# St Barts Forums > Timeless Tips - A Great Place To Start >  >  Using ATM cards from USA in ST Barts

## beachboy7733

What experiences have you had w/ATM cards from USA? I read on St Bart's website, U.S. ATM cards do not work there due to a French system and PIN #. Help!, we really don't want to carry alot of cash with us. Thinking about getting a pre-loaded card. Any thoughts.?

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## andynap

I don't know where you read but ATM cards work on St Bart's- that's all I use for getting euros. Make sure you have a 4 digit code. I think you are looking at ATM cards at the gas station.

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## KevinS

I use my BofA ATM card in SBH regularly.  I have a PIN that is more than 4 digits, and it works just fine.  The trick with PINs is to know it as a number, not as a word.  There are no letters on the keys of the ATMs in SBH.  For example, if you know your PIN at home as FRED, you will need to enter it as 3733 on SBH.  You will enter it using the same keys, but there will only be numbers on the keys to guide you.

At present, using my BofA ATM card in SBH results in a 1% Visa fee, and a $5 per transaction BofA fee.  The 1% Visa fee is non-negotiable, but I've successfully argued my way out of the $5 BofA transaction fee.  As of November 8 BofA's fee increases to 3%.  I suspect that it is 1% to Visa, and 2% additional profit to BofA.  

I'm undecided as to whether I will use my ATM card or a Credit Card more on my upcoming trip.  BofA's fee change may force me to acquire a no-fee Capital One credit card.

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## KevinS

And, as Andy pointed out, ATM cards do not work at the gas station after hours.  Neither do credit cards unless they have a Chip and PIN.  Chip and Signature cards may also work, but I haven't had one to try until recently.  I'll know more about that later this month.

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## KevinS

One additional thought - are you planning to use your ATM card to withdraw Euros from an ATM, or are you planning to use it to pay for meals and other expenses?  I've only ever used mine to withdraw cash.  I have no experience using it in a restaurant or shop.  I do use other non-chip US credit cards in restaurants and shops, and just sign the printed slip.  SBH is much more attuned to the antiquated US credit card system than mainland France is.

Perhaps someone else (JEK?  BBT?) can speak to using preloaded cards on SBH.

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## katva

I use my ATM card from BB&T at restaurants, boutiques, grocery stores, etc with no problem. I don't recall if there's a transaction fee, or what it is.....I should check this!  But I use it all the time--- basically run it as a credit card at the establishments. Of course, it also works to withdraw Euros at the SBH ATMs.

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## LMAC

One word of caution - for some reason there are several ATM machines on St. Barts that don't seem to work with our BB&T card (or, now that I think of it, the one before that).   I've seen looks of panic on others who have had the same issue ……. particularly with the one near Laurent Eiffel.   Just find another ATM machine and you should be fine.    Katva …… there is a fee!!!!

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## katva

Yes---I just looked it up---$ 5.00 per transaction + 3%.  I usually withdraw around $ 1 K in cash, in perhaps 3 transactions, and use it a few times at restos when I "treat"....so I'm guessing my total fees might total $ 50-$ 60 or so.  = 5%-8% or more total.  But, then I don't have any credit card balances to deal with when I return..but, yes, something to think about!  Maybe I'll just use the credit card that doesn't have a foreign transaction fee, and pay it off in cash when we return....could save a few bux.  But, we need cash anyways....All in all, not too big of a deal when considering the total cost of the trip.  

We've had our BB & T ATM cards work at every machine so far----with the caveat that they sometimes don't work, for whatever reason (maybe the machine is out of cash)---and the screen displays something to the effect that we should contact our bank---but then we just go to a different machine, or come back to the same one later, and it works.  I warned my sister about the fickleness of the ATMs there before her trip, and so she was prepared, and didn't panic.

Edit:  It's definitely important to let your bank know you are travelling.  We are very friendly with our local, VERY small town branch manager, so she knows the drill.  We still ask her to add SBH, SXM, France and Guadeloupe to the countries we're visiting.  We haven't had any problems so far.....

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## tim

I use my Capital One VISA card frequently to withdraw cash from St. B ATM's, as well as a myriad of other transactions.  There's no foreign currency exchange fee as there is with most credit cards.

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## beachboy7733

Thank You for clearing that up!

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## NHDiane

We use just our bank ATM and have never had an issue, but always let them know when we plan a trip out of the country. We get reimbursed for transaction fees.

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## GramChop

> And, as Andy pointed out, *ATM cards do not work at the gas station after hours.*  Neither do credit cards unless they have a Chip and PIN.  Chip and Signature cards may also work, but I haven't had one to try until recently.  I'll know more about that later this month.



Having local friends with Chip and PIN cards sure is a life-saver!  Merci, Rosemond!!  :cool:

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## katva

> I use my Capital One VISA card frequently to withdraw cash from St. B ATM's, as well as a myriad of other transactions.  There's no foreign currency exchange fee as there is with most credit cards.



I just got a PIN from Capital One, and also from another card (name escapes me right now!)---neither charges the foreign transaction or currency fees, and so we're going to be using them this trip---will save us a few bucks....and the AMEX for the rental car will help with the insurance---so, maybe an extra dinner at La Plage, all in all :thumb up:

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## tim

My A/A Citibank card has a Chip also.  I wonder if it'll work at the St. Jean gas station.   I don't recall having a PIN number.

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## JEK

Only if it has a CHIP

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## katva

Right.....I meant I got the PIN so I can make cash withdrawals and not get the foreign transaction and currency fees. I realize this is different from the chip & pin thing you need for the gas station.  My credit cards don't have that yet, and I'm not worried about it--- we fill up when the station is open :)

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## JEK

Sorry, replying to Mod ONE.

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## katva

> Sorry, replying to Mod ONE.



Oops!  But I am so glad to have gotten the intel on the Capital One no fees and the AMEX car insurance thing. It makes a big difference (to us)! Keep the intel coming  :thumb up:

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## KevinS

Tim,

If your AA Citibank card is like mine then it is a Chip and Sign card, not a Chip and Pin card.  I don't know if it will work at an unattended terminal, such as the gas station at night.  From Cardhub.com:

"Chip-and-signature credit cards differ from chip-and-PIN cards in that  you verify your identity with your signature, rather than via PIN. They  are therefore not quite as secure as chip-and-PIN cards but are more so  than magnetic stripe credit cards in light of the embedded computer  chip. Chip-and-signature credit cards are generally accepted everywhere  chip-and-PIN cards are, with the exception of certain unmanned payment  terminals equipped to take chip-based cards."

There was some discussion here a few months back that may have an answer regarding the gas station.  I'll see if I can find it.

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## KevinS

Tim,

I found the thread from this spring.  It is at https://www.sbhonline.com/forums/threads/74962  I think that the final answer is to try it and see.  It appears that one person had success with a chip and sign card, and another did not.  I'll give it a try later this month.

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## tim

Kevin, I thought I remembered a similar discussion, and we'll look forward to your report.  All my winter flights are on Sundays, so it might come in handy if it works at the St. Jean service station.

P.S. To iJean, I've defiitely got the Chip.:)

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## elgreaux

chip and sign does not seem to work  :Frown:  but you never know....

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## debd

> My A/A Citibank card has a Chip also. I wonder if it'll work at the St. Jean gas station. I don't recall having a PIN number.



Was not aware that there is an A/A Citibank card with a chip.    Tim, did you request that or is it maybe a higher level Citibank card?

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## tim

> Was not aware that there is an A/A Citibank card with a chip.    Tim, did you request that or is it maybe a higher level Citibank card?



It's an A/A Citi Mastercard, Platinum level.  I didn't request it; it just came that way.

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## andynap

> It's an A/A Citi Mastercard, Platinum level.  I didn't request it; it just came that way.



I have that one and it's not chip and pin and won't work at the gas pumps in SBH. But I know their hours so I don't worry about it.

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## Petri

Just a reminder that these are banks; if there's no fee, the fee is most likely built into the exchange rate.  Or if you're really luck, you get both.

The currency exchange kiosks advertising "no fee" aren't a charity either.

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## JEK

> I have that one and it's not chip and pin and won't work at the gas pumps in SBH. But I know their hours so I don't worry about it.



I know the hours too, but with a long stay I always seem to be running on empty Sunday morning. USAA C & P this next trip.

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## KevinS

> My A/A Citibank card has a Chip also.  I wonder if it'll work at the St. Jean gas station.   I don't recall having a PIN number.



Tim, I tried using my A/A Citibank Chip and Sign card last night.  No go.

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## andynap

TWIS

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## tim

Kevin, thanks for the info.

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## RickyG

I tried the chip-n-sign Amex PT ng.

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## sxmbeachlover

My new Marriott Visa has a chip in it.  I called Visa and they said if the machine asks for a numerical pin number, just put in 0000 and it should work.  I'll find out soon enough!

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## Leon

Easy to remember pin :)

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## stbartshopper

The AMEX cards we are aware still charge the 3% foreign currency conversion fee, although the Delta AMEX card announced the fee will be dropped effective 5/1/14. We have found that the ATMs run out of cash, particularly around the big weeks such as Bucket and Carnival and often on Mondays, following the weekends. They seem to get quickly replenished. For whatever reason, sometimes we seem to have luck with them and sometimes for whatever reason we are not able to retrieve cash from them. We do not have a chip card but understand soon most of the U.S. cards will have them for improved security purposes. Beware, if you want to purchase gas, after hours, you are not able to without a chip card. That happened to us when we wanted to fill up our rental car before turning it in. Odile, at Gump's, did not charge us any extra because we have been good customers of hers for a long time.

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## JEK

Apple Card works for gasoline and anything else EXCEPT at an ATM. Credit card only, no cash.

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