Do credit cards need a chip and pin in Europe?

[rhett o rick]

If so do US Banks have such PINs?

[CurtEastPoint]

1. I've found that it's needed in 'unmanned' (or unpersoned) machines like on toll roads,

parking, etc. In stores where you give the card to someone to swipe, etc., they all seem to work. If you have time, though, contact your card companies and ask for one that has the chip and pin, just to be safe.

On edit: Just found this by Rick Steves at this link: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/chip-pin-cards

My readers tell me their American-style cards have been rejected by some automated payment machines in Great Britain, Ireland, Scandinavia, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands. This is especially common with machines at train and subway stations, toll roads, parking garages, luggage lockers, bike-rental kiosks, and self-serve gas pumps. For example, after a long flight into Charles de Gaulle Airport, you find you can't use your credit card at the ticket machine for the train into Paris. Or, while driving in rural Switzerland on a Sunday afternoon, you discover that the automated gas station only accepts chip-and-PIN cards.
In most of these situations, a cashier is nearby who can process your magnetic-stripe card manually by swiping it and having you sign the receipt the old-fashioned way. Many payment machines take cash; remember you can always use an ATM to withdraw cash with your magnetic-stripe debit card. Other machines might take your US credit card if you also know the card's PIN — every card has one (request the number from your bank before you leave, and allow time to receive it by mail). In a pinch, you could ask a local if you can pay them cash to run the transaction on their card.

[rhett o rick]

3. Thanks for the post. nm

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. All my bank and store cards are gradually being replaced by chip-and-PIN cards

I didn't ask for this. I just received letters telling me to watch for my new cards.

My Target Red Card was just replaced, and both my credit and one of my debit cards are now chip-and-PIN.

Ask your card issuer if that is an option. There has not been a fee in any of these cases.

[rhett o rick]

4. How did you get the PIN's from them? I have two cards with chips but havent recvd PIN's yet.

I will contact them.