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.