Paris: Navigo Decouverte online?

[Graeme]

All of the online information about the Navigo Decouverte pass indicates you can only purchase it from a ticket office at a station in Paris.

However, tucked away on a page on the SNCF Transilien website there is the following:

To get your Navigo Découverte card, you can either:

• Go to an SNCF Transilien, OPTILE, or RATP sales office, or to one of the "comptoir-club" offices in Paris or in the Paris region, where you can get it right away.
• Or, place on order online on the Navigo site, in the "Reload/Order" section. Your card will be shipped within 3 weeks.

SEE THE LIST OF SNCF TRANSILIEN SALES OFFICESGO TO THE "RELOAD/ORDER" PAGE (IN FRENCH)

Yet when you go to the order page it is only for Paris or French residents working in the city.

I take it the ticket office is the only option? And do you get a blank card which then has to be loaded at a separate machine or will the ticket office staff load the card for you?

 

[dutchflyer]

Me thinks (but not 100% sure) ''shipment'' (which is done by French post-yet another strike-prone state-entity) is only to adresses in the large Paris (Transilien/Ile de France) region. For many French this is so self-evident, they will not mention it. In fact, as an aside, many French larger cities also restrict sale of cheaper monthlies etc. to local inhabitants only. But why the heck do it anyway if they cannot promise better as ''in 3 weeks time''? The order will most likely stumble when you have to give in the postal code.
When you buy-and then have to make sure a name-card is linked to it, they can also (or should be able to) load the asked for season. As there are many previuous threads about this, many there recommend to visit the special RATP- customer service offices and not SNCF.

 

[Graeme]

The order will most likely stumble when you have to give in the postal code.
When you buy-and then have to make sure a name-card is linked to it, they can also (or should be able to) load the asked for season. As there are many previuous threads about this, many there recommend to visit the special RATP- customer service offices and not SNCF.

Thanks for the reply - I'd figured as much from the text and appreciate the confirmation that any application would fail on residency grounds. On the face of it, the English text on the SNCF Transilien website clearly suggests that the Navigo Descouverte is available online when clearly it isn't - maybe it's charitable to think that it's merely lost in translation?

 

[stut]

Thanks for the reply - I'd figured as much from the text and appreciate the confirmation that any application would fail on residency grounds. On the face of it, the English text on the SNCF Transilien website clearly suggests that the Navigo Descouverte is available online when clearly it isn't - maybe it's charitable to think that it's merely lost in translation?

Not sure where the disconnect is. A translation based on a change in policy that never happened that was subsequently never altered to match reality? Who knows.

If you go on to the Navigo site, it makes it quite clear that the Personal Navigo is available online to Ile de France residents (and may be available to those working there, subject to some ridiculously formal process) but that the Découverte is available only in person.

I guess you could try and get a Personal Navigo via a virtual mailbox based in Paris, and see if their automated systems pick up on this (I managed to get an OV-Chipkaart online in a similar way). That said, the app-based Navigo is due this year, so it may not be worth the hassle.

 

[radamfi]

I guess you could try and get a Personal Navigo via a virtual mailbox based in Paris, and see if their automated systems pick up on this (I managed to get an OV-Chipkaart online in a similar way).

Do you mean you got a personal OV-Chipkaart by using a virtual mailbox?

If you are not resident in the Netherlands, what can you do with a personal card that you can't do with an anonymous one that would be of any use?

 

[Graeme]

If you go on to the Navigo site, it makes it quite clear that the Personal Navigo is available online to Ile de France residents (and may be available to those working there, subject to some ridiculously formal process) but that the Découverte is available only in person.

Indeed - and everything I've seen states this is the case. I'm not arguing that. However, my query was because the SNCF website suggests a second option of being available on-line, when clearly the Navigo Decouverte is not available to non-Ile de France residents - as it's meant to be a card for tourists in lieu of the "normal" Navigo, why would sales be restricted to those living in Paris?

To get your Navigo Découverte card, you can either:

• Go to an SNCF Transilien, OPTILE, or RATP sales office, or to one of the "comptoir-club" offices in Paris or in the Paris region, where you can get it right away.
• Or, place on order online on the Navigo site, in the "Reload/Order" section. Your card will be shipped within 3 weeks.

Anyway, I know I have to get one from the ticket office so that's what I'll do when I get there at the end of April.

 

[stut]

Do you mean you got a personal OV-Chipkaart by using a virtual mailbox?

If you are not resident in the Netherlands, what can you do with a personal card that you can't do with an anonymous one that would be of any use?

OV-fiets.

You also need a bank account capable of iDEAL transfers, but that's easy enough in these days of challenger banks.

 

[radamfi]

OV-fiets.

You also need a bank account capable of iDEAL transfers, but that's easy enough in these days of challenger banks.

Oh yes, I now remember your message about getting accounts with iDEAL and Maestro. I don't think you mentioned anything about virtual mailboxes then, though. Any recommendations?

 

[stut]

Oh yes, I now remember your message about getting accounts with iDEAL and Maestro. I don't think you mentioned anything about virtual mailboxes then, though. Any recommendations?

I use mailboxde.com - they're right on the Czech border, and so use Czech post for discount rates. The OV-Chipkaart people will send to Germany (for EURegio reasons). They won't accept bank cards, however - you'll need a fixed address for those.

 

[radamfi]

I use mailboxde.com - they're right on the Czech border, and so use Czech post for discount rates. The OV-Chipkaart people will send to Germany (for EURegio reasons). They won't accept bank cards, however - you'll need a fixed address for those.

Ah right, so you can open a Bunq account using mailboxde.com which is good enough for iDEAL, but for Maestro you need to have a friend who will allow you to use their address.

 

[stut]

Ah right, so you can open a Bunq account using mailboxde.com which is good enough for iDEAL, but for Maestro you need to have a friend who will allow you to use their address.

Actually, Bunq don't need a Eurozone address at all. As long as you can prove who you are, they're happy with a UK address. The free account doesn't include a Maestro card, however.

I got a free Maestro card through N26, a German bank - and for that, I had to use a friend's address. They do have a UK offering, but minus the Maestro card, so you need the German address. You get free SEPA transfers between Bunq and N26, and I use Transferwise to get money from the UK to both of them. I also have a Dutch Flying Blue Amex, which they were happy to give me on the basis of having the Bunq account (so using it for direct debits seems to work fine) - that's there to keep my Flying Blue points alive.

For the OV-Chipkaart (and various other dull things), mailboxde worked a treat.

Finally, if it's at all helpful, RingGo now have a parking app that works in both the UK and the Netherlands. If you've ever driven to the Netherlands (OK, that may be less likely on a rail forum, but you never know) you'll know that parking machines no longer take cash - only Maestro or pay by app. Most apps are available only to Dutch customers, or by subscription, but RingGo allows you to have both a UK and Dutch account - again, as long as you have iDEAL.

Slightly complex, but for frequent travel to NL, it does iron out some of those bumps.

 

[radamfi]

Actually, Bunq don't need a Eurozone address at all. As long as you can prove who you are, they're happy with a UK address. The free account doesn't include a Maestro card, however.

Do you need a Dutch +31 mobile number to apply for Bunq?

 

[stut]

Do you need a Dutch +31 mobile number to apply for Bunq?

Nope. No country restrictions on App/Play Store either.

 

[radamfi]

Nope. No country restrictions on App/Play Store either.

Thanks for the tip. I have already opened an account, verifying my identity using video call, very efficient.

 

[radamfi]

For the OV-Chipkaart (and various other dull things), mailboxde worked a treat.

How did you fill in the form on the OV-Chipkaart website? The address fields don't have enough room to put

Mailboxde.com GmbH
*name*, ID *****
etc.

 

[stut]

I've got:

Land: Duitsland (obviously)
Postcode: 02763
Huisnummer: 57
Straat: Mailboxde.com/Äussere Weberstr
Woonplaats: IDxxxxx, Zittau

Not quite right, but it seemed to work

The OV-fiets registration is different, but that's another step...

 

[radamfi]

I've got:

Land: Duitsland (obviously)
Postcode: 02763
Huisnummer: 57
Straat: Mailboxde.com/Äussere Weberstr
Woonplaats: IDxxxxx, Zittau

Not quite right, but it seemed to work

The OV-fiets registration is different, but that's another step...

Thanks!

 

[radamfi]

For the OV-Chipkaart (and various other dull things), mailboxde worked a treat.

How long did it take the card to reach mailboxde.com?

 

[stut]

How long did it take the card to reach mailboxde.com?

Looking back at emails... Was 12 days in total.

 

[radamfi]

Looking back at emails... Was 12 days in total.

Ah right. The email says it should take an average of 3 working days, but presumably that is for post within the Netherlands. I wouldn't have thought it would take more than a couple of extra working days to reach the other side of Germany, though.

 

[stut]

Ah right. The email says it should take an average of 3 working days, but presumably that is for post within the Netherlands. I wouldn't have thought it would take more than a couple of extra working days to reach the other side of Germany, though.

Ah, it was 12 days from order to receipt. I don't think I got the promised email saying it had been sent. The order email said:

"Als we je kaart op de post hebben gedaan, ontvang je een e-mail. Je hebt je kaart binnen drie werkdagen in huis."

So that wasn't accounting for the time of actually producing the card as well.

 

[radamfi]

Ah, it was 12 days from order to receipt. I don't think I got the promised email saying it had been sent. The order email said:

"Als we je kaart op de post hebben gedaan, ontvang je een e-mail. Je hebt je kaart binnen drie werkdagen in huis."

So that wasn't accounting for the time of actually producing the card as well.

I applied in English so my email said

"Delivery time
You will receive your card within an average of three working days"

It didn't say anything about them sending an email when they despatch the card.

 

[stut]

I applied in English so my email said

"Delivery time
You will receive your card within an average of three working days"

It didn't say anything about them sending an email when they despatch the card.

Ah, OK. I suspect lazy translation Although my one is ambiguous. Do I get the card within three days of now, or of receiving the mythical "your card's in the post" email. Either way, it took 12 days.