UKASH card in France

[fazerbill]

Anyone used the Ukash card in France at petrol stations etc had any problems. Heading there at end of month with this type of card and was looking for some feedback about it.

 

[stolzy]

Hard to see what the benefit is over a CaxtonFX or similar pre-paid card denominated in Euros might be.

They seem a little coy about foreign transaction charges and exchange rates.

There are always small issues with prepaid cards, best have a proper credit card as backup.

 

[fazerbill]

I will be taking my Debit card and a credit card but there's fees to pay for using them.
The Ukash card is loaded with Euros and there is no fees at ATM or shops etc. I was just wondering if there is any issues with it at the unmanned Petrol stations.

 

[Wapping]

If the UKASH card operates in the same way as the similar 'pre-loaded' charge cards like Caxton, it's easy to assume that you may well encounter the same problems. You'll find out for sure when you use it once or twice. You have your other cards as a back-up and / or you can always arm yourself with any one of the many alternative cards that offer 'free to use' services, listed in numerous threads on UKGSer.

 

[Bumpkin]

I will be taking my Debit card and a credit card but there's fees to pay for using them.
The Ukash card is loaded with Euros and there is no fees at ATM or shops etc. I was just wondering if there is any issues with it at the unmanned Petrol stations.

For the last 5 years I have used a Thomas Cook Cash Passport Mastercard. This is a preloaded Euro specific card (I have a US dollar one as well).

The first year we used them, my touring buddy got one as well, we had a few problems of them not being accepted. Since then this only happened once at a German petrol station.

However, unattended petrol stations in France were the biggest issue. Pre authorising for €100 or so and not releasing these funds, having debited the actual amount used, for 4-5 days was a real problem. That first year we ran out of budget part way through the trip and had to use other cards and 'swallow' the charges. Having learnt that lesson, in subsequent years we filled more than one bike and rotated who paid at each stop.

Also I always seemed to wind up with €100-200 left on the card that didn't get used until next year. Sometimes a forgotten welcome boost to the budget though. You can get the funds back into sterling but that does cost. Exchange rates when loading the card were generally pretty acceptable. You could reload the card from abroad as well.

This year though I got a Halifax Clarity credit card, a much more fluid way of funding when abroad. No foreign transaction fees. The old Cash card got used in Spain/France to just use up remaining credit from last year, now cut in half and chucked out.

 

[fazerbill]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I thought it would be a problem at the unattended stations so I would draw cash out of ATMs for that payment which there is no charge.
The good thing is I have Debit and Credit cards as a backup.