gladfon

I went ahead and bought the tickets knowing I need a credit card with a chip. Now I'm concerned I may have a problem picking them up. I have a confirmation with confirmation number. Also, My trip is two months from now. I just saw an old thread saying that they give you only 6 days to pick up. I hope that's not true. Please enlighten me. Thanks. Gladys

ira

Hi G,

Did you purchase the tickets or make a reservation?

If the former, you would have given them a CC number.

If you did buy the tickets, you bring your confirmation number and the same CC to a SNCF boutique or a train station and get the tickets from a person.

gladfon

Hi Ira,
Thank you for your reply. Yes, I did purchase them with a credit card. I'm assuming they will hold them for me until I arrive in October, right? Thanks again. Gladys

kerouac

No problem to pick them up. The SNCF is well aware that magnetic strip people also want to buy tickets with their cards.

djkbooks

From the SNCF website:

<<Select "collect your ticket from an automatic ticket machine or from station ticket offices and Boutiques" in the order confirmation page.

You must present the file reference and the banker's card used for the on-line payment with the associated PIN in order to collect your train tickets.

If the on-line payment has been made with a foreign card without a chip (ex.: American Express) the tickets cannot be collected from automatic ticket machines but only from SNCF ticket offices.

You will be given a limit collection / payment date and time at your country's SNCF boutique :


Order placed < 3 days before departure, collection up to 30 minutes before departure; Order placed between 3 and 10 days before departure, collection up to 2 days before departure; Order placed between 11 and 62 days before departure, collection up to 7 days before departure

After this time, your ticket is automatically cancelled.>>

ira

>You will be given a limit collection / payment date and time at your country's SNCF boutique :


SNCF gives you the option of paying on line (buying a ticket) or reserving a ticket and paying for it when you collect it.

The quote above refers to the latter.

Once you have bought a ticket, you can pick it up any time before the train leaves. Bring your confirmation number and the same CC.

djkbooks

<<SNCF gives you the option of paying on line (buying a ticket) or reserving a ticket and paying for it when you collect it.

The quote above refers to the latter.>>

So, then, why would you need to present the bankers card used for online payment to collect them?

kerouac

Just like e-tickets for airlines: you have to present the same card that you used to reserve the ticket.

gladfon

Hi Everyone,
Thank you for your responses. I feel relieved now and happy with my purchase---I saved more than $100. Now I can start thinking about what pass to buy to cover the other trains we will be using in Switzerland.

We will be traveling from Montreux to Lauterbrunnen (Golden Pass--how to reserve?), then Lauterbrunnen to Lugano, and finally to Zurich for our flight back to U. S.

I have priced first class tickets to be purchased with half fare card and the price is about the same as a first class 3 day flexi saver pass. Would the second class seats be o.k.?

Thanks again for your help. Gladys

ira

>..why would you need to present the bankers card used for online payment to collect them?<

Fraud prevention. They assume that if you have the card, you must be the person who made the reservation.

This is probably true, but it doesn't mean that you are the rightful owner of the card.

>Would the second class seats be o.k.?
I make it a rule to go 2 cl for trips under 4 hr.