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This looks like an excelent idea and I really want to try it out in a week when I visit Paris, but has some foreigner been able to subscribe and use it? The document says visitors can use it, but are all types of cards accepted? Can you make the deposit somewhere in person, if the kiosque does not accept your card?
This looks like an excelent idea and I really want to try it out in a week when I visit Paris, but has some foreigner been able to subscribe and use it? The document says visitors can use it, but are all types of cards accepted? Can you make the deposit somewhere in person, if the kiosque does not accept your card?
According to the Vélib site:
The Service is accessible...to the persons who hold the following cards:
Bank card issued by a banking establishment that is a member of the "GIE Carte Bancaire" Network.
Any bank card with a microchip that meets EMV standards.
AMEX and JCB cards.
Vélib ticket issued by the Provider.
Navigo Pass associated with a valid Vélib subscription.
It looks like you can only get your ticket from the service points (the kiosques at the Vélib stations).
Another answer from an American who lives in Paris and uses Velib often: you can't use Velib if your credit card doesn't have a smart chip on it. I know, Americans don't like to be told they can't have access to something. But in this case, they can't. People can rent bikes in Paris at 2 places, one at Les Halles and one at the Bastille, for the day and half-day. It's a city program called Roue Libre! a bientot.
I had read somewhere that non cartes a puce (eg. American cards) should work, but it wouldnt surprise me if its like the ticket machines in French train stations. I was in Paris last weekend for la Nuit Blanche and EVERYONE was using those bikes. I didnt try but I think I may next time Im in town.
I had read somewhere that non cartes a puce (eg. American cards) should work, but it wouldnt surprise me if its like the ticket machines in French train stations.
I can confirm that non chip-n-pin cards do not work. I tried several two weeks ago. I can also confirm that major US banks aren't interested in providing chip-n-pin cards to their US customers even if their Europe-based customers can get them (i.e., Citibank in Italy/England).
Is anyone aware of an American cc provider that has a card that will work for this? Is there any foreign cc provider that an American with good credit (but resident of and employed in the US) can get one of these. I am hot to try this next time in Paris and frustrated by the apparent technical blockade.
Is anyone aware of an American cc provider that has a card that will work for this? Is there any foreign cc provider that an American with good credit (but resident of and employed in the US) can get one of these. I am hot to try this next time in Paris and frustrated by the apparent technical blockade.
Any ideas or suggestions appreciated.
See post #17: AMEX cards are accepted.
Unless things have changed recently, French chips are programmed differently than chips issued in other countries, so a US-issued chip card wouldn't work for you anyway. (I have one, and cashiers usually look at me strangely when I swipe it instead of using the chip reader)
so if even a chip embedded US card is no go, what about prepaid European cards, or European Banks that will issue to US residents, etc? Given the state of the US Dollar I have separately been considering having some money in a European bank anyway...
Programs: EXP AA 3.1MM, Diamond HHonors, a bit of Starwood, a bit of Continental, a bit of this and that
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iff
According to the Vélib site:
The Service is accessible...to the persons who hold the following cards:
Bank card issued by a banking establishment that is a member of the "GIE Carte Bancaire" Network.
Any bank card with a microchip that meets EMV standards.
AMEX and JCB cards.
Vélib ticket issued by the Provider.
Navigo Pass associated with a valid Vélib subscription.
It looks like you can only get your ticket from the service points (the kiosques at the Vélib stations).
The official Velib General Terms say that AMEX cards are OK but that the relevant PIN needs to be used. Does anybody know whether that is the same PIN used to get money out of cash-ATM or is it the 4-digit number on the front of the card? Also, can I use the same card to get a bike for myself and also a bike for my wife at the same time, or do we need to use two separate cards? Thanks!
I am also posting this question on the AA forum since I need an answer soon.
The PIN will be the secret one that you use to get cash out, and you can use one card to buy multiple 'abonnements' to take out more than one bike. 150€ will be authorized but not charged on the card for each bike as a deposit, and then each 1€/1 day or 5€/7 day pass can be charged.
The first half hour of a rental is always free, you have to wait 5 minutes between rentals.
Just a comment that may help save you some frustration: Verify if you can that the bike you want to take is in working condition before you do your transaction.
On my first experience with Velib, I got a bike from the rack only to discover that its chain was off. Then I had to wait 5 minutes to get a different one.
Many Velib riders have taken to turning the saddles backwards on bikes that have chains off, flat tires, or other problems so that other riders as well as the Velib maintenance crew know there's a problem.
Programs: EXP AA 3.1MM, Diamond HHonors, a bit of Starwood, a bit of Continental, a bit of this and that
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Thank you for the advice, gentlefolks.
It appears that an AMEX Blue with the little built-in chip may do the trick w/o PIN. It better, since I cannot remember our PIN for the other AMEX card and there's no way to reset it in the time frame we have. Merci beaucoup!
It appears that an AMEX Blue with the little built-in chip may do the trick w/o PIN. It better, since I cannot remember our PIN for the other AMEX card and there's no way to reset it in the time frame we have. Merci beaucoup!
I wouldn't count on that... normally the chip cards here require entering a PIN for all transactions. I don't know why the AMEX card would be any different in that regard.
happy birthday velib' 
