From my recent trip to Norway, I can confirm that most of the information here is still relevant! Monzo has made the experience pretty painless as I hadnāt the need to touch any physical at all. The card worked everywhere ranging from Flytoget (I bought the ticket via the app in the end) to hostels and bars.
Contactless usage is still fairly uncommon, even though the symbol can be seen on a few POS terminals I came across. Perhaps it only takes local Norwegian card at the moment? Chip and PIN worked perfectly though (and if anything, the trip actually helped me remember what my PIN actually is as Iāve been so used to contactless in the UK! )!
Just got back from a long weekend in Oslo and didnāt need to take cash out once. Monzo worked perfectly everywhere (including bars unfortunately, ouchā¦!).
As above, contactless is still pretty rare (can only recall using it a couple of times) so itās chip and PIN pretty much exclusively.
Was nice to see the travel reports return to iOS, too!
As a Norwegian citizen with a Monzo card, I just thought I should tell you that Monzo (+ Apple Pay) works flawlessly in Norway, although Apple Pay hasnāt launched in Norway yet. For me as a Norwegian citizen the only downside is to manually have to transfer the money from my Norwegian account to Monzo.
According to the Traveling with Monzo web page, you can use your card abroad for free. The only thing youāve to pay for is if you plan on using the ATM a lot, but in a place like Norway where cards are accepted close to everywhere, you wouldnāt have to go to the ATM. In fact, as a Norwegian citizen, I havenāt used one in the last five years or so.
With traditional banks this can be quite expensive, but Iāve found a way around it using Revolut. What I do is top up my Revolut account in NOK, exchange NOK to GBP and then make a transfer from Revolut to my Monzo account. The only loss I have to carry now is if the GBP loses value against NOK.
@SoapyDaz@blobcow As you mentioned in your post, there is a lot off stores who has terminals who support contactless payments, but has not activated the feature. However, the amount of stores where you can pay with Apple Pay/a contactless card increases day by day. Most kiosks, restaurants and so accept it these days.
Just back from Oslo and I can confirm much of the above is still relevant. No problems using Monzo with chip and PIN, contactless or Apple Pay. Havenāt needed to get cash from an ATM as cards have been accepted wherever Iāve been. Even worked on the British Airways flight offline and notification came through later that day when presumably they processed the transactions.
Edit: I just remembered I did have one transaction that was unusual (for me anyway). It was contactless with PIN requested. It was when paying on a bus with a wireless payment terminal.
As a bonus for this thread, here are some photos I took at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. The āOld Townā area features a Norwegian Sparebank as it would have looked in 1897, as well as a display of collectible token items the bank has released throughout its history.
Thanks Kate! Did you notice what the price of a beer was? I need to understand what my āessentialā spending will be Iāve heard Oslo in general is fairly expensive for eating and drinkingā¦
It can be quite expensive depending on where you go. Visited Starbucks as I had some waiting around time before heading to the airport and my drink cost me Ā£5.44ā¦
at all. The card worked everywhere ranging from Flytoget (I bought the ticket via the app in the end) to hostels and bars.
)!
Iāve heard Oslo in general is fairly expensive for eating and drinkingā¦
