So. Been in NY for the last 4 months and it’s my 128th visit to the USA haha!
Essentially every ATM charges you around 3USD. Chase, Citibank etc
In terms of card usage DEFINITELY take another card. The US is notorious for being useless with payment systems so a lot of them have never been updated and won’t recognise your card including a lot of yellow cabs, independent coffee shops and chains like the Vitamin shoppe
Could we please get an official knowledgebase article on what to do on unattended terminals that require postcode?
It doesn’t seem that even the support agents know what to do in these situations.
Post code or zip code? UK customer in US or vice versa?
What should be entered in lieu of a Zip code. There seems to be no consensus on this.
Last I heard, pretty much anything works, but I’m going with 90210 
Haha. I can confirm pretty much anything does not work 
I ended up using my US cards.
Did you try either 00000 or 99999? Usually one of those works.
Yes
Did you try this:
During a recent trip to NY, 00000 worked at most places (including Metrocard machines), but there were 2 or 3 shops where it didn’t work so I reverted to the zip of one of my old NY addresses - 10012 - this worked a treat.
I doubt the terminals are localised (or localized) so a valid US zip should work anywhere within the US. But just in case terminals are, it may be good preparation to know of a valid local/state zip in advance to use if all else fails.
I’ve tried multiple old addresses too. Could
just be the SEPTA machine.
updated some info regarding advice i give to international visitors:
this one’s for @js38wju3jda and all the other confused tourists i find at the airport:
The PayPass logos on the fare gates are also confusing. To be fair I could not get any of my cards working at the SEPTA kiosks. US/UK, Contactless, Swype, Debit or Credit 
Part of the issue is they are all registered to my UK address now
okay fine i’ve put the whole set of asterisks on there lol
(before i forget, it’s worth nothing that there’s a publically known issue that gives people 1 free ride when a SEPTA key card gets tapped in london, though i do not endorse any acts of fare evasion: https://whyy.org/articles/glitch-gives-some-septa-key-holders-a-free-ride-in-london-chicago/)
Wow, that sounds like a complete mess! 
It’s bad enough that a public transport system in a major city wouldn’t accept non-domestic cards, but they’ve added lots more confusion into the mix.
I don’t get the notification when I arrive regarding fees etc.
Hmmm… I was able to use my foreign debit card to get SEPTA passes. I haven’t purchased that SEPTA key though.
Foreign cards are not accepted though to pay for one thing: local public transport e-tickets using these transport operators’ apps. NJ Transit, MTA and Chicagoland providers certainly don’t.
Did gou buy them at an unattended kiosk?
the upgrade to SEPTA key removed support for international cards afaik