[gambiting]

You were definitely lucky. I've driven through Germany last summer and I couldn't find a single charger that worked, every single one required an app, one wouldn't accept my non-german card, second one didn't have a menu in English so I didn't know how to set it up, third one gave me an "unspecified error" and told me to ring their helpline, but upon calling them discovered they are closed on Sunday. So in the end I didn't charge in Germany at all.

[Scoundreller]

> discovered they are closed on Sunday.

I wouldn’t be surprised if their electric car charging infra was closed on Sunday because it doesn’t fall under the exemptions that gas stations and (some) manual car washes have.

[chrisseaton]

Germany seems to run an entirely independent and parallel cards and payments system to the rest of the world. Really frustrating.

[sofixa]

Really? I've had no problems with regular Visa and MasterCard debit cards, while at the same time the in the Netherlands non-Maestros are barely accepted outside of ATMs, even in huge stores ( that's gotten better in the last 2-3 years).

[chrisseaton]

Last time I was at a German train station I didn't recognise any of the accepted payment cards as a visitor from elsewhere in Europe.

And I note you mention you were specifically ok using debit cards - credit cards are even more problematic than debit cards in Germany. They really don't like accepting them.

And try to use an American Express for anything and you will just get a puzzled look!

[maccard]

> try to use an American Express for anything and you will just get a puzzled look!

Anyone with an Amex knows you need a visa or mastercard to back it up even in the UK or the US

[paledot]

Even in Canada merchants that accept Amex are more the exception than the rule.