No issues elsewhere, but in Belgium, both ATMs and stores keep rejecting my card. Anyone know if this is common? Any banks that actually work?
Used my Bangkok Bank debit card in Brussels at a Bancontact ATM and saw that weird screen about accepting conversion. I clicked yes because it felt like the normal thing to do. After I withdrew 100 euros I checked my account later and realized I paid almost 114 dollars for it. Should have been around 108. I lost money because the ATM locked me into their own bad rate. Always hit decline and let your card provider do the math instead.
I landed in Liege two weeks ago with my ANZ Visa credit card. First couple of tries at random ATMs near the Meuse were rejected. I switched to KBC Bank ATM and got the cash, but only after my Revolut Mastercard had slipped through. It’s annoying because Belgian ATMs and stores are supposed to by law take debit and credit but clearly there are bank-specific quirks. I tend to stick with KBC, Belfius or BNP Paribas Fortis now - much less drama.
So I was road-tripping from Ghent to Antwerp with my RBC Visa debit card, thinking it’d be smooth. Nope. ING machines at Sint-Pieters station rejected it twice - screen said card error. Switched to Bancontact cash point near the station and it worked first time, no fee. Took out about thirty euros. Then used TD Visa debit in a BNP Paribas Fortis ATM outside Antwerp Central, and that worked fine. Lesson learned: avoid ING ATMs, look for Bancontact or legitimized big-bank machines.
Mate, I hit Brussels last month with my Halifax Mastercard and got declined at several ING ATMs around Gare du Midi and near Sainte-Catherine. It was a bit odd - card worked fine back home. Ended up finding a Belfius ATM that finally accepted it after two tries. Made me think Belgia’s ATM network is patchy unless you use Bancontact or a big bank like Belfius or BNP Paribas Fortis. Now I always carry a little cash in case my chip gets balky.
Bancontact worked fine for me in Belgium, but the machine only allowed one withdrawal when I needed more. Not ideal if youre low on cash.
BNP Paribas ATM had long queues and was out of cash again. Service is really slow.
ING is the worst. Dirty machines and theyre almost always out of cash. Really frustrating.
Cash is rarely available at this ING ATM. Dont count on it if youre in a hurry.