Digbydog

I tried to buy tickets last night on tgv-europe.com. I tried 3 different credit cards, and all 3 were denied. Tried capitainetrain.com this morning, and I have my tickets. Man in Seat 61--thanks very much for the information!!

Christina

I'll have to remember that if I have trouble again (although I never did after I notified my credit card -- to the person who asked, I always notify them a day ahead, I wouldn't presume you can immediately buy one a few seconds after notifying the CC company -- often computer systems refresh at night, for example, but I would just assume it would take some time).

I don't really understand how SNCF could lose a court case about "anti competitive" behavior about selling its own tickets as it's a quasi-public utility as I understand it. But in any case, if capitainetrain sells SNCF tickets for the same price as SNCF with no markup or distribution fee (is there one?), then I don't really understand their business model. How do they make money?

MaineGG

Good to know about this alternate source for train tickets.
I'm also curious about how Capitaine Train makes money. Perhaps SNCF and other rail systems consider them travel agents and pay commission? In any event, if US and Canadian issued credit cards are accepted without problems, it will be very successful with ticket seekers on this side of the Atlantic.

Betty1

I don't know the answer to your question, Christina, but I also had good luck with Capitainetrain. I posted about my experience on this thread a few days ago.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...t-cards.cfm?54

HappyCheesehead

AND I want to mention that when I went back to Captaine Traine for a second purchase 10 days after the first (right at the 90 day window for prems) I checked the SNCF site for pricing immediately before going over to CT website. The price on CT was much lower - 29 euro - vs SNCF. It was like 2/3 the price. I wondered if they still had access to a fare bucket that SNCF had already sold out of?? I apparently got the last two tickets at that price because, just for grins, I modeled a new purchase on CT after my tix were purchased and it was back up to the higher price showing on the SNCF site.

I was very happy with that price, 29 euro Marseille direct to Brussels, what a fantastic deal.

Thanks again Man in Seat 61!

Digbydog

Another benefit of Capitaine Train is that there does not appear to be the 24 hour wait for a re-try if your credit card is declined, as there is on sncf.com. Last night I tried to purchase a ticket for my son on sncf.com, using his credit card. (He had called his credit card provider the night before to tell them to expect the charge.) The charge was declined. I then tried Capitaine, and the charge was again denied.

In the meantime, my son's provider called him to ask him about the charge, and he okayed it. I tried sncf again, and the charge was denied. Tried Capitaine, and the charge went through.

I think Capitaine Train was a fantastic suggestion by the Man in Seat 61!

Betty1

As I mentioned on the thread referenced above, I emailed the SNCF group service about buying tickets for 12 people Paris to Dijon on May 25. That was around Feb. 18, a week before those tickets would become available.

This past Monday, Mar. 11, I finally got the following response.

Dear Sir, Dear Madam,

We hereby acknowledge receipt of your E-mail indicating your interest to travel with SNCF. We regret to inform you that we are unable to follow up your request and that you need to contact the departure network of your country, which is either of the following:

- [email protected] if you live in Belgium, Holland or Luxembourg;

- [email protected] if you live in Italy;

- [email protected] if you live in United Kingdom or in Irland;

- [email protected] if you live un the United States, Canada or Mexico;

- [email protected]

- [email protected] if you live in another country.


For any other query, feel free to contact us:

- By telephone: 00 33 810 879 479

- By fax: 00 33 810 875 475

- By e-mail: [email protected] Best regards,

Your Travel advisor


Apparently the SNCF doesn't want us foreigners buying tickets on their website, at least not more than 6 at a time. Sheesh!

Thank goodness (and Man in Seat 61!) for Capitaine Train.

YankyGal

Ugh - I wish I didn't have to participate in this thread, but I've just wasted more than an hour of my life (not to mention my company's time!) trying to book Figueres - Paris TGV tickets, which have FINALLY opened up for sale for our travel date in late May.

Tried several credit cards on the voyages-sncf site and all were denied (there was no indication about "three strikes, you're out," although I'm not surprised.) And yes, I called my credit card company and they didn't even see a charge attempting to come through.

I tried the chat, and he sent me a link, which sent me to a form to fill out, to which I received a response by email sending me to the rail-europe site!!

I will try the Capitaine Train site later from home since it wants me to download another browser and I just can't do that on my work PC.

I'm so bummed. I had the nice "duo vis-a-vis" two-seater facing each other on the upper deck and everything. I'm guessing those won't last long.

Sigh.

YankyGal

Ooh - problem solved already thanks to Capitaine Train (and the Man in Seat 61 for telling us about it, of course).

My husband just purchased our vis-a-vis upper level seats on the Capitaine Train site at home - and using our Capital One card (no FX fees). Our tickets are printed already!

Now to tackle the RENFE site. ;-)

Quezal

Just wanted to update the info contained in this and other threads about the need to sign up for Verifed by Visa, 3D Secure or MasterCard Secure to buy SNCF or CapitaineTrain train tickets. It seems that these services are no longer offered by U.S credit card companies due to numerous phishing attacks.

All the credit card companies told me they've worked out a way to verify without the need for customers to sign up on the verification sites. My Chase Visa worked fine today.

Christina

thanks for the update. I have a Chase CC and called them about the Verified by Visa signup and they literally had no idea what I was talking about. It really irritates me when an average consumer knows more about something than people when it is their job and profession to know. I also called B of A as they even say they participate in Verified by Visa right on their website! So I figured no problem, but I called and no one (talked to 3 people) had any idea what I was talking about, even when I showed them their exact webpage saying they participate in it. Then some guy tried to be helpful and got instructions as to how I was supposed to sign up, but they were bogus (sent me to some page of theirs about privacy statements). I gave up at that point.

msenatori

I encountered this problem as well today. Used both credit cards, called both credit card companies -- they say the transaction never got to them (so was not technically "declined") and there were no special fraud restrictions in place. Tried saying I was from France on the SNCF form (vs. USA), that didn't work.

What DID WORK was selecting the PAYPAL option, and then via PayPal, having the $$ debited from my checking account.

Yay!

--Mary

pmain

I ran into the same problem trying to book a TGV ticket from Paris to Avignon on scnf.com, using the french language option. I found an iDTGV ticket for a lot less than expected but couldn't complete the purchase with my US credit card. I tried a couple of times and couldn't understand the reason why it wouldn't go through, I contacted my bank and they assured me that they had not declined the charge, in fact the charge had not been submitted. I called scnf on the phone and they told me it could be the US card but that it shouldn't be the case since I had used it successfully with other french vendors in preparation for this trip and suggested I tried again. Finally, I decided to check with Fodors Forum talk, and sure enough, I found I wasn't alone in my predicament! Using captainetrain.com (which took me to www.trainline.eu) I found the same iDTGV low fare ticket and was able to complete the purchase without any trouble at all. Thank you all for your posts and for sharing your experience - believe me, I always refer to Fodors Forum Talk but from now on, this is where I will start my planning!

Christina

It has something to do with some software SNCF uses, I have no idea why they cannot accept US credit cards when other foreign onlin
vendors can (like captaintrain or whatever they are now). The fact that some other foreign website accepts it (like a hotel or whatever) doesn't have anything to do with SNCF being able to, in my experience. It's SNCF, you'd think a big company like that could figure it out.

If you want to hear something really funny, I had the same thing happen to me when I went to a SNCF boutique store in Paris proper. Even in the actual office, they could not run through my US Visa or MC credit card, I thought it was just an online issue. They could run through an Amex in that store, though, which was my last hope. I have never had that happen in any other store in Paris.

To be honest, I've had the same problems with the Spanish railroad website, Renfe. The only thing that worked was Paypal.

WoinParis

That is an anti-laundering policy.
French institutions are well aware of the fact that US travelers are drug dealers and therefore built a financial wall to protect themselves.

Mexican credit card work though, just get one !

StCirq

Just use www.trainline.com - partner with SNCF with exact same schedules and prices and no issues with American cc's. I never had a problem with using my American cc on SNCF, but many people did, so I have to believe it's a problem. With my Carte Bleue obviously it's a non-issue now.