Germany Trains? How strict is it?
Aug 10th, 2011, 11:42 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Germany Trains? How strict is it?
I will travel from Paris to Stuttgart by TGV train. I will buy TGV tickets online and print e-ticket. However, I will be using my sister's bank card to make the e-ticket purchase. I don't belong to a bank or use credit card, so I gave enough money to my sister so that I can use her bank card to make train reservation for e-ticket.
My question is, will I need to show the original bank card along with the e-ticket and my ID to the conductor? I heard that the german trains are very strict and sometimes you need show the bank card too, to prove you purchased the ticket. I would not be carrying my sister's bank card because she needs it, so I thought I would prepare a photocopy of it/and my sister's ID.... not sure if that helps the situation.
What do you think? Will the above situation bring me too much trouble for riding TGV train?
I would prefer to pay for TGV train ticket in person with cash at the TGV station, but I heard that if you buy tickets at the station, it costs more than if you bought it online. What is the truth?
I will arrive in Paris on August 18, could I buy TGV ticket for reasonable price to leave on August 20th? I hope to keep the price of the TGV ticket under/around $100.00...
Please, if you are able to give me some insight, I would appreciate it so much!
My question is, will I need to show the original bank card along with the e-ticket and my ID to the conductor? I heard that the german trains are very strict and sometimes you need show the bank card too, to prove you purchased the ticket. I would not be carrying my sister's bank card because she needs it, so I thought I would prepare a photocopy of it/and my sister's ID.... not sure if that helps the situation.
What do you think? Will the above situation bring me too much trouble for riding TGV train?
I would prefer to pay for TGV train ticket in person with cash at the TGV station, but I heard that if you buy tickets at the station, it costs more than if you bought it online. What is the truth?
I will arrive in Paris on August 18, could I buy TGV ticket for reasonable price to leave on August 20th? I hope to keep the price of the TGV ticket under/around $100.00...
Please, if you are able to give me some insight, I would appreciate it so much!
Aug 10th, 2011, 11:53 PM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well, without the "real"credit card, I could stand at the Stuttgart train station and sell copies of both the ticket and the photo-copy of the credit card all day long to folks for $10, and make a fortune. Anyone can make copies, so yes, you would need the credit card.
Aug 11th, 2011, 02:21 AM
#4
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, you do need the credit card the ticket was bought with and they ARE strict about it. If it was a short distance train you might sometimes not get checked but on an IC/ICE you will get asked for the ticket and an ID.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Aug 11th, 2011, 02:32 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,212
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ask your sister to get a duplicate credit card that you can take with you for ID purposes on the train.
The least expensive TGV tickets can be purchased 90 days before the travel date. There are limited discount tickets and the closer to the travel date the more expensive the tickets will be. It's not that the tickets cost more at the station but the discount tickets probably will have been sold already. Although you may get lucky and get a discount ticket on your travel day.
The least expensive TGV tickets can be purchased 90 days before the travel date. There are limited discount tickets and the closer to the travel date the more expensive the tickets will be. It's not that the tickets cost more at the station but the discount tickets probably will have been sold already. Although you may get lucky and get a discount ticket on your travel day.
Aug 11th, 2011, 03:24 AM
#7
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 8,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When you buy a ticket through the SNCF or tgv-europe.com websites, it's their terms which apply and not those of German Rail. You will be travelling with a "French" ticket.
http://help.tgv-europe.com/en/france...another-person
When you check fares, keep in mind that 2nd cheap fares ("PREM" fares) often sell out quickly while 1st class might still be available if you can live with being restricted to a certain train and no refunds for cancellations.
When you buy tickets via bahn.com for trips either within Germany or starting in Germany, then you also can buy tickets online for someone else.
BUT: That "someone else" needs to have a form of ID which the online booking system accepts:
> a major credit card OR
> a maestro debit or "bank card" OR
> a national ID card from Germany or neighboring countries OR
> a "Bahn Card".
If you do not have one of those cards, you cannot legally travel with an online ticket from Deutsche Bahn.
I would suggest you check if similar restrictions exist for tickets bought from SNCF.
http://help.tgv-europe.com/en/france...another-person
When you check fares, keep in mind that 2nd cheap fares ("PREM" fares) often sell out quickly while 1st class might still be available if you can live with being restricted to a certain train and no refunds for cancellations.
When you buy tickets via bahn.com for trips either within Germany or starting in Germany, then you also can buy tickets online for someone else.
BUT: That "someone else" needs to have a form of ID which the online booking system accepts:
> a major credit card OR
> a maestro debit or "bank card" OR
> a national ID card from Germany or neighboring countries OR
> a "Bahn Card".
If you do not have one of those cards, you cannot legally travel with an online ticket from Deutsche Bahn.
I would suggest you check if similar restrictions exist for tickets bought from SNCF.
Aug 11th, 2011, 06:45 AM
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks everyone for your quick and informational responses.
It seems a bit too complicated with using my sister's bank card to purchase an e-ticket. Although getting a duplicate card sounds like a good idea, however, it may still cause confusion or problems because they might not believe me? I don't want to take that risk..
I decided I will wait until I am in Paris on August 18 to buy my TGV ticket for August 20. I hope the price won't be astronomical. If it is, I might as well buy a plane ticket instead or rent a car.
Thanks again!
It seems a bit too complicated with using my sister's bank card to purchase an e-ticket. Although getting a duplicate card sounds like a good idea, however, it may still cause confusion or problems because they might not believe me? I don't want to take that risk..
I decided I will wait until I am in Paris on August 18 to buy my TGV ticket for August 20. I hope the price won't be astronomical. If it is, I might as well buy a plane ticket instead or rent a car.
Thanks again!
Aug 11th, 2011, 06:56 AM
#9
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 8,247
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How do you plan to book a plane ticket without a credit card?
How do you plan to rent a car without a credit card?
And, if you think about using the car just one-way, you will pay a hefty drop-off fee for not returning the car in the same country.
And, in general: How do you plan to travel across Europe without a debit and/or credit card? I hope you don't think about travelling with a big amount of cash in your pockets?!
Another option for those who don't mind to sleep on the bus:
http://www.eurolines.fr/
The fare is €61 for the service on August 20. Select Paris Gallieni as starting point for travels to Munich.
How do you plan to rent a car without a credit card?
And, if you think about using the car just one-way, you will pay a hefty drop-off fee for not returning the car in the same country.
And, in general: How do you plan to travel across Europe without a debit and/or credit card? I hope you don't think about travelling with a big amount of cash in your pockets?!
Another option for those who don't mind to sleep on the bus:
http://www.eurolines.fr/
The fare is €61 for the service on August 20. Select Paris Gallieni as starting point for travels to Munich.
Aug 11th, 2011, 07:05 AM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<<I decided I will wait until I am in Paris on August 18 to buy my TGV ticket for August 20. I hope the price won't be astronomical. If it is, I might as well buy a plane ticket instead or rent a car.>>
You might as well, since you're already WAY too late to get much of a reduced-fare PREM. You should have bought 2+ months ago.
But as Cowboy asks, how do you plan to do this without a credit card?
And are you prepared for about a $500 fee for renting a car in one country and dropping it off in another?
You might as well, since you're already WAY too late to get much of a reduced-fare PREM. You should have bought 2+ months ago.
But as Cowboy asks, how do you plan to do this without a credit card?
And are you prepared for about a $500 fee for renting a car in one country and dropping it off in another?
Aug 11th, 2011, 07:05 AM
#11
This Spring I bought 2 tixs on bahn.de for a train trip Paris to Munich in June. It had a train change in Stuggart. When booking online I was never asked for the name of the other passenger and I was a little concerned but figured we could sort it out at the station if need be. I never had anyone ask for identification for my self or the other passenger. Our tickets were checked several times, but no ID or credit card was ever asked for. Perhaps this was an oddity, but we had no trouble at all.
All that said I agree with Cowboy's post above.
All that said I agree with Cowboy's post above.
Aug 11th, 2011, 07:06 AM
#12
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,978
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have never been asked for my credit card as proof of identity; the passport has been sufficient. In fact, the credit card would not provide sufficient information for the pre-printed PREM ticket since it does not contain the relevant information (date of birth) that shows that the holder is the intended traveler at the moment of purchase.
Aug 11th, 2011, 08:04 AM
#14
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,617
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I too am curious about the logistics of travelling across Europe without a credit card or a debit card. Do you use a pre-loaded cash card? Take a bunch of cash?
I am also curious about how a person lives in the 21st century without at least a bank account - other people's finances aren't my business, of course, but I am curious.
I am also curious about how a person lives in the 21st century without at least a bank account - other people's finances aren't my business, of course, but I am curious.
Aug 28th, 2011, 01:31 PM
#15
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,206
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>I have never been asked for my credit card as proof of identity; the passport has been sufficient. In fact, the credit card would not provide sufficient information for the pre-printed PREM ticket since it does not contain the relevant information (date of birth) that shows that the holder is the intended traveler at the moment of purchase.
They are not interested in your identity. They are only interested in the fact that a particular ticket is only used ONCE. With a flexible ticket it could theoretically be reprinted and used on different trains by several persons. Thus, an unique ID is required - and a credit or debit card is sufficient for this.
They are not interested in your identity. They are only interested in the fact that a particular ticket is only used ONCE. With a flexible ticket it could theoretically be reprinted and used on different trains by several persons. Thus, an unique ID is required - and a credit or debit card is sufficient for this.
Aug 28th, 2011, 01:58 PM
#16
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,617
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We recently got back from our trip, which included two train and 2 bus trips with Deutschbahn, all purchased online. We were required to show the purchasing credit card on 3 of the 4 trips. The conductors ran our card through a portable reader.
In the past, we have purchased tickets on the day of travel at the stations and not had to present any identification on the train except occasionally our passports.
In the past, we have purchased tickets on the day of travel at the stations and not had to present any identification on the train except occasionally our passports.
Aug 28th, 2011, 04:54 PM
#18
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,890
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No one - student or not - should go to europe without a credit card and an ATM card.
In fact, I can;t imagine any college student not having a credit card - and ATM for their checking account. How ever do they pay their bills?
In fact, I can;t imagine any college student not having a credit card - and ATM for their checking account. How ever do they pay their bills?
Aug 28th, 2011, 04:58 PM
#19
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,978
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<i>In fact, I can;t imagine any college student not having a credit card - and ATM for their checking account. How ever do they pay their bills?</i>
I pay mine with checks. But it makes no difference. If the parent purchases the ticket--let's say as a gift to the student--the student's credit card is not the valid one if the conductor is truly checking to see that it corresponds to the credit card used to purchase the ticket.
I pay mine with checks. But it makes no difference. If the parent purchases the ticket--let's say as a gift to the student--the student's credit card is not the valid one if the conductor is truly checking to see that it corresponds to the credit card used to purchase the ticket.
Aug 29th, 2011, 09:44 AM
#20
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,617
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If the rules say that the person traveling on the ticket must present one of a choice of identification, then that person must have that type of identification. Period. If a person doesn't have any of the types of identification on the list, then he or she cannot travel using a ticket purchased online.
I can think of 2 ways around this for someone who does not have a credit card:
1. Purchase the ticket with cash on day of travel.
2. Purchase a rail pass.
I can think of 2 ways around this for someone who does not have a credit card:
1. Purchase the ticket with cash on day of travel.
2. Purchase a rail pass.
