not used that much anymore.
Completely cashless supermarkets are becoming more common recently.

Because foreign Visa and Mastercard cards (even debit ones) were not accepted in some shops, there is a misconception that the Dutch don't use cards very much but I suspect cards are even more widely used there than in the UK. Since the rebranding of Maestro to Mastercard a few years ago even Albert Heijn supermarkets (which was well known for not accepting credit cards) now accept foreign Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards. Transport used to be an issue with NS machines accepting Visa and Mastercard only at a few major stations, but that was a long time ago.

 

[riceuten]

Because foreign Visa and Mastercard cards (even debit ones) were not accepted in some shops, there is a misconception that the Dutch don't use cards very much but I suspect cards are even more widely used there than in the UK. Since the rebranding of Maestro to Mastercard a few years ago even Albert Heijn supermarkets (which was well known for not accepting credit cards) now accept foreign Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards. Transport used to be an issue with NS machines accepting Visa and Mastercard only at a few major stations, but that was a long time ago.

Some branches of Albert Heijn outside the big cities would only accept locally issued Maestro cards (which were almost impossible to get hold of if you were not a Dutch national). Some kind of cozy deal on card charges was enabled. The Albert Heijn's referred to wouldn't even accept cash.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 May 2026 ==

Indeed I recall going into a supermarket in Cologne in Nov 2017 and was baffled to see the person in front of me writing a cheque! The cashier seemed quite shocked at my use of contactless straight after

Post-covid this has changed quite drastically but off the tourist trail its still prudent to have a small amount of cash on you.

I had an experience in Mueller in Pirmasens where I went to tap my card and the cashier placed her hand across it (with the contactless sign clearly visible) to stop me using it (yelling "Nein, nein, nein"), and insisted I use a chip and PIN for the transaction - I strongly suspect she was acting on management instructions.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 May 2026 ==

I travel regularly and extensively in Germany and do not carry cash.

I like ice cream parlours in less populated areas, and find it prudent to carry some cash for this as they rarely accept cards.

The Stadtwerke where I visit frequently do not take cards on their buses (though you CAN buy a ticket on the VRN app which they can scan) so if you don't have a mobile, you're out of luck if you don't have cash.

I suspect eventually all buses in the locale will take cards.