Thalys TheCard for TGV/SNCF travel?
Jun 26, 2016, 10:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: CTS/YVR
Programs: UA/AA
Posts: 9
Thalys TheCard for TGV/SNCF travel?
Planning a trip to France in August and wondering if it's worth signing up for Thalys TheCard to get points as well as use the e-ticket feature. The catch is we won't actually be using Thalys at all, and will be using the TGV/SNCF - but SNCF's Voyageur program doesn't acknowledge Canada or the US as far as I can tell on the sign up form. Seems like I can get a TheCard from Thalys - but will e-tickets and point accumulation work for TGV travel?
Over the past few years I've spent a lot of time in Japan and learned to love the simplicity of rail travel there, between the JR Pass and the fact that IC cards are now interlinked so you can use a Suica card anywhere. European rail travel is so much more complicated!
Over the past few years I've spent a lot of time in Japan and learned to love the simplicity of rail travel there, between the JR Pass and the fact that IC cards are now interlinked so you can use a Suica card anywhere. European rail travel is so much more complicated!
Jun 27, 2016, 1:18 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
I have both the Thalys and SNCF cards, and I generally use them a lot. I am pretty sure they are not interchangeable, not that I would ever need to try.
But you can download the smartphone application for either program and use a M-ticket. The controller will scan the bar code displayed on your phone. You don't really need a physical card anymore, although I still do.
The points expire pretty rapidly with Thalys so if you aren't using it a lot you needn't bother trying to earn points. I think it is the same with SNCF, but those take a bit longer to expire.
But you can download the smartphone application for either program and use a M-ticket. The controller will scan the bar code displayed on your phone. You don't really need a physical card anymore, although I still do.
The points expire pretty rapidly with Thalys so if you aren't using it a lot you needn't bother trying to earn points. I think it is the same with SNCF, but those take a bit longer to expire.
Jul 2, 2016, 10:42 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: CTS/YVR
Programs: UA/AA
Posts: 9
Thanks for the info! I wanted to sign up for the SNCF card but it won't accept either my Canada or US address. I suppose I could use a French friend's address - but it sounds like if points expire quickly there wouldn't be too much use in me signing up as I don't know when the next time I go to France will be.
Apr 29, 2018, 3:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 86
Thanks for the info! I wanted to sign up for the SNCF card but it won't accept either my Canada or US address. I suppose I could use a French friend's address - but it sounds like if points expire quickly there wouldn't be too much use in me signing up as I don't know when the next time I go to France will be.