SJ (Swedish train company) Prio program
#31
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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All I can tell you is of my personal experience, but some years back, when I first began living in Sweden, I was able to become a member without any issues. This was prior to my having anything at all ie. personnummer etc so I would like to think it would still be similar. I did have and use a Swedish address but that was literally it at that time. Hope this helps!
While I had suspected that there was a time where people were able to enroll in SJ Prio without some members being "a registered inhabitant in Sweden and hav[ing] a Swedish Social Security Number", there has also been a time when it was not possible to enroll in SJ Prio without meeting the conditions of being a "a registered inhabitant in Sweden and ha[ving] a Swedish Social Security Number".
I am curious why the SJ program would even ever had that restrictive condition in place when SJ could have used the program to maintain/grow marketshare against what little competition there is in the Swedish passenger rail market. Killing off what little competition is out there may not always be a strategically wise move, but this restriction that has been in place at times (and maybe still is in place?) doesn't really make sense to me. The rail service has also been competing against passenger air service at times and the airlines' loyalty programs were not restrictive in this SJ way.
#32
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
#33
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546
I was able to register without a Personnummer in 2016. I can't currently log in to that account, but I last earned in 2016 so it's possible my account has been deleted due to inactivity. The password reset page also requires a Personnummer...
#34
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
Last time I booked a redemption, I had to prove my identity using Bank-id. I don't know how SJ solves this problem if the account holder doesn't have a personal number.
#35
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At least in the past, SJ Prio accounts were automatically deleted if not used for three years (possibly a different number of years).
Last time I booked a redemption, I had to prove my identity using Bank-id. I don't know how SJ solves this problem if the account holder doesn't have a personal number.
Last time I booked a redemption, I had to prove my identity using Bank-id. I don't know how SJ solves this problem if the account holder doesn't have a personal number.
At least last a couple of years ago, some people without BANK-ID/MobileID/whatever could use the SJ Prio accounts to use SJ points for train travel without any e-ID-type steps. Not sure how it was done, but I saw the results and confirmed that none of those ID things were required for at least some SJ points redemption.
SJ Prio points still expire pretty quickly IIRC. I don't know if there was any way to extend the point expiration dates for a sets of points expiring before more recently collected points expire, but it seemed to me that there wouldn't be any value in even many a 5-year old SJ account because of how SJ points seemed to expire.
#36
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,016
And not everyone with a personal number has Bank-ID or any of those other "e-"ID things. Maybe they stop in in-person at an SJ office/counter/lounge (as appropriate per where they are or ticket type) and use a passport or Skatteverket ID to try to get the account access?
At least last a couple of years ago, some people without BANK-ID/MobileID/whatever could use the SJ Prio accounts to use SJ points for train travel without any e-ID-type steps. Not sure how it was done, but I saw the results and confirmed that none of those ID things were required for at least some SJ points redemption.
SJ Prio points still expire pretty quickly IIRC. I don't know if there was any way to extend the point expiration dates for a sets of points expiring before more recently collected points expire, but it seemed to me that there wouldn't be any value in even many a 5-year old SJ account because of how SJ points seemed to expire.
#37
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Posts: 102,095
It seems like transit offices of various sorts in Sweden were shutting down over the years before the pandemic and now they are shutting down even more such offices nearly a year later. Hopefully it's not going to soon be a permanent end to SJ lounges too.
SJ lounge staff have changed my booked SJ tickets before, so I assume they at least used to have some booking capability alongside the rebooking capability. Not sure if they were locked out or had to call up a helpline of sort when it came to train bookings using SJ points.
Is that e-ID stuff required for redeeming SJ Prio points for train cafe items?
SJ lounge staff have changed my booked SJ tickets before, so I assume they at least used to have some booking capability alongside the rebooking capability. Not sure if they were locked out or had to call up a helpline of sort when it came to train bookings using SJ points.
Is that e-ID stuff required for redeeming SJ Prio points for train cafe items?
Last edited by GUWonder; Apr 8, 2021 at 4:54 pm
#38
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: VIE
Programs: SAS EBS / *A Silver, Hilton Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,737
I have an account without personnummer and when I try to redeem points I get a message to contact customer services. Anyone tried redeeming points for travel that way? Does it work easily?
#39
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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Have you contacted SJ Prio membership service to book a ticket in your own name when unable to do it online on the app and on the website?
[email protected] , +46-771-75-75-75. Hopefully, they don't want you to mail a copy of something to their address in Ostersund to do so.
[email protected] , +46-771-75-75-75. Hopefully, they don't want you to mail a copy of something to their address in Ostersund to do so.
#40
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: VIE
Programs: SAS EBS / *A Silver, Hilton Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,737
So, i just made a booking with my points. It was very easy, to the point where I have to wonder why they bother with this nonsense.
1. I logged into my account and opened the chat with SJ.
2. I gave the agent all the information about the trip and passenger names (me + one other person).
3. She asked for my security code (which is available in the SJ app) and issued the tickets.
What's the point then? Why can't I just book this myself in the app if everything I need is in the app anyway?
1. I logged into my account and opened the chat with SJ.
2. I gave the agent all the information about the trip and passenger names (me + one other person).
3. She asked for my security code (which is available in the SJ app) and issued the tickets.
What's the point then? Why can't I just book this myself in the app if everything I need is in the app anyway?
#41
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
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Posts: 102,095
Over a year ago SJ updated its app to make it "more secure" and advance it on a path to allow for more things than before. Sounds like SJ still has more catching up to do as the left foot is out of sync with the right foot.
#42
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: VIE
Programs: SAS EBS / *A Silver, Hilton Diamond, Radisson VIP, IHG Platinum
Posts: 3,737
Anyway, luckily I became Black member recently and I get priority connection on the chat so it's relatively quick and hassle-free. But still very stupid
#43
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Welcome to Sweden, where the left foot is out of sync with the right foot.
The chat feature is pretty quick nowadays even for the White and Grey.
The chat feature is pretty quick nowadays even for the White and Grey.