Automated Fuel Pumps in Spain and Portugal

[shaunr68]

Hi all, I've been slowly tootling down through France the past month and about to head into Spain.

In France, fuel pumps seem to be overwhelmingly of the automated, unmanned type which require card pre-payment. This presents a bit of a problem as I'm using a Revolut account for my day to day banking. Great for managing multiple currencies but unfortunately since starting this trip I have found that they don't support automated fuel payments. Therefore I have to keep a lookout for fuel stations with a manned booth and these are few and far between.

Am I going to encounter the same problems in Spain and Portugal? Any suggestions as to how to deal with this mid-trip? I'm not due back in blighty until the end of March so opening a new account and having a card posted to the UK isn't an option. I have an Irish bank account but the card has expired. Don't suppose there are any banks who will allow non residents to open a Euro account over the counter?

Grateful for any advice
Cheers

 

[Wooie1958]

Precisely the reason why i got a Halifax Clarity card just for fuel, Caxton FX card for everything else, purchases, ATM, etc. etc.

 

[QFour]

Loads of Repsol Stations and they all seem to be manned. They even come out and fill your tank for you sometimes. Only ones you won’t be able to use are some of the cheap fuel ones where they don’t have staff or out of hours supermarket filling stations so you should be ok.

 

[TJBi]

Hi all, I've been slowly tootling down through France the past month and about to head into Spain.

In France, fuel pumps seem to be overwhelmingly of the automated, unmanned type which require card pre-payment. This presents a bit of a problem as I'm using a Revolut account for my day to day banking. Great for managing multiple currencies but unfortunately since starting this trip I have found that they don't support automated fuel payments. Therefore I have to keep a lookout for fuel stations with a manned booth and these are few and far between.

Am I going to encounter the same problems in Spain and Portugal? Any suggestions as to how to deal with this mid-trip? I'm not due back in blighty until the end of March so opening a new account and having a card posted to the UK isn't an option. I have an Irish bank account but the card has expired. Don't suppose there are any banks who will allow non residents to open a Euro account over the counter?

Grateful for any advice
Cheers

I've experienced no problems opening Euro accounts over the counter in France - we're (still just) in the EU. But of course you can't expect a branch to issue a card over the counter - they are generally centrally produced and mailed out.

 

[Pauljenny]

You could book onto a campsite, using that address to open a bank account.
Then transfer money across from the UK, either by bank transfer or using an online FX platform, then paying them via a debit card.
That worked Ok for us, in Portugal.

 

[Deleted member 9237]

Hi all, I've been slowly tootling down through France the past month and about to head into Spain.

In France, fuel pumps seem to be overwhelmingly of the automated, unmanned type which require card pre-payment. This presents a bit of a problem as I'm using a Revolut account for my day to day banking. Great for managing multiple currencies but unfortunately since starting this trip I have found that they don't support automated fuel payments. Therefore I have to keep a lookout for fuel stations with a manned booth and these are few and far between.

Am I going to encounter the same problems in Spain and Portugal? Any suggestions as to how to deal with this mid-trip? I'm not due back in blighty until the end of March so opening a new account and having a card posted to the UK isn't an option. I have an Irish bank account but the card has expired. Don't suppose there are any banks who will allow non residents to open a Euro account over the counter?

Grateful for any advice
Cheers

Many of our self service take money you can easy open an account in Spain but first you will need a NIE number and have an address you can go and hire a post office box but you will have to pay about 70 euros for the year. Or go into a Repsol garage and ask if they still do a pay card we call them if they do you pay in an amount you want each time you use it the money comes of the card like the pay as you go phone cards then when it gets low you top it up.

 

[shaunr68]

Thanks all, sounds like manned stations are likely to be more plentiful and thanks for the other options and suggestions. The situation became so dire at one point where I'd pulled into five fuel stations into succession only to find them card-only and unmanned, the fuel light came on and I was relieved to find I could pay at the counter at the sixth. Note that the Revolut card is a Mastercard debit card and has been fine for purchases in every other scenario, including paying for fuel at the booth, they simply don't support automated fuel pumps. Quite a serious setback with a multi-currency account which will obviously appeal to people travelling to different countries.

 

[carol]

Thanks all, sounds like manned stations are likely to be more plentiful and thanks for the other options and suggestions. The situation became so dire at one point where I'd pulled into five fuel stations into succession only to find them card-only and unmanned, the fuel light came on and I was relieved to find I could pay at the counter at the sixth. Note that the Revolut card is a Mastercard debit card and has been fine for purchases in every other scenario, including paying for fuel at the booth, they simply don't support automated fuel pumps. Quite a serious setback with a multi-currency account which will obviously appeal to people travelling to different countries.

The moral being, always have a back-up card.

 

[Canalsman]

Pre-payment at the pump requires the use of a credit card not a debit card.

Clearly there is a significantly greater chance of payment being authorised with a credit account than a debit card which may not have a credit balance in the associated account ...

Though I suspect it's the card issuers who determine what cards are acceptable.

 

[shaunr68]

The moral being, always have a back-up card.

Agreed, and I did. Unfortunately the AIB debit card from my Irish bank had expired and I suspect there is a replacement card waiting for me, not much use out here though. The moral for me is check expiry dates on everything

Pre-payment at the pump requires the use of a credit card not a debit card.

Over the past few years I have filled up all over the continent using several different Visa Debit cards issued by UK (Intelligent Finance and Co-Op) and Irish (AIB) banks in Sterling and Euro respectively. The problem is specific to Revolut, not debit cards in general.

Though I suspect it's the card issuers who determine what cards are acceptable.

Yes, there is a lot of conflicting information and speculation around but it seems that Revolut have imposed restrictions on these type of transactions.

Pay at Pump - Feedback - Revolut Community

 

[Deleted user 48797]

We have been over twice this year and find that Caxton is more widely accepted at fuel forecourts and from memory Carrefour, Intermarche, Hyper U and Super U did accept them but Auchan did not. It's to do with the clearing system behind the transaction.

 

[mrbigglesworth]

Ask a local to pay with their card and give them cash.

Mr B.

 

[Deleted member 9237]

Pre-payment at the pump requires the use of a credit card not a debit card.

Clearly there is a significantly greater chance of payment being authorised with a credit account than a debit card which may not have a credit balance in the associated account ...

Though I suspect it's the card issuers who determine what cards are acceptable.

With the pay as you go card for Repsol if they still do then you can get a card for 20 euros and top it up when you need when i use them once i forgot the pin number but only had 5 euros left on it so if you find one remember the pin :lol-053:

 

[Nabsim]

It looks like a lot if not all the pre paid cards can have a problem with unmanned fuel pumps. Have the R card and was looking round for a backup, about to go with Caxton when I spotted this bit:
Although you can use your Caxton Card at automated petrol pumps, please be advised that an amount of €120-€500 may be held for up to 20 days on your card. The merchant should release the hold when settling the transaction and debiting the correct amount from your card.

Think I will just keep my normal credit card as backup for these if needed

 

[Deleted member 9237]

It looks like a lot if not all the pre paid cards can have a problem with unmanned fuel pumps. Have the R card and was looking round for a backup, about to go with Caxton when I spotted this bit:
Although you can use your Caxton Card at automated petrol pumps, please be advised that an amount of €120-€500 may be held for up to 20 days on your card. The merchant should release the hold when settling the transaction and debiting the correct amount from your card.

Think I will just keep my normal credit card as backup for these if needed

One thing i have found here is never pay with a credit card the pay as you go card is much safer It was that you only pay 20 euros and when you have used up the 20 euros you can top it up or put it in the bin

 

[Nabsim]

One thing i have found here is never pay with a credit card the pay as you go card is much safer It was that you only pay 20 euros and when you have used up the 20 euros you can top it up or put it in the bin

is that with the unmanned pumps as well Ken?

 

[Deleted member 9237]

is that with the unmanned pumps as well Ken?

Yes you can pay with the card at the pump or at the till if they are open i always have one with 20 euros on in the van and now with the pin wrote down :lol-049::lol-049:

 

[Channa]

Sean if you have someone with access t your base in Ireland , they in France at least can post it "Agence postale" bit like our recorded delivery passport and driving licence as Id to trtrieve it ...It would be strange if Spain or Portugal don't offer a similar service

I used it a couple of times albeit in France

Channa

 

[shaunr68]

Sean if you have someone with access t your base in Ireland , they in France at least can post it "Agence postale" bit like our recorded delivery passport and driving licence as Id to trtrieve it ...It would be strange if Spain or Portugal don't offer a similar service

I used it a couple of times albeit in France

Channa

Thanks, is this similar to the "Poste Restante" service? I've only ever used that once, asked my dad to forward a green card covering the Balkans to the post office at Split for me. I turned up at Split main post office, gave them the reference number and was met with a shrug and a "computer says no" attitude. It looks like my green card was lost, most likely down the back of a filing cabinet, somewhere between the Royal Mail and Hrvatska Posta. After that experience I don't have too much confidence in the system! Thanks for the suggestion though, it is an option in an emergency.

 

[REC]

Intermarche in Portugal are often manned especially in daytime. We had the same issue a few years ago with a Caxton card , had to use the Barclaycard a couple of times for unmanned pumps. Cost lots of extra, but now have Santander zero card which stays with our passports and only used abroad. Will go and check expiry date now:hammer::rolleyes2::rolleyes2: