# Credit card charges in Denmark?...



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I like to pay for diesel by card and the wife usually uses a card to pay at supermarkets where possible when away.

Just seen this on the VisitDenmark website...

*"Major international credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Denmark. Please note, however, that taxis, hotels, restaurants, shops, petrol stations etc. are permitted - but not obliged - to charge a fee when payment is made by a foreign payment card (credit & debit cards). If it is company policy to charge such a fee, the company must make its customers aware of this, for instance by displaying a notice at the hotel reception or in the hotel room, on a restaurant menu, or by the entrance. Businesses are permitted to charge up to the equivalent of the percentage amount they are charged by the card issuing company, usually up to 3.75%, although this may vary. "*

http://www.visitdenmark.com/uk/en-gb/menu/turist/turistinformation/fakta-az/credit-card-payement.htm

Has anyone come across this before?

Pete


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## camper69 (Aug 30, 2007)

Never came across this when we were in Denmark 3 years ago and I used my credit and debit card whenever I could, especially campsites and petrol stations.

Derek


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

We had this problem in 2009.

I can't remember if there was a charge for debit cards - I use a debit card only in the ATM rather than for purchases - but I do remember one campsite was charging a *6%* fee for using a credit card.

Needless to say, we got cash (using the great NW, at the time) and paid with that.


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## p1nkie (Oct 5, 2009)

We were there 2 weeks ago. Scandlines didn't charge extra nor did the one campsite we stayed on make an extra charge ( Chorlottenlund Fort. http://www.campingcopenhagen.dk/) The one restaurant we ate at tho did list on the bill the different charges for different cards (Master,Visa etc.) no more than an additional €5 on a €99 bill. Didn't notice any on diesel either.

Guy


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Thanks for the replies.

Definately one to keep an eye out for when using cards there I think.

Pete


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## bill (May 10, 2005)

Hello peejay.

I have passed through Denmark twice during the last five weeks on the way to and from Iceland.

On filling up at one of their auto machines there was a charge shown on the receipt. How much it was I’m sorry I can’t remember.

Also I brought a bottle of wine in a restaurant with my Mastercard and there was a hefty charge, again I can’t remember how much. They had made the cash and card prices clear at the point of sale.

Then there are another couple of incidents that may be of interest. A group of four of us went into a pizza hut type place (It wasn’t Pizza Hut as in the chain) and asked whether they took credit cards ‘No’ we were told. I didn’t fully understand what they were trying to give as the reason but it was because it was a UK card and didn’t charge in Danish Krone (DKK). I tried to explain that they would get their DKK and I would be charge in pounds sterling but they wouldn’t have it. So, on to the next place, again we asked and were told ‘yes’. “Yippee we’re starving”, we had our meal and went to pay and was told ‘No’ and similar reasons were given. So two of the party stayed there as ‘hostages’ whilst two of us went to get cash from the hole in the wall nearby. (not had the statement for that transaction yet.)

So like you say it is something to be aware of, if in doubt ask and make sure they are aware that it is a UK card you want to use.

Off topic a bit, whilst in Iceland I used my card for filling up at auto stations and as far as I’m aware there were no charges and a favourable exchange rate.

Hope this helps.

bill


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

The more I read about financing a trip to Scandinavia the more disheartened I become.

I've been planning our holiday for 2012 visiting Randers in Denmark to visit an old mate of mine from 30years ago and carrying on the north, catching the ferry to Kristiansand in Norway across to Oslo and down the west coast of Sweden to Malmo, then crossing the bridge to Copenhagen.

But I'm beginning to think, my old mate wasn't joking when he said you'll need a trailer full of money as everything is so expensive in comparison to the UK. 

Perhaps I'll have to face facts, Scandinavia is simply out of my price bracket.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I think with a bit of planning and research you can do it at a fairly bearable cost.
Pack loads of tinned and dried stuff before you go and live on Prawns, Salmon, Meatballs and Ryvita while you're there, its the only stuff thats cheap :lol: , also do a bit of free camping to offset other costs.

We visited Norway just before the Newcastle ferry went belly up, yes it was expensive but the scenery is mind blowing and free camping is vitually encouraged, we long to go again and include Sweden and Finland but we're saving up for that one.


Go on Zozzer, go for it.


Pete


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## Addie (Aug 5, 2008)

Zozzer said:


> The more I read about financing a trip to Scandinavia the more disheartened I become.
> 
> I've been planning our holiday for 2012 visiting Randers in Denmark to visit an old mate of mine from 30years ago and carrying on the north, catching the ferry to Kristiansand in Norway across to Oslo and down the west coast of Sweden to Malmo, then crossing the bridge to Copenhagen.
> 
> ...


Have you read my blog post - Norway on a Budget?

www.europebycamper.com/2011/06/norway-in-motorhome-on-budget.html

If you have a sub 6m (or even sub 6m 'looking' van) which is under 3.5t van then Norway really isn't too bad. We spent £170 on ferrys, tolls and bridges (about £210 if you include the Danish bridges).

We also didn't eat out AT ALL and crammed our van full of food and beer from Germany to heavily offset the food prices en-route. I notice some posters did but that simply wasn't in our budget.

Peejay - you're certainly getting your research in for this trip!! We had NO charges on our Halifax card when filling with Diesel, LPG or in shops in Denmark on anywhere in Scandi for that matter. We didn't even get a charge when using it to pay for parking in a pay and display ticket machine as we freqently did (saves the change).


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Just back from our Danish trip so heres an update our experience of credit card charges......

_Credit cards are widely accepted but check first as some charge a handling fee and some don't, its law that if they do it has to be clearly marked which was generally the case but we did use one 24hr fuel station (OK) which charged a fee but there was no warning sign

Fuel Stations we used...

Shell manned station - No card charge
Statoil manned station - 2.5% fee
OK 24hr station - 2.85% fee
UnoX 24hr station - No card charge

Surprisingly we found the cheapest diesel to be at UnoX 24hrs stations in general but the prices vary from town to town so just shop around. There are of course loads of other familiar and no so familiar brands that we didn't use so can't comment on them, just check first before you fill up.

Supermarkets....

Lidl - No card charge
Aldi - Cards not accepted
Netto - 2.75% fee
Fakta - 3% fee
Bilka - 3% fee
Qvickly - 3% fee
Fotex - 3% fee

Needles to say we only used Lidl to pay by card and cash for all the mainstream brands. Bilka seemed to have all the biggest and poshest shops and were slightly dearer. There were also other shops including Spar but we didn't use those._

Pete


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