I've just read on Bahn.de that the tickets you print out are only valid for you personally in conjunction with your identification (assuming this means the credit card used to purchase them), and that online tickets cannot be made out in the name of another person. What am I missing here? How does one purchase and print out personalized tickets for others traveling with you using one credit card? I've only printed tickets from the Thalys website, and those are also personalized, but didn't need to correspond with the name on the credit card used to purchase, or at least not earlier in the year. I'm sure there is some logic to this which is eluding me at the moment. Would someone with experience please enlighten me.
Posted by
OP
Alabama
108 posts
OK, is it that someone traveling in the group must have the credit card as identification for the whole group, and that one can't purchase tickets for someone with whom you won't be traveling with, as they won't have your credit card for identification?
Well, if this is the case, then maybe there is hope for me yet.
Posted by
OP
Alabama
108 posts
Thanks Steve, I believe you beat me to the punch. I answered my own question, but your reply preceeded my posting. Thanks for your verification. I hadn't actually proceeded into the purchase far enough to become aware of how it actually works.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19155 posts
I actually used online Dauer-Spezial tickets last November. My name is on the ticket along with my "Ausweis (Identification) MasterCard xxxx" (last four digits of my card number). I used the ticket alone, but I don't think they ask for the names of co-travelers, so they wouldn't be on the ticket. It's just the name of the person purchasing the ticket, and the card number.
I think it has something to do with preventing you from using the tickets twice, since you can print the pdf file as many times as you want.
The name on the card has to match the name on the ticket. When I registered with the Bahn almost 10 years ago, I used my nickname, not my legal name, which is on the card. When the pdf file arrived, it had my nickname. I called them and the man said he probably couldn't change it, so I hung up, planning to change the name on my card. Several minutes later a pdf file arrived by email from the Bahn with the name changed.
Posted by
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
2779 posts
By the way the card of identification doesn't necessarily have to be form of payment, too. E.g. when we travel on DB for business we use online tickets and our own credit cards as form of ID but the ticket was paid for by a company card (i.e. different credit card, different name on it).
Posted by
OP
Alabama
108 posts
Thanks Lee for that information. I'm just in the planning stages of our next trip, and wanted to purchase the Europa-Spezial Schweiz tickets from Munich to Zurich at a later date, and was aware already from reading this site, that all forms of ID must match correctly with plane tickets, train tickets, etc. I think I've got those bases covered, but I know I will need some guidance along the way in my planning. Also thanks for the tip about the Europa-Spezial Schweiz tickets which I learned about from one of your earlier posts; otherwise, I probably wouldn't have known to look for these. This site has taught me so much about European travel. Thanks so much everyone for sharing your experience and guidance to those of us who aren't fortunate enough to travel often.