I would like to reserve a sleeper car for my trip in January and my husband is buying my tickets for me. I have a Eurail Global Pass. Also, I am traveling alone, so I will not have his credit card. Will I need to produce the credit card to a train attendant with my printed out tickets? Or will the tickets and my passport suffice? The CNL site says: Inspection on the train Remember that if you book online, you may be asked to show proof of identification you selected in the booking process. This can be a credit card, your BahnCard, or an electronic cash (EC) card. Please keep your original ticket with you at all times while on board. Thank you for your help,
Caroline
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
Looks like the CNL site is saying you have to have the credit card as proof of identification; I doubt that you have a Bahn card. Other online Bahn tickets require credit cards, too.
Posted by
OP
New York, NY, United States
3 posts
That what it looks like but I'm wondering if I have to have the exact card used to book the tickets (my husband's card) or if I can use my own card as ID.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
Since the Bahn sends you a pdf file, which can be printed multiple times, they need a way to prevent multiple uses of the same ticket. They do that by requiring proof (the credit card) that you are indeed the person who bought the ticket. The system is not perfect, but it's better than allowing anyone who finds a copy of the ticket in the trash from using it with a counterfeit card. Unless there is a way to select a different card for ID when purchasing the ticket, you'll have to have the card that was used. Why the problem? Just use your card number in the first place. When I first registered with the Bahn over 10 years ago, to get access to some information, I used my nickname. I bought online Dauer-Spezial tickets in 2008 using my Bahn registration and my credit card, which was in my real name. When I received the pdf file I discovered that the name on the ticket did not match the name on my credit card. I had to call the Bahn and get them to change the name on a new pdf file.
Posted by
OP
New York, NY, United States
3 posts
Thanks Lee. That's what I thought. I'll use my personal card to make the reservations. Thanks again for your help.
caroline
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19274 posts
There is one other "possibility". Something I've never tried before so I don't know how it works. When purchasing tickets online, it gives you (the one making the purchase) the option to purchase for someone else. The purchaser has to have a Bahn login to do it. I would assume you could give the other person's credit card as ID (that would be yours, Caroline). Again, the person making the purchase would have to have a Bahn login and then, since I've never done it, I don't know how, or if, it works the way you want.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23626 posts
Keep it simple and use your own credit card. You will be asked to present the card, the conductors runs it through a hand held card reader, and gets some information which he then compares to the paper ticket and then stamps or punches the paper ticket. This is not the time to cause confusion.