Trying to figure out if buses and metros in France take cards or if Ill need small cash. Any recent experiences?
I spent a few days in Strasbourg and the machines were all card-friendly. Used my N26 Mastercard to get a 24-hour pass without any issues. But in smaller towns like Bayeux and Arles, it was definitely more old-school. Bus drivers only took coins and the machines looked like they hadn’t been updated in years. I carried ten euros in small bills and coins just for that reason. So cards are totally fine in big cities like Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg, even Bordeaux. But for smaller towns and regional buses, cash is still the safer option. I kept a stash of coins and small bills just in case, but 90 percent of the time I used my card. If you’re moving around a lot, I’d recommend downloading the local transit apps. Most let you buy tickets in advance and pay with your card directly.
Marseille was a mix. The metro machines at bigger stations like Saint-Charles took cards, but the one near my hostel didn’t. It kept rejecting my Monzo even though it worked elsewhere. For buses I always kept a few euros in coins just in case. One driver said they prefer cash and didn’t have a working card reader onboard.
In Lyon I used the TCL ticket machines and they accepted both Visa and Mastercard, no problems at all. I paid for a carnet of 10 tickets using Revolut. You can also use their TCL mobile app and load tickets straight onto your phone if you prefer. Didn’t use coins once.
I used contactless on the Paris metro every day with no issues. Just tapped my Wise card directly at the turnstile and it charged me the exact fare. No need for tickets or machines. Even buses in Paris let you tap your card onboard now. I didn’t use a single euro in cash for public transport the entire week I was there.