I'm sitting here at the train station at the Paris airport awaiting my train but wanted to come out and post while I'm thinking of it. I saw there were multiple posts even with links to pdf files with instructions on how to obtain etickets with just the reference number and not having to worry about using your credit card (since ours are not chip/pin). So, I literally had printed out one of the pdf instructions (I'm traveling solo so I'm a little over prepared) and went about obtaining my ticket. After I entered my Reference Number, the next screen was NOT asking for my name - it went straight to confirming the ticket (just like in the pictures) but when I clicked that the next page wanted my credit card. So, I had to go stand in the TGV counter line to get my ticket. The man was kind and he said it's because of my credit card and asked for it and swiped it and got me my ticket. So, yeah, apparently it's supposed to work but it didn't for me today and I just wanted to see if this was anyone else's experience recently.
Posted by
Texan in CA
4415 posts
IF you purchased tickets from tgv-europe.com, under "Retrieving a Train Ticket at an SNCF Station in France" it states: For outward travel from France, you can collect your tickets from a station or SNCF shop in France. You must present the bank card and the confidential code you used for making the payment. Note: you can also collect your tickets from the Self Service Terminals available in France or at Luxembourg station.
This retrieval method is not available for tickets paid with non-chip and pin cards such as American Express, some foreign cards and e-cards. IF you purchased tickets from Rail Europe: http://www.raileurope.com/en/train-faq/how-to/how-do-i-retrieve-my-e-ticket-at-french-train-stations.html Which internet site did you purchase tickets from? I'm guessing Rail Europe since you used the term 'reference number'...
Posted by
OP
Newton, MA, USA
289 posts
I purchased the ticket directly from TGV Europe, not Rail Europe. I read many posts/discussions on this topic that were debating whether one needs to use their credit card to pick up the tickets and the consensus was that you did not need it.
Posted by
Texan in CA
4415 posts
Now you know ;-) I remember a thread (because I posted on it) from just before the end of 2010 about this, but no others. That thread did conclude that tgv-europe.com required going to the ticket window, but I haven't noticed any recent threads. Is this or this the pdf file you're referring to? If so, it has nothing to do with tickets purchased from tgv-europe.com. This file refers to a brochure given to travel agencies, and the one in the above-mentioned thread was called "Euro Railways" (similar to Rail Europe, etc.). You CAN collect all of your French tickets in France at one time (meaning one trip to the counter).