French Train Station Ticket Machines and US Credit Cards
 

Has anyone else had problems buying tickets from the ticket machines in the French train stations? At every ticket machine in both Tours and Paris, I could not get my credit card to work. VISA, MasterCard, and American Express--all were not accepted. I saw tons of French looking people getting tickets out of the machines. I ended having to wait in the ticket booth lines and hope for an English speaking agent; my credit card would with the agent but not at the machines? Anyone know what's up?

The French cards have a chip, North American cards don't. You have to deal with a person for every card transction, including train ticket pickup...so leave enough time. Same in The Netherlands too.

What Gavin says is very true. If you do as I do and buy all your SNCF train tickets on line and pay on line with your credit card be sure to get to the train station an hour before your train to pick up your tickets. Since you can not use your American credit card to take delivery of your tickets in the machines you will have to get them from the agent at the ticket counter and the lines can be very long and v e r y s l o w. I pick up all my tickets at one time upon arriving in France so that I only have to wait in line once. Just don't fly into CDG and expect to get your tickets for an immeditate train ride out of the CDG TGV station an hour after your flight arives.

Larry J

I experienced the same problem with my credit cards. To make matters worse, I was at the station at night and all the windows were shut. The machines would take cash, but we did not have the right change.

I got lucky. The cab driver who had dropped us off was still in the parking area and he obliged with enough change.
I was really glad for once that I had tipped the guy a little too much!!

He did not speak English, but was intelligent enough to know what my problem was.

Hi all,

In May 2004, I was able to use my US credit cards to buy metro tickets at the machines.

Will I have a problem in 2005?

((I))

Ira, I have a friend that used his US card without issue a couple of weeks ago. I have never been able to use my american cards in the machines. Not sure why some work and some dont but I suspect if it has worked in the past it will probably work again.

My cards worked in the machines for the Metro (the subway) but not SNCF (the big trains between cities)

and I've read that USA credit cards won't work in the machines for RER tickets at CDG...you have to have euro coins (no bills, either).

Ira

The problem is with the SNCF machines not the RATP machines.

Larry J

Wow! I'm glad I caught this thread! I'll be in Paris and travelling to Lausanne, Switzerland. Should I buy the train ticket ahead of time at the train station or can this be purchased at a travel agent? I've done this differently in different countries and hadn't yet considered how I was going to do this. Thanks!

Robin, do a search on "sncf" and you will find boatloads of info on ordering/reserving online with SNCF (French rail system).

You can go to an SNCF boutique (agency)or one of the stations in Paris and buy them in person, as well.

It costs more to buy from a travel agent outside of France - they probably have to use RailEurope.

I understand you can order your tickets online and pick them up at any SNCF boutique in France. Just need to show the same credit card that you paid online with. Also the Prem tickets you are able to print online.

I just noticed that my American Express "Blue" Card does have a chip of sorts on the front of the card. I had it stored back in the safe of my hotel room in case I was pickpocketed. Would the chip on the American Express "Blue" card have allowed me to purchase tickets? Anyone with experience?

Do European credit cards still have the magnetic strip on the back? Can Europeans use their cards in the states?

Hi lad,

>Would the chip on the American Express "Blue" card have allowed me to purchase tickets?<

I asked Amex. They didn't know.

((I))

Thanx all for the replies re metro machines.

((I))

France has been using chipped smartcards since early 90's. But its technology isn't compatible with the new international standard now being introduced for chip and pin cards elsewhere. Some French machines and terminals have been upgraded to accept both (evidently at metro stations), but most only work with French-issued cards. It will be some time before all terminals are converted, and as many of them are owned by merchants outright, smaller, family-owned places with few foreign customers will be the last to change. I'd have though SNCF should be one of the first to modify, but clearly not.

Thanks much for the info. on purchasing train tickets!