SNCF not accepting foreign credit cards?

YVR Cockroach · Mar 29, 12, 8:24 pm

Last month, I was going to buy a couple of promotional tickets on a tourist train in SW France. Went to a suburban station in the Roussillon (near Perpignan) to buy the tickets. (Canadian) Chip card was declined by the station's manned card reader. Tried swiping - no go either. Tried a U.S. card (via swipe) no go. Wife came with 2 Cdn chipped cards. No go either via chip or swipe. Just wondering if SNCF does not accept foreign cards at some stations (particularly suburban) or maybe the station wasn't communicating.

keisari · Mar 29, 12, 8:58 pm

I have not had a problem with US non-chip cards at SNCF stations as long as it is a "manned station"; self-service terminals are an entirely different story. I also have not had a problem with US based card when I buy train tickets on line.
My guess is a communication issue but somebody with more experience in suburban stations may chime in

cbender · Mar 30, 12, 1:41 pm

Last time I was there, one card worked and one didn't in the automated machines. The cards were Wells Fargo and Chase VISAs, no chips in either. I think the Chase was the one that worked, but can't guarantee I don't have that flipped around.

Toula · Mar 30, 12, 4:01 pm

I managed to use my Chase Sapphire card two days ago to purchase a tix from a manned attendant at Montparnasse. No issues at all and my card is the old variety - it must be swiped.

One thing I haved noted continually on my current trip to France is the number of times merchants have had issues with getting he swipe to take. Tonight it took the restaurant 5 goes to get the card to work. It is not just my card, the friend I am travelling with also has the Sapphire and has had the same issue. I've had occasions where after 2 attempts they will give the card back and say it doesn't work but when I have insisted they persist (in a very nice fashion) it has always eventually gone thru.

YVR Cockroach · Mar 30, 12, 4:09 pm

Not too many non-French tourists there that time of year (if ever) so perhaps it wasn't set to accept foreign cards (and this was at a counter). Don't remember if any one else had problems as the person in front of me paid with cash (as I had to eventually). I had some trouble at a couple of restaurants with the Debit abonee (decline) message coming out of the display. I think this may be a function of a bad setup with the phone line.

willie--wonka · Apr 1, 12, 10:18 pm

I think it depends on the station. I've never had any trouble online, in any of the big Paris stations, or in any manned station, but . . . once in a small suburban station, the machine couldn't/wouldn't make change and none of us had 3,35 in coins. The machine wouldn't accept any of our non-chipped cards---and we had a bunch of them. Finally, I dredged a Carte Bleu out of the bottom of my purse and bought tickets for all of us. I think it's just a glitch in the system, like carnets at the Hotel de Ville manned station---they always seem to have some sort of demagnitization problem if bought there and have to be replaced.

wjm457 · May 10, 12, 2:00 pm

We are in France right now and have been buying rail tickets from the machines with our Chase chip card. The one time it was not accepted we tried it again and it worked. It has also worked at all the retailers.

**JDiver** · May 11, 12, 11:01 am

I've not had problems with my Diners (MasterCard branded) chip and PIN card at automated kiosks nor my MasterCard Citi Executive (EMV chip but signature only) at staffed locations or online.

Online is often cheaper - use tgv-europe.com, never www.raileurope.com - as you get the benefits of discounts for advance purchase, loisir, etc. For TGV / Eurostar, you can print out tickets; for TER etc. you have to use a chip and PIN card and retrieve the card at an automated kiosk.

I will ask the moderator to place this in the European Rail Travel forum.

willie--wonka · Jun 5, 12, 6:40 am

I haven't tried SNCF yet this trip, but. . . for the first time, the Metro RATP machine at my stop took an unchipped VISA card for a Navigo renewal and for a carnet of tickets. They may be switching over the machines, since more and more of the stops are unmanned(mine is being remodelled and there is nobody there-not even the information agent who can't sell tickets.

redoordan · Jun 11, 12, 11:52 am

For the last 15 years I travel through Paris each summer. About 5 years ago started having trouble at gar d'Austerlitz. Person swiped card 2 - 3 times and said it was not being accepted. Tried 3 separate bank Visa cards, same result. My wife is always in the country for 3 weeks before I arrive and she is using the same cards. So I know they work. I can take the same card and buy coffee at a kiosk. Of interest, the one time a credit card was accepted was by the conductor's mobile card device two year's ago (pay a premium on board). I have email exchanged with SNCF in french. They of course blamed my card. I suspect SNCF started rejecting foreign cards if their system doesn't receive instant response. They would rather have cash then pay the fee(?).

Mountain Trader · Jun 11, 12, 4:46 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by redoordan

For the last 15 years I travel through Paris each summer. About 5 years ago started having trouble at gar d'Austerlitz. Person swiped card 2 - 3 times and said it was not being accepted. Tried 3 separate bank Visa cards, same result. My wife is always in the country for 3 weeks before I arrive and she is using the same cards. So I know they work. I can take the same card and buy coffee at a kiosk. Of interest, the one time a credit card was accepted was by the conductor's mobile card device two year's ago (pay a premium on board). I have email exchanged with SNCF in french. They of course blamed my card. I suspect SNCF started rejecting foreign cards if their system doesn't receive instant response. They would rather have cash then pay the fee(?).

We use US issued credit cards at SNCF offices regularly without issue. Moreover, if one has booked on voyages-sncf online, you have to bring the card you used so they can swipe it to print your tickets.

The idea that SNCF does this as they'd rather be paid in cash is off base. Chances are either the card company didn't honor the charge, or the agent didn't know how to run a US card thru the machine.

Palal · Jun 17, 12, 5:06 pm

Data point re: foreign CCs... used a portuguese CC without incident to buy the ticket online [french website version] and retrieve at the kiosk.

Mike Jacoubowsky · Jul 1, 12, 1:45 am

Before being seated at a restaurant, always ask if they take US credit cards, and show them stripe on the card. If you make it clear that's the only way you can pay, they invariably say yes. If you don't bring this up first, when the bill comes, they will often tell you no, or their machine for some reason won't work with it (because they will mis-swipe the card, usually running it through so the stripe is on the wrong side).

French merchants sign a contract with Visa & Mastercard that's very similar to the agreement my business signs with them. An agreement that says they will take any legit Visa & Mastercard, regardless of origin. Period. And they are required, by that same agreement, to have equipment that accepts a magnetic-stripe card. And invariably you will see the thin slot on the side of their machine (the same machine that they will sometimes tell you will not take a magnetic-stripe card). So yes, they can take your card, and in all likelihood they know how to take your card, but they choose not to.

It's not the 2.5% that the merchant wishes to save by taking cash rather than a credit card. It's the appeal of a transaction that is not subject to a multitude of taxes.

Note that there are no such requirements (taking a magnetic-stripe US card) for automated kiosks (train stations, service stations, etc). That can be a real problem when returning a rental car on a Sunday and trying to find gas to refill the tank. Train stations will have reasonable hours at which there will be real live people selling tickets, and they take magnetic-stripe credit cards with no issues.

Interesting to hear about Metro stations having machines that now take magnetic-stripe cards. That's a new one for me! I've tried them continuously through the years but have always had to resort to cash.

Thank goodness the toll booths on the highways, entirely automated, have no issues with magnetic-stripe cards!

I love France. I'd rather spend time there than anyplace in the world. I've found the people friendly virtually everywhere. But the ridiculous charade of restaurants claiming they can't take my magnetic-stripe credit card threatens to go from amusing to annoying.

mamalili · Jul 7, 12, 5:36 am

France is just weird when it comes to cards, I often find that at the toll machines as well.Best to always carry cash!

stimpy · Jul 8, 12, 2:44 am

First of all, it's not France. It can be an issue in many countries all over the world. Secondly, SNCF stations, even the remote ones, take most all cards and certainly all US cards at manned stations. And they accept most foreign cards at the automatic ticket kiosks if they have a chip. But not yet Amex cards with a chip.

In Europe most people aren't used to Amex cards with chips. Either the agent doesn't know how to use it or the machine or local network isn't set up to accept Amex's with chips. I'm in Italy now and even in high end stores they tried to swipe my chipped Amex til I told them it has a pin code and they should just use it like a normal bank card. It worked fine.