International travel

Using an Indian credit card in Europe (Schengen)

  • EUR + 9 other currencies
  • Facts checked
See 0% forex cards How DCC works

A Schengen visa covers 29 countries, but they do not share one currency: most use the euro, and several keep their own. Pay in the local currency wherever you are. If a shop or ATM offers to charge you in rupees, that is dynamic currency conversion, where the merchant sets the rate and may add a markup. Cards with a verified 0% forex markup are listed below.

Schengen countries and their currencies

The Schengen area is 29 countries: 25 EU member states plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Ireland uses the euro but is outside Schengen. Cyprus uses the euro and takes part in Schengen cooperation, but its internal border checks have not yet been lifted.

The euro is legal tender in 21 EU countries. Within Schengen, these EU members keep their own currencies:

  • Czech Republic: koruna (CZK)
  • Denmark: krone (DKK)
  • Hungary: forint (HUF)
  • Poland: złoty (PLN)
  • Romania: leu (RON)
  • Sweden: krona (SEK)
  • Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland do not use the euro either: Swiss franc (CHF), Norwegian krone (NOK), Icelandic króna (ISK).

Pay in the local currency, not rupees

Pay in euro in Paris and in koruna in Prague. If the screen offers INR or the local currency, choose the local currency to decline dynamic currency conversion. Declining does not stop the payment or the withdrawal. Your card then converts the amount itself, and on a 0% forex card it adds no markup.

How dynamic currency conversion works →

Where forex markup applies

A multi-country trip puts most of the spend in foreign currency: hotels, rail passes, museum tickets and meals, plus bookings billed in euro or another local currency. A 3.5% markup on ₹3 lakh is ₹10,500 before any rewards.

If you plan to book flights with card points, the reward transfers guide explains how moving points to an airline or hotel programme works.

18 verified 0% forex cards in current Money Matters data

The same list appears on every destination page and on the 0% forex card list, and it updates with each data release.

Cards with 0% forex markup

18 cards

Verified 0% forex markup, lowest annual fee first. Card facts come from the current Money Matters data release. This list applies to any foreign-currency spending; it is not specific to Europe.

Show 11 more
Compare close options

See every 0% forex card

Zero forex versus broader travel value

A 0% card saves the markup; a card that charges forex can give some of it back through rewards and lounge access. On ₹3,00,000 of foreign spending a year, a 2% markup costs ₹6,000.

  • Federal Bank Scapia Credit Card Forex cost: ₹0 Rewards abroad: None Main catch: No international rewards
  • ixigo AU Credit Card Forex cost: ₹0 Rewards abroad: Earns points; dependable rupee value unresolved Main catch: Fee eligibility and point value are uncertain
  • HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card Forex cost: ₹6,000 Rewards abroad: Multiple issuer-published redemption routes; value depends on eligible spend and the selected route Main catch: 2% forex and reward value depends on redemption context
  • HDFC Infinia Credit Card Forex cost: ₹6,000 Rewards abroad: Earns points; value depends on the selected redemption route Main catch: 2% forex, a high annual fee and path-dependent reward value

Compare these four in full

Fees and rules change. Check the currency and the amount on the screen before you confirm, and your card's current charges on its card page.

Common questions

FAQ
Is every Schengen country on the euro?
No. The Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden are in Schengen with their own currencies, and so are Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland. Ireland uses the euro but is outside Schengen.
Should I pay in rupees or euro in Europe?
Pay in the local currency. The rupee option is dynamic currency conversion, where the merchant sets the rate and may add a markup. Paying in euro, or koruna, krone and so on, lets your card convert the amount; on a 0% forex card there is no markup on that conversion.

Sources

Related pages

On this site