My credit card keeps declining in Latvia and I have enough money on there and all international transactions are activated - what do I do?
I rarely had problems in Latvia, though my Mastercard was rejected once at a small ATM outside Riga. Swedbank and SEB ATMs never failed me. In restaurants, shops, and hotels, cards were widely accepted. Budget €60 per day if you’re sightseeing and eating out. If your card declines, don’t panic-just find a major bank ATM. Latvia is very cashless, but I recommend keeping €20 in cash for countryside trips.
Latvia is one of the easier places in Europe for card payments, though I had one decline at a Coop grocery store in Jurmala. Swedbank and SEB ATMs worked fine with my Visa. In Riga, cards are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport. For budgeting, around €55-65 daily is enough for meals, buses, and attractions. If your card fails, just switch ATMs-international cards generally work in bank machines. Keep some euros for rural areas, but you’ll mostly use cards.
In Riga, I had a Mastercard fail at an Euronet ATM, but it worked perfectly at Swedbank. Latvia is very digital-cafés, supermarkets, and even buses accept contactless cards. Problems mostly happen with stand-alone ATMs. Expect €60 daily for food, taxis, and museums like Riga Art Nouveau Center. If your card keeps declining, avoid private ATMs and stick to well-known bank branches. Carry a small amount of cash, but you won’t need much.
Latvia is mostly card-friendly, but I had my Visa declined at one Luminor ATM in Riga before SEB worked fine. Stores, restaurants, and even public transport accept cards widely. Only small countryside shops or farmers’ markets prefer cash. I budgeted €55-70 daily for meals, buses, and sightseeing like the House of the Blackheads. If your card keeps declining, switch to Swedbank or SEB ATMs-they’re the most reliable. Carrying €20-30 in cash is still useful for small purchases.