6 ms·

We took that train, realised when we got to the other end of the line that we hadn't gotten where we expected, then turned back to the place where it separates.

We took that train, realised when we got to the other end of the line that we hadn't gotten where we expected, then turned back to the place where it separates. Waited for the next advertised train to airport (it's signalled on the electronic board as two separate entries; yes, it says "board whatever carriages for airport, and the rest for ...", or at least I assume it did, as it was in German of course; but again, it literally shows up as two different trains). Train arrives, stays there for a while (it's a big train, so the part in front of us didn't move so we didn't realise it had already separated), then after like 5-6 minutes it leaves. Only as it starts moving I notice that a small electronic board on the side of the carriage said "airport". The notice board then changes and obviously "both" trains disappear. We were so lucky that we'd decided to go to the airport much earlier than we needed. And don't get me started on the ticketing machines not accepting Visa, Mastercard, or Amex at the central station in Munchen. Or the web ticketing interface which was at least as annoying as the train to use.

Freak_NL 9mo ago
American Express I get. No one uses that in Europe. Visa and Mastercard debit cards are what everyone uses and they work in all German ticket machines. You weren't trying to use a credit card where you? What language do you expect the Germans to use?
- huhkerrf 9mo ago
  I don't think the person expected the Germans to use a different language, only was saying that they weren't entirely sure what it said.
- eldaisfish 9mo ago
  For a train going to an airport, English. This is the norm around the world, especially with complicated situations like a train splitting in two.
  - lostlogin 9mo ago
    Is it though? Why should anywhere cater to my failure to learn their language and systems? It’s nice if they do but I don’t expect it.
    - kortilla 9mo ago
      If you want international travelers, English is the language to allow that.
    - prasoonds 9mo ago
      Are you seriously asking why Airport infrastructure should support English or is it rhetorical? If you are not a backwater that doesn't get any travelers, you should cater to tourists who, as a rule, do not speak your language. Even those tourists who do speak a few phrases will absolutely be unable to understand something as complex as a the train spilling up into two before going to the Airport. > Why should anywhere cater to my failure to learn their language and systems? It’s nice if they do but I don’t expect it. I certainly don't see this attitude from Germans in Spain.
      - lostlogin 9mo ago
        > you should cater to tourists who, as a rule, do not speak your language. Why should tourists be supported? Tourists are trashing my country nearly as badly as our largest industry (dairy). Without infrastructure they shouldn’t be encouraged. I have no interest in having more. We also have no trains, but I’d like that to change.
- ragall 9mo ago
  Lots of people use Amex in Europe. It's very popular as a business card.
  - ninalanyon 9mo ago
    I doubt that it is popular with the actual users, only with the company that they work for. When I had a company issued AMEX card the damn thing was practically useless. In fact even in the US there were plenty of places that wouldn't accept it.
    - i80and 9mo ago
      I use an Amex as my primary and preferred personal card, and legitimately can't remember any place in the US where it wasn't accepted. In Europe it is pretty hit or miss though, unfortunately.
    - ragall 9mo ago
      AMEX cards are being used by both large and small businesses. It's accepted by hotels, restaurants, airlines, suppliers, utilities, etc... Small shops are of little importance.
      - ninalanyon 9mo ago
        > Small shops are of little importance. Unless they happen to be selling something you want to buy.
- lostlogin 9mo ago
  As someone travelling for the first time in a while - Wise has changed travel for the better, and dramatically. Managed 2 weeks in the UK without touching cash and the transactions between currency were inexpensive and quick. Massive fan.
  - twobitshifter 9mo ago
    How were you using it? I have only ever used Wise for bank transfers. There are travel credit cards without any foreign transaction fees and that’s what I always use.
    - lostlogin 9mo ago
      > How were you using it? I’ve used it like a debit card/credit card. On phone and as a physical card for tap-and-go on transport. I’ve used it for booking accommodation bookings online too. Fees are low/non existent and conversion rates good.
em-bee 9mo ago
germans don't use credit cards. finding an automated ticket machine thst handles credit cards would be extremely rare.
- thesimon 9mo ago
  DB machines have been accepting all sorts of cards for a long time (Visa, AMEX, Discover). Local vending machines might vary though.
- ivan_gammel 9mo ago
  Starting in 2026, support of digital payments is mandatory in Germany for all types of businesses. DB has been card-friendly for a long time.
  - pimeys 9mo ago
    Yeah and already in 2025 it's quite common to be able to pay with a credit card in bars and restaurants too, which was almost unheard of a few years back. Of course these machines break all the time, and suddenly the business can only take cash. This seems to be a very specific problem that only happens in Germany.
jltsiren 9mo ago
I've never had trouble buying train tickets with a credit card in Germany. If I had to guess, your issue was that you were trying to use a card that didn't support chip-and-PIN or contactless payments.
- zahlman 9mo ago
  > didn't support chip-and-PIN or contactless payments. As opposed to... swiping the card? Are there really cards out there that exclusively support that?
  - rvba 9mo ago
    Prepaid gift cards (please note: those are not store issued) dont have chips and it is sometimes a problem to use them. But I doubt someone would buy a plane ticket with them.
    - zahlman 9mo ago
      A gift card isn't a credit card, though... ?
      - CaliforniaKarl 9mo ago
        You are likely thinking of branded gift cards that are specific to one store (or one grouping of stores). An Apple or Target gift card, for example. There are also gift cards that are credit cards. Or, really, debit cards. See “open-loop cards” at https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/more-than-you-want-to-know-about-gift-cards/ https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/more-than-you-want-to...
      - rvba 9mo ago
        I am not sure if it counts as a debit or credit card, because from technology point of view the division is blurry. They are perhaps prepaid debit cards. But you can change and set a pin on them just like on the old credit cards. Because that's what they are - old technology. They dont have a chip, so you have to swipe them. Some employers give those gift cards instead of cash and I think those cards use the older technology in order to be cheaper (the chip costs few cents to manufacture). After you clear your card balance you basically throw the card away (very ecological), but if they wanted they can also add more money to the same card again. They usually dont do it since people lose the cards, so they issue new ones. So you get a lot of plastic. Think of this as some pocket money every 3-6 months. It says VISA on the card. The companies could give cash, but due to some obscure law and psychological reasons they give cards. The card is still better than the paper sodexo gift cards they would give out years ago that were a pain to use since few shops accepted them. But still it is a pain, since you often end up with a small balance and you need to pay part with this gift card (to clean it up to zero) and part with cash.
cfstras 9mo ago
A couple years ago, I was at a station waiting for a (delayed) ICE train. I couldn't buy a ticket at the machine or with the app, since the train had already departed (if it had been on schedule). The ticket machine also wouldn't take VISA / MasterCard, only the more common Girocard (most people still call it EC) Later, in the train, when I asked the conductor to buy a ticket with my Girocard, he said "That's not a commonly used payment method" and asked for VISA, or cash (not having any to provide change, obviously).
- throwaway5465 9mo ago
  For other readers' benefit: Girocard is not related to Girobank https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girobank https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girobank or using said Girobank's Girocard to pay bills or collect dole.
faust201 9mo ago
> And don't get me started on the ticketing machines not accepting Visa, Mastercard, or Amex at the central station in Munchen Wow. You travel to a different part of the world without doing basic research. Hope you did not try stuffing USD on machines.
- elbear 9mo ago
  I would never expect a Western European country to not accept Visa and Mastercard. I say this as an Eastern European. But I do remember that in Germany (and Austria) it's not that accepted to pay by card.
MomsAVoxell 9mo ago
Hey now, you have to read the details in the train booking, or if you think you need help - go to the Info desk - which is for sure there for you at most of the main train stations - they should have explained to you that you should switch locations on the carriage, because after all, trains can be split up… as any good German knows. And also about the cards, just use cash, I mean, come on. Visa some local coins at the airport lounge or wherever…

Freak_NL 9mo ago

American Express I get. No one uses that in Europe. Visa and Mastercard debit cards are what everyone uses and they work in all German ticket machines. You weren't trying to use a credit card where you? What language do you expect the Germans to use?

huhkerrf 9mo ago
I don't think the person expected the Germans to use a different language, only was saying that they weren't entirely sure what it said.
eldaisfish 9mo ago
For a train going to an airport, English. This is the norm around the world, especially with complicated situations like a train splitting in two.
- lostlogin 9mo ago
  Is it though? Why should anywhere cater to my failure to learn their language and systems? It’s nice if they do but I don’t expect it.
  - kortilla 9mo ago
    If you want international travelers, English is the language to allow that.
  - prasoonds 9mo ago
    Are you seriously asking why Airport infrastructure should support English or is it rhetorical? If you are not a backwater that doesn't get any travelers, you should cater to tourists who, as a rule, do not speak your language. Even those tourists who do speak a few phrases will absolutely be unable to understand something as complex as a the train spilling up into two before going to the Airport. > Why should anywhere cater to my failure to learn their language and systems? It’s nice if they do but I don’t expect it. I certainly don't see this attitude from Germans in Spain.
    - lostlogin 9mo ago
      > you should cater to tourists who, as a rule, do not speak your language. Why should tourists be supported? Tourists are trashing my country nearly as badly as our largest industry (dairy). Without infrastructure they shouldn’t be encouraged. I have no interest in having more. We also have no trains, but I’d like that to change.
ragall 9mo ago
Lots of people use Amex in Europe. It's very popular as a business card.
- ninalanyon 9mo ago
  I doubt that it is popular with the actual users, only with the company that they work for. When I had a company issued AMEX card the damn thing was practically useless. In fact even in the US there were plenty of places that wouldn't accept it.
  - i80and 9mo ago
    I use an Amex as my primary and preferred personal card, and legitimately can't remember any place in the US where it wasn't accepted. In Europe it is pretty hit or miss though, unfortunately.
  - ragall 9mo ago
    AMEX cards are being used by both large and small businesses. It's accepted by hotels, restaurants, airlines, suppliers, utilities, etc... Small shops are of little importance.
    - ninalanyon 9mo ago
      > Small shops are of little importance. Unless they happen to be selling something you want to buy.
lostlogin 9mo ago
As someone travelling for the first time in a while - Wise has changed travel for the better, and dramatically. Managed 2 weeks in the UK without touching cash and the transactions between currency were inexpensive and quick. Massive fan.
- twobitshifter 9mo ago
  How were you using it? I have only ever used Wise for bank transfers. There are travel credit cards without any foreign transaction fees and that’s what I always use.
  - lostlogin 9mo ago
    > How were you using it? I’ve used it like a debit card/credit card. On phone and as a physical card for tap-and-go on transport. I’ve used it for booking accommodation bookings online too. Fees are low/non existent and conversion rates good.

em-bee 9mo ago

germans don't use credit cards. finding an automated ticket machine thst handles credit cards would be extremely rare.

thesimon 9mo ago
DB machines have been accepting all sorts of cards for a long time (Visa, AMEX, Discover). Local vending machines might vary though.
ivan_gammel 9mo ago
Starting in 2026, support of digital payments is mandatory in Germany for all types of businesses. DB has been card-friendly for a long time.
- pimeys 9mo ago
  Yeah and already in 2025 it's quite common to be able to pay with a credit card in bars and restaurants too, which was almost unheard of a few years back. Of course these machines break all the time, and suddenly the business can only take cash. This seems to be a very specific problem that only happens in Germany.

jltsiren 9mo ago

I've never had trouble buying train tickets with a credit card in Germany. If I had to guess, your issue was that you were trying to use a card that didn't support chip-and-PIN or contactless payments.

zahlman 9mo ago
> didn't support chip-and-PIN or contactless payments. As opposed to... swiping the card? Are there really cards out there that exclusively support that?
- rvba 9mo ago
  Prepaid gift cards (please note: those are not store issued) dont have chips and it is sometimes a problem to use them. But I doubt someone would buy a plane ticket with them.
  - zahlman 9mo ago
    A gift card isn't a credit card, though... ?
    - CaliforniaKarl 9mo ago
      You are likely thinking of branded gift cards that are specific to one store (or one grouping of stores). An Apple or Target gift card, for example. There are also gift cards that are credit cards. Or, really, debit cards. See “open-loop cards” at https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/more-than-you-want-to-know-about-gift-cards/ https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/more-than-you-want-to...
    - rvba 9mo ago
      I am not sure if it counts as a debit or credit card, because from technology point of view the division is blurry. They are perhaps prepaid debit cards. But you can change and set a pin on them just like on the old credit cards. Because that's what they are - old technology. They dont have a chip, so you have to swipe them. Some employers give those gift cards instead of cash and I think those cards use the older technology in order to be cheaper (the chip costs few cents to manufacture). After you clear your card balance you basically throw the card away (very ecological), but if they wanted they can also add more money to the same card again. They usually dont do it since people lose the cards, so they issue new ones. So you get a lot of plastic. Think of this as some pocket money every 3-6 months. It says VISA on the card. The companies could give cash, but due to some obscure law and psychological reasons they give cards. The card is still better than the paper sodexo gift cards they would give out years ago that were a pain to use since few shops accepted them. But still it is a pain, since you often end up with a small balance and you need to pay part with this gift card (to clean it up to zero) and part with cash.

cfstras 9mo ago

A couple years ago, I was at a station waiting for a (delayed) ICE train. I couldn't buy a ticket at the machine or with the app, since the train had already departed (if it had been on schedule). The ticket machine also wouldn't take VISA / MasterCard, only the more common Girocard (most people still call it EC) Later, in the train, when I asked the conductor to buy a ticket with my Girocard, he said "That's not a commonly used payment method" and asked for VISA, or cash (not having any to provide change, obviously).

throwaway5465 9mo ago
For other readers' benefit: Girocard is not related to Girobank https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girobank https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girobank or using said Girobank's Girocard to pay bills or collect dole.

faust201 9mo ago

> And don't get me started on the ticketing machines not accepting Visa, Mastercard, or Amex at the central station in Munchen Wow. You travel to a different part of the world without doing basic research. Hope you did not try stuffing USD on machines.

elbear 9mo ago
I would never expect a Western European country to not accept Visa and Mastercard. I say this as an Eastern European. But I do remember that in Germany (and Austria) it's not that accepted to pay by card.

MomsAVoxell 9mo ago

Hey now, you have to read the details in the train booking, or if you think you need help - go to the Info desk - which is for sure there for you at most of the main train stations - they should have explained to you that you should switch locations on the carriage, because after all, trains can be split up… as any good German knows. And also about the cards, just use cash, I mean, come on. Visa some local coins at the airport lounge or wherever…