Berlin - Post Report Question and Answers
Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit card use - once so rare in Germany - is at least much more common in Berlin since COVID. So long as you have a chip/touch-based credit card and maybe 50-100 euros with you at any time, you'll usually be fine. ATMs are plentiful downtown but not in the suburbs; most people I know who work at the Chancery get their cash at the Chancery ATM rather than at an ATM near where they live. - Aug 2023
Credit cards aren't as widely accepted as you would expect in a developed country that neighbors Scandinavian countries where many businesses ONLY accept cards. ATMs are common and safe to use as they are anywhere else. - May 2018
Widely accepted, yes, and yet not all restaurants accept them. Many are cash only so check before entering or ordering (it's not always the "mom & pop" places).
ATMs are also common, but fees can be higher than U.S.
Both credit cards and ATMs are as safe to use as in the U.S. I have, however, seen teams of three men canvassing high/tourist areas ATMs and pickpocketing is very common in central Berlin. Just saying. - Jan 2018
Germany is a cash economy for the most part. You can use your cards, and you will get a bank ATM card to make withdrawals, but mostly you'll be using cash. - Jul 2015
Not sure about ATMs (no experience.) Credits cards can be spotty, so cash is an important part of your wallet. However, it may be worth getting something called an EC (Electronic Cash) card which acts as a debit card, and is accepted at most restaurants. - Aug 2013
Credit cards are accepted most, but not all, places, and ATMS abound. Many people set up a local bank account to get an EC (debit) card and to be able to pay local bills by transfer. - Dec 2011
