How to use iPhone Wallet with air/rail tickets

Hello!
1) The United tickets themselves will not appear in the Apple Wallet. When you check in for your flight, your boarding passes will appear in your United App. You should be given the option to "Add to wallet". At that point, you can add one or all of the boarding passes to your wallet and access them from there.

2) Not every transportation method will give you the option of adding tickets or boarding passes to the wallet. Some do, some don't. SNCF should give you a similar option to what I described above. When you click on the pdf and/or see the QR code, it may also ask if you want to "add to wallet." If you don't see that, you can also access your tickets directly from your SNCF app on the day of travel. (As a safeguard, I always screenshot my tickets/ QR code as well just in case I lose wifi. You can also print the tickets at the station by going to the machines and adding your locator code)

3) Here's a thread about how to use the Apple wallet in the Paris Metro: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/now-you-can-use-apple-wallet-to-ride-public-transport-in-paris.

For me, the most useful thing about the Apple wallet in Europe is the ability to pay via tap. I've loaded a credit card into my wallet and use it to pay for pretty much everything.

Hope that helps!

Exactly as stated by darmouthgirl regarding apple wallet instructions for United check in and SCNF.

Two years ago, when we used the SCNF app the QR codes were in the app and it didn't offer the option to add it to apple wallet. So I agree just have in the app and screen shot the QR codes as back up. We were in great shape throughout France except for when we went from Lille, France to Ghent, Belgium. I think the problem was changing countries. There was no QR code in the app for it, and it said in the app to get tickets at the station kiosk. Of course the kiosk we found we couldn't get to work. We even enlisted locals. Finally we found an employee who said, "not this kiosk, the one inside!" How would we know that. Do not fear European trains. They are amazing, but give yourself leeway for the unexpected blips. You figure it out as you go along.

You can also add those train tickets, if applicable, now...no waiting for a boarding pass.

If you purchase tickets for other activities (concerts, museums, etc) the tickets might also have an option to be added to your Applet Wallet.

As previously suggested, adding a credit card makes it easy to tap on and off of busses etc.

Since you've not ridden European trains before this visit, may I suggest you search the Rick Steves website for topics related to train travel? I expect you will find many of your questions asked and answered previously. If you do this, you might want to limit the Travel Forum items to the past 2 years, since things change rapidly.

It was on the TF that I learned from someone else's Q&A that I might have to push a button or pull a lever to open the train door once I am at my destination. Who knew? Someone who'd been there before.

Enjoy your adventure!

Here are my suggestions and I am sure others will have suggestions as well.

While you live in Iowa, it is not a third world country - you will have places that accept apple wallet. This is coming from someone that lives in what many consider to be one of the five most backwards states in the US.

Your apple wallet can do a few things; 1 - pay for things via the credit cards you load into it; and 2- retain tickets/boarding passes for travel, etc.

Step 1 - add your credit card to your apple wallet now. Use it locally to get used to it. You can use it at most grocery stores and many gas stations. The credit cards machine will typically show you Apple Pay as an option, and you can always ask the clerk. You will use your phone to tap, rather than your physical credit card. You said “we,” have those traveling with you do the same. I have three cards loaded to my apple wallet, as does my husband.

Step 2 - I primarily use Delta and on occasion American, but I am sure United is similar. Right now, you have an airline ticket. About 24 hours before your flight, you will need to “check in,” preferably via the app. After you successfully check in, you will then have your boarding pass in the United app and you will also have the option to download to your apple wallet. You would then download your ticket (boarding pass) to your apple wallet. At this point you will have your ticket (boarding pass) in both your United app and in your apple wallet. Those traveling with you should do the same.

SCNF - I have not used the French trains outside the Paris metro. However, I have used Trenitalia trains in Italy and in the Trenitalia app, you have the option to download your ticket to your apple wallet. So, in the SCNF app, is there an option of your ticket to download to apple wallet? If so, again, like with the airline tickets above, the train ticket will exist in both your apple wallet and your train app. It is unlikely you have to check in prior to departure like an airline ticket.

For the Paris metro, there are a few different ways to travel via apps and apple wallet. I downloaded the IDF Mobilities app which is what you scan to access the metro; I then used my apple wallet to pay for tickets and simply bought tickets as needed. We did not need the various “passes” which can be a money saver but was not something we needed.

This is what I did; other more savvy people may have better suggestions, but hope this helps a little…

*edited to state that by the time I hit “save changes” others more savvy than me have posted responses…

salbeachbum,
Just a comment/compliment to you. Your instructions and explanations about using the Apple Wallet, airline apps, train ticketing, etc. are some of the best and clearest I have read. I don't have a smartwatch, nor do I plan on putting any of my bank or credit card inor on my phone (my personal preference), but if I were to, the ways you explained the process in steps was excellent, very clear and logical. Even when I was much younger than my now 82 years, I learned best by a step by step method, with summaries after each step (as you provided). Many explanations of tech systems and procedures on the forum assume a certain amount of expertise and tech savvy from the information seekers. Nothing wrong with that.....it just doesn't work for me.
Anyway, a big thank you to salbeachbum!

SNCF. Open your confirmation email. Open the ticket. Just below the square scan thingie, it says add to Apple wallet with the Apple insignia. Tap it. Your ticket should appear in the wallet.
I’m writing this from the top deck of a moving TGV, so a bit of rocky.

And when I have tickets that will not go into the wallet -- not all apps allow that -- then I load them to files in 'notes' on my Iphone -- they can be named so you can search for them if needed. Lots of concert tickets, and sometimes transport tickets will not be loadable into the wallet and so this works fine as a backup. You bring up the note for that tickets and you have your bar code for entry.

All good info so far, but am important point being missed so far is to make sure your phone is fully charged when heading out, and also have a backup battery supply (I use one similar to this). Using navigation, multiple apps, etc. puts a big drain on your phone battery, and if you are flying overnight, there may be a longer than normal interval between your routine charging. I have run out of battery blocks before reaching my hotel in Dresden for the first time. I had seen enough of the map to make an educated guess and get there, but that isn't the stress you need on first arrival.

I use Apple Wallet for everything possible. I second the recommendation to practice before you go. Generally if you can pay with a tap to pay credit card, you can pay with a credit card in your Apple Wallet. I also use Apple Pay for on line purchases that accept it. It automatically fills in name, address, etc.

At home I use Apple Wallet for all sorts of tickets- theater, concerts, sporting events and movies. My personal preference is to not put tickets in Apple Wallet until the day I intend to use them. It saves clutter. And don’t forget to delete used tickets. Just like an actual wallet, it can get full and the more stuff you have in there, the harder it is to find what you really want.

You may have done this already. Make sure your Iphone has a PIN or use the fingerprint option, especially to protect your credit card.
Safe travels!

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I will be studying all your comments this week and trying to test as much as I can before departure. But I do wonder if iPhone Wallet is actually easier to use than paper tickets/physical credit cards, especially for occasional users. Using an iPhone Wallet, I have to make sure my iPhone is on and logged in, then open the Wallet, then find the correct ticket/credit card, and position the iPhone over the turnstile without dropping it while possibly pulling a suitcase and making sure it all works. With a paper ticket/credit card, it seems simpler to show it/use it and it always works. I’m sure there are differing opinions, but I would still be interested in any comments about whether the iPhone Wallet is actually simpler and worth the hassle for occasional users as compared to paper tickets/physical credit cards. Thanks again.

If using the apple wallet makes you nervous you do not have to use it. However, I would suggest you think of it as back up. It is another place to put a copy of your tickets - the tickets are simply digital; not paper. So, if you loose your paper ticket, you have a digital back up and simply scan your phone.

I think you should think of this as an opportunity to develop a new useful skill, rather than as just another aggravating technology. I confess that although I did load my credit card into my apple wallet, I have not yet had the courage to try using it-I'm afraid I will embarrass myself. I do always use the wallet for my air boarding passes. It's much easier than you seem to think. I would suggest that you make your iPhone passcode something that would be hard for someone to decipher if they saw you putting it into your phone(but something easy for you to remember-I alternated numbers with letters that spelled a word.

"I confess that although I did load my credit card into my apple wallet, I have not yet had the courage to try using it-I'm afraid I will embarrass myself."

@Cala - When I first started to use ApplePay, I started in the natural food store where there are lots of younger folks who would be able to help. That worked really well because I would start with...I'm trying to up my skills and we would all laugh. Seriously use it at home all the time and it will be natural when traveling.

"Using an iPhone Wallet, I have to make sure my iPhone is on and logged in, then open the Wallet, then find the correct ticket/credit card, and position the iPhone over the turnstile without dropping it while possibly pulling a suitcase and making sure it all works. With a paper ticket/credit card, it seems simpler to show it/use it and it always works. I’m sure there are differing opinions, but I would still be interested in any comments about whether the iPhone Wallet is actually simpler and worth the hassle for occasional users as compared to paper tickets/physical credit cards."

@mennoroger - I think you are totally overthinking this. Are you using ApplePay at home for your routine things like the grocery store or pharmacy? Isn't your phone always on and logged in? You will have to fumble to get your paper ticket out, fumble to have it set right over the reader while pulling a suitcase and making sure it is not to wrinkled across the QR code to be read by the scanner.

I am old - mid 70's. One of my local meet up group members nagged me to load ApplePay in 2022 and it has become the easiest thing ever! It keeps track of what I've spent and where. If I could load ALL my museum tickets to AppleWallet I would but unfortunately only a few of my museums of choice have that availabltilty. I've used it for my boarding passes for my flights and all my train tickets (even those bought on the fly).

It seems like you don't really want to try using your AppleWallet and that's fine. Once you get used to it, it is way easier but start with using ApplePay at home for everything.

I have little to add to the above except these few little things:

1. The "add to Apple Wallet" icon on tickets can be very small and hard to see. You'll click on the icon, it will bring up the ticket and then there will be an "Add" button at the top that you need to click. Once added to the wallet, it may not update, i.e. if your gate had changed, etc. But your ticket in whatever app will be updated as needed - just check, and maybe add to the wallet again if you want (it will still work, just might not have the latest info if something changed). The advantage with the ticket in the wallet is that you do not need to be online to access it, as you would for an app.
2. if you decide to add a payment method to the wallet and then pay via tapping (or really, holding the phone next to the machine), be aware that you will need to "double click" the right-side button to complete the transaction. I can't tell you how many times I have been standing there wondering why payment wasn't going through lol And honestly, tapping a credit card is faster.
3. If you decide to add a payment method to the wallet and want to use your phone to pay for transit - most subways and buses now allow you to just scan your phone - you will want to go to Settings/Wallet & Apple Pay and scroll down to "Transit Cards" where you can add whatever card is in your wallet. This way you don't need to unlock your phone to scan it for the subway, etc.

Happy traveling!

A brief sidetrack: For those of us who do not want to add any type of payment system to our phones (I have iPhone; partner has Android), can we still use the VERY OLD paper system? For instance, I receive boarding passes on my phone, but always bring a paper copy - in the event I lose the phone, or it runs out of power, or just doesn't work. Can we do the same with SNCF train, or bus tickets paid in advance (such as Flixbus)? OR, will they frown on the old paper versions?

"Can we do the same with SNCF train, or bus tickets paid in advance (such as Flixbus)? OR, will they frown on the old paper versions?"

Yes, of course you can. No one will frown at you for paper. It's just harder to book things on the fly if you have a. change of plan and need to book, then print out tickets.

Thanks for all the great help so far. I have successfully loaded and used a credit card with my iPhone Wallet and also loaded the SCNF tickets. Now I am trying to figure out the Paris Metro/RER system. I need to go from Aulnay-sous-Bois (Zone 4) to Gare de Lyon, then the next day from Gare de Lyon to the Eiffel Tower and other locations within Zone 1.

I have read about Navigo, Bonjour RATP, and Île-de-France Mobilités, but I’m not sure what the difference is between them or which is preferable. I think I understand that all three can be used to buy Navigo tickets and Navigo is where the tickets are stored. But if that’s the case, then why not use Navigo for everything and avoid the other two (Bonjour RATP and Ile de France) ? I’m most concerned about simplicity and ease of use, not minor differences in price. Thanks for any further advice.

I think you just add Navigo to your wallet: https://support.apple.com/en-us/118581

I’m 69 and used to work at the Apple Store. Using Apple Pay and the Apple Wallet are great tools. Your financial data is encrypted and this is much ‘safer’ than using a physical credit card.

You did not mention this but you will need to figure out what cell service you will use while in Europe. I opt for an overseas provider that works throughout Europe. Some U.S carriers offer overseas plans but I’ve found them to be expensive compared with other options.

You can do this. If you get a little stuck with something about your phone, ask a young person. They’ll probably have good English and iPhone skills.

Thanks, kpetereson, for your comments. I am making progress in a number of ways. I am currently on a friend’s plan with Xfinity where the iPhone is supposed to work automatically in Europe. It worked for my friend so I’m hoping it works for me. However, you do raise a question that I have wondered about. I added my Visa card to my iPhone Wallet and I have tried it and it works. Since that’s the situation, what is the purpose of Apple Pay? I have the impression that Apple Pay is the same thing as a credit card and so is not needed if you already have a credit card. Is that correct? Or is there some other reason to have Apple Pay? Thanks for any comments.

I have the impression that Apple Pay is the same thing as a credit card and so is not needed if you already have a credit card. Is that correct? Or is there some other reason to have Apple Pay?

When you add a credit card to your iPhone’s wallet (as you did), that is Apple Pay. So you already have it. Then you can use it to pay contactless. BTW, the credit card terminal at a store probably won’t say ‘Apple Pay’, but will have a symbol that looks like three curved lines. That means you can use your phone (Apple Pay) or any contactless card.

So I am continuing to try to setup my iPhone for use on the Paris Metro/RER and it is not going well. Any advice appreciated. Here is what I have done:

1 First, I tried to create an account at https://www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/en/ but apparently I did something wrong because now I am locked out. I tried to send a message on the Contact page, but you have to be logged in to do that and I can’t log in because I don’t have an account. I don’t know any other way to send them a message/question, so I gave up trying to fix this problem.

1. Second, I tried Bonjour RATP, and I WAS able to create an account (I think) and bought a ticket on RER, apparently successfully and got an email describing the transaction. I also added the ticket to my iPhone wallet and it all looked OK as far as I can tell. But when I return to the Bonjour RATP app to look at the ticket I just bought, I can’t find it. I log into the Bonjour RATP app, then click the “Tickets” icon in the lower right corner of the screen. This then shows Fares “On my iPhone”, with a request to Validate my Navigo Card on a Validator. But I can’t validate the card because I’m in Iowa, not France, and there are obviously no Validators here. If I go straight to the iPhone Wallet, then an IledeFrance card IS shown with the phrase “1 Ticket” Buy More, but does NOT show the route for which I just purchased the ticket. I’m not sure if it is supposed to show the route or not, since it’s just a standard ticket. If I press the “Buy More” button, the App says “Cannot renew - Contact Ile-de-France for more information”, but I wasn’t able to do that previously because I couldn’t create an Ile-de-France account.
   

So any advice for what I should do next to make either Bonjour RATP or Ile-de-France Mobilities work?

Thanks for any advice.

There was a very long conversation a while back that schooled so many of us about using Apple Pay/Apple Wallet.

The number is encrypted in Apple Pay/Wallet. Also if you lose your physical card while traveling, when you contact your credit card company, they can immediately give you a new card onto Apple Pay if you have it.

Also if you get a new card (mine had recently expired) always update Apple Pay. I recently for the first time ever forgot my wallet when I went grocery shopping. I realized once I had a full cart and was was ready to unload my cart that my wallet was missing and I had just received a new card but hadn’t updated it in Apple Pay/wallet so I had to apologize to my grocer and run home to get my wallet. Fortunately I was at home not traveling.