[dgxyz]

This is a common problem. I have it everywhere I go when I take my kids on holiday. Particularly ticket machines where you have to buy multiple tickets and can't add more than one to a transaction (Maltese buses are a good one).

I don't get the problem with my credit card. Might just be switching cards until you find one that isn't crap.

[pards]

I encountered this on the NYC subway trying to buy 4 metrocards with one credit card. No bueno.

[xxs]

Indeed, it could be a common issues. Some places transposition systems even allow use of bank cards as 'ticket'

[dgxyz]

Yeah I'm in London so that's what we use here. But a lot of the European transport systems just chuck it through as a single transaction so if you buy three tickets it looks like repeated attempts to transact and is blocked.

Athens is another one that got me last year.